Vegan Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
This cozy, comforting plant-based main is packed with 10 different plants and plenty of plant-based protein. Perfect for Sunday dinner, or a special holiday meal!
Ingredients
Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 2 smaller acorn squash 2 - 2½ pounds (900-1125g) total
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- 4 links regular or gluten free vegan sausage crumbled
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
- 4 packed cups baby spinach
- 1 medium apple like Gala or Honeycrisp diced
- freshly cracked pepper
Topping
- 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs gluten free if needed
- 1 tablespoon vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, set aside.
- Cut acorn squash in halves. Rub halves with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of the oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet and bake until tender but not mushy, about 35-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling: heat remaining tablespoon (15 mL) of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add sausage and cook, stirring constantly, until starting to brown, 3-5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and place skillet back on heat.
- Cook onion, celery and red pepper until onion is fully softened, about 7-10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, onion powder, paprika and salt and cook, stirring constantly for one minute. Turn off heat.
- Add sausage crumbles and spinach to the pan and stir until spinach is wilted, 1-2 minutes. Add apple and stir through. Set aside.
- When squash is ready, remove from oven and turn cut side up. Stuff halves with sausage mixture. Turn oven to high broil.
- In a small bowl, combine crumbs, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder. Sprinkle over the stuffed squash halves and place until the broiler - watch closely! - until crumbs are golden brown, about 1 minute.
Notes
The filling makes enough to generously (heaping!) stuff 4 squash halves. Serving 6? You've actually got enough filling to add another squash and fill more modestly.