MSG Free Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Roasted acorn squash filled with savory-sweet pork and tender apple chunks is the kind of autumn dinner that feels both rustic and a little impressive. The filling gets its depth from a warm spice blend — sage, thyme, ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon — all of which are whole, single-ingredient spices with no hidden additives to worry about. That matters more than it sounds, because seasoning packets and pre-made sausage blends are common culprits for sneaking in unwanted flavor enhancers. Here, you're building every layer of flavor yourself, from browning the ground pork to deglazing the pan with apple cider vinegar and finishing with a drizzle of maple syrup. The result is a filling that's savory, a little tangy, and just barely sweet — perfectly balanced against the caramelized edges of the roasted squash. It's a complete meal in its own edible bowl, which also makes cleanup refreshingly simple.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the squash
- 2 medium acorn squash (about 1.5 lb each), halved through the stem and seeds removed
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted, divided
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, divided
For the filling
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium apples (such as honeycrisp or fuji), peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
For finishing
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Brush the cut sides and cavities of the acorn squash halves with 1 tbsp of the melted coconut oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the salt. Place cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until the flesh is just tender when pierced with a knife.
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