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Stuffed Winter Squash

This hearty recipe incorporates a wealth of meats and veggies from the market and is super simple to make.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course
Keyword collard greens, squash
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn, delicata, dumpling, or carnival squash, cut in half and seeded
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing the squash and greasing the dish
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 6 oz sweet italian sausage, chorizo, or chopped bacon
  • 1 small leek, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1-2 apples or pears, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups tender leafy greens, cut into ribbons (like spinach, kale, or swiss chard)
  • 4 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the flesh of each squash half with olive oil, and oil an ovenproof dish or baking sheet. Sprinkle the whole baking dish with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Lay the squash flesh-side down in the dish and bake until it is very tender when pricked with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425°F.

  2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo or sausage and fry until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the leeks to the hot oil and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the apple, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the greens, sage, cooked grains, and reserved sausage. Cook for another minute, stirring to combine, and remove from heat. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

  3. Flip the cooked squash over in the baking dish so it is flesh-side up. (Be careful, as steam will escape when you turn it.) Scoop the filling into the cavity of each squash half, piling it into a mountain so that it holds as much as possible. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.