Fruit Beers
When you add beer to your fruit, you get unexpectedly delicious results. Plus drinking fruit is “healthy”.
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
1.5 hrs
Yield
4 servings
This straightforward sausage stuffed squash recipe brings two of the best parts of Lake Geneva Country Meats together: award-winning sausages and terrific fresh produce!
Sausage is kinda what we do at Lake Geneva Country Meats. We love the craft of taking simple ingredients and turning them into incredibly delicious treats for you to enjoy at home.
We love coming up with new flavors, as well as perfecting our existing flavors, and the awards we’ve won speak to the quality of our sausage making.
While we’re a meat market, we also are incredibly proud of our fresh produce selection. There are so many great produce growers in our area, and being able to showcase their terrific products is a joy.
While eating a bratwurst or sausage in a bun is a quick and easy go-to dinner, we also like taking the sausage out of the bun and transforming it into something more by using sausage as an ingredient in a different dish.
Our sausage stuffed squash recipe takes hearty winter squash and adds a rich and savory filling of sausage, onions, carrots, and mushrooms to make a delicious entrée.
It’s easy to make this sausage stuffed squash, but there are some twists and variations you can do with the ingredients. We’re laying those out below, but if you’re ready to get cooking, just scroll down to the ingredients and get going!
What type of squash can I use to make sausage stuffed squash?
We used acorn squash to make this recipe, but you can use any winter squash that is available to you or you like.
Winter squash are late-growing varieties of squash that keep well after being harvested. The seeds are fully matured and the skin has hardened, so they need a little prep before cooking.
Winter squash varieties include:
- Acorn squash
- Butternut squash
- Delicata squash
- Kabocha squash
- Spaghetti squash
- And more!
You can learn more about different types of winter squash and get basic prep and roasting instructions by visiting this link.
What type of sausage should I use for the stuffing?
We used our Leahy’s Bulk Italian sausage, which is available in the freezer section at Lake Geneva Country Meats. It’s easy to defrost and sauté to be used int he stuffing.
You can use a wide variety of sausages for this recipe, bulk or linked. If they’re linked, just take the meat out of the casing before you start cooking.
Here are a few suggestions on other Lake Geneva Country Meats sausages you could use in your sausage stuffed squash:
- Chicken Cranberry & Rice sausage has an autumnal flavor that works beautifully with the squash and stuffing.
- Chorizo sausage can make a delightfully flavorful and spicy Mexican-style sausage stuffed squash.
- Hot Italian sausage will bring a kick to this recipe if you like.
- Hungarian sausage has plenty of garlic and paprika flavor that has a little warmth without being spicy.
- Polish sausage has a bit more onion and garlic flavor and less herb flavor than Italian sausage and works well in this recipe.
Is there anything else I can add to the stuffing?
There are many variations to stuffed squash that you can make. Here are a few ideas:
- Add a little of cooked rice to the stuffing to make a more filling version of this recipe.
- Instead of carrots and mushrooms, try using sautéd apples and dried cranberries in the stuffing.
- Use chorizo sausage as suggested above and add sautéd bell peppers and cooked black beans to the stuffing.
What do I serve with this sausage stuffed squash?
By itself, this sausage stuffed squash is a fairly complete meal, but if you are looking for side dishes, we have these recommendations:
- Freshly baked buttered bread.
- Roasted vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, or carrots.
- A fresh and crunchy salad to lighten up the meal.
Hopefully, we cleared up any questions you may have about our savory and delicious sausage stuffed squash recipe. If you have more questions or made your own version of this recipe that you like, please leave us a comment with you feedback!
Have a great day and we’ll see you soon at Lake Geneva Country Meats!
Ingredients
- 2 Acorn Squash (halved and seeds removed)
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- 1 lb Leahy’s Bulk Italian Sausage
- 8 oz Button Mushrooms (finely chopped)
- 1/2 Yellow Onion (diced)
- 2 Carrot (peeled and diced)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded)
Directions
Start making your sausage stuffed squash by baking the squash. Cut the squash in half from stem to base and scoop out the stringy bits and seeds. Put the halves cut sides up on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Brush each half of squash with olive oil and season moderately with salt and pepper. Place into an oven that has been preheated to 400ºF and bake for about 40 minutes until the skin wrinkles and the flesh is tender.
After about 20 minutes of baking, start making the stuffing. Add 1 tbsp. of olive oil to a large skillet and heat to medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until the meat is browned, crumbling it apart as it cooks.
Once the sausage is browned, add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Continue cooking over medium heat until all the vegetables are softened and set aside.
Once the squash is done cooking, remove from the oven and let cool slightly. When it has cooled enough to safely handle, scoop out the flesh until there is only about a 1/4″ thick wall of squash flesh around the skin.
Add the scooped squash into the sausage stuffing mixture and combine. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Divide the sausage stuffing among the squash halves, filling each one to the top. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top, then place the sheet pan back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the stuffing is hot, about 10 – 15 minutes.
Garnish with a touch of fresh herbs like rosemary or sage and serve your sausage stuffed squash hot. Enjoy!
