Easy Anti-Inflammatory Stuffed Acorn Squash
This stuffed acorn squash is filled with savory ground turkey, quinoa, herbs, and walnuts, then finished with a tangy maple mustard dressing. It’s an easy, mostly hands-off fall dinner made with whole-food ingredients.
Ingredients
Stuffed Acorn Squash
- 2 acorn squash or 1 large butternut squash
- olive oil spray or olive oil
- salt and black pepper
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 red onions sliced
- ½ lb ground turkey
- ¼ cup cooked tri-color quinoa
- 2 tbsp fresh sage roughly chopped, or 1 tbsp dried sage
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tbsp tamari
- ¼ cup walnuts chopped
Mustard-Maple Dressing
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
Garnish
- 1 small handful fresh sage leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Lightly coat the cut sides with oil and season with salt and black pepper.
- Place cut-side down on the baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until softened and golden.
- Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the quinoa, sage, oregano, garlic powder, white pepper, and tamari. Season with salt if needed.
- Turn the squash cut-side up and scoop out the seeds. If using butternut squash, scoop out some flesh from the neck and stir it into the filling.
- Spoon the turkey filling into the squash and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper to a jar. Shake until emulsified.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the sage leaves for about 30 seconds, until crisp, then drain on paper towels.
- Drizzle the dressing over the stuffed squash and garnish with walnuts and crispy sage leaves.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F, covered with foil, for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
- If you can’t get fresh sage for the garnish, sprinkle with 3 tbsp finely chopped chives or parsley instead.
- I like to use ground turkey with 8% fat for a more flavorful filling. Leaner ground turkey can be used for a lighter dish.