Ingredients
Scale
For the squash:
- 2 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the stuffing:
- 1 pound ground turkey (93/7 lean)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup cooked wild rice or brown rice
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds and stringy pulp. A sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop works well for this.
- Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the squash for 35-40 minutes, until the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and flip cut-side up.
- While the squash roasts, cook your rice according to package directions if you haven’t already. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet with the turkey. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add the minced garlic, sage, thyme, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the cooked rice, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Add the chicken broth and butter, stirring until everything is well combined and heated through.
- Season the stuffing mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
- Carefully scoop some flesh from the center of each roasted squash half, leaving about ½ inch of flesh around the edges to maintain the shape.
- Chop the scooped squash flesh and stir it into the turkey stuffing mixture.
- Divide the stuffing evenly among the four squash halves, mounding it slightly.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes more, until the tops are lightly golden and everything is heated through.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
