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Ground turkey stuffed acorn squash with pecans, sage, pumpkin seeds, and apple.
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4.75 from 4 votes

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Turkey

An elegant and easy gluten-free stuffed acorn squash recipe that is full of cranberries, pecans, apples and ground turkey.  This healthy acorn squash recipe is perfect for Fall & Winter dinners or get-togethers!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

Squash:

  • 2 acorn squash cut in half
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ t. salt

Breadcrumb Topping:

  • cup pecans
  • cup bread crumbs gluten free
  • ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated*
  • ½ tsp. basil dried

Filling:

  • 1 lb. ground turkey, 90/10 or ground beef, venison, sausage
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup onion finely diced
  • 1 cup apple diced with skins
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¾ tsp. sage ground
  • ¾ tsp. salt to taste
  • 1 egg
  • See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #3

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Cut each squash in half and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil between the four squash pieces. Salt the inside of each squash half.
  • Place squash, cut side down, on the baking sheet and cook for 35-40 minutes.
  • Combine all topping ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixture is crumbly.  Set aside while making the filling.
  • Saute ground meat in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 6-8 minutes, or until meat is cooked thoroughly.
  • Remove cooked meat and place in a large bowl.  In the same saucepan, add 1 tablespoon oil, onion, apple and garlic. Saute for 5-6 minutes or until onions become translucent.
  • Combine ground meat, onion mixture, ⅔ of the breadcrumb topping mixture, and remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
  • Fill each acorn squash half with ¼ of the filling. Sprinkle each with the remaining topping mixture.
  • Place squash back in the oven for another 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!  See this recipe in Healthy Meal Plan #3.

Notes

*You can also use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese if dairy-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 481mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 690IU | Vitamin C: 19.2mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 3.1mg