I love using food as a vessel for … more food. Acorn squash are basically edible bowls when you cut them in half and scoop out the seeds! Perfect for filling with whatever you want. Here, I’ve stuffed them with a mixture of homemade turkey sausage, brown rice, mushrooms, kale, and parmesan cheese. Substitute the cheese with a vegan option, and you’ve got yourself a gluten-free AND dairy-free meal. I've also got a great recipe for Homemade Bulk Italian Sausage, which can be used here!
Serves 4 - can be easily doubled as pictured!
Ingredients
2 medium acorn squash
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
1/2 lb bulk Italian sausage
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kale, stemmed and chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Slice each squash from the stem to the end, using a sharp, large chef's knife. Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon. Brush the insides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves face down on the baking sheet. Bake until tender, 30-35 minutes. Once cooked, set aside until ready to stuff. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, prepare your filling. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, crumbling the meat while stirring frequently, until no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, melt the butter. Add the onions, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms start to caramelize, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the chopped kale and return the sausage to the pan. Stir until the kale has wilted.
Remove from heat, and add the cooked brown rice and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese. Mix well.
Turn the squash cut-side up on the baking sheet and spoon the filling in, gently packing it with the back of a spoon to fit as much as you can inside, then also mound some of the filling on top. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese over the stuffed squash. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Kommentare