Stuffed Acorn Squash with Italian Sausage, Faro and Kale

A Fall favorite.

Squash is something I love to stuff because you can get creative with your toppings and ingredients to top with. It’s so versatile and marries wells with most ingredients because of its mild flavor.

The best thing about this dish is that it’s filling and can be served alone or with a small salad or soup on a cozy Fall evening.

Yield: 4

Author: Foodie On The Fly

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Italian Sausage, Faro and Kale

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 H & 4 M

Ingredients

• 2 medium acorn squash (about 2 pounds each)
• Olive oil, as needed
• Kosher salt and black pepper as needed
• 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups curly kale leaves chopped
• 1 pound of sweet Italian pork sausage
• 1/2 cup cooked faro
• ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook 1/2 cup of faro according directions on packaging. Rinse and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully halve cut each squash in half through the stem, removing the stem if still attached. Scoop out and discard the seeds, and place the squash halves on a sheet pan, cut-side up. (You may want to trim the bottom of the squash halves slightly so they don’t wobble on the pan.) Brush each squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a knife, 25-30 minutes
3. Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-low. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Elevate heat to medium-high and add the sausage, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper., 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon of ground fennel. Cook, crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the kale and cook, tossing, just until it begins to wilt. Remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Once squash are tender, using a small spoon, gently scrape about 3 heaping tablespoons of flesh from the cavity of each squash (you should have about 1 cup altogether) and add it to the sausage mixture, along with the faro. Mix thoroughly until combined, breaking up any chunks of squash.
6. Divide the sausage mixture among the squash halves, filling each one to the top. (Depending on the size of the squash cavities, you may need to slightly heap the filling.) Return the sheet pan to the oven to roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and starting to brown on top.
7. Sprinkle halves with dried cranberries, parmesan or shaved cheese and drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @foodieonthefly on instagram and hashtag it #foodieotf

I