Apple Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash is a fall-inspired flavorful dinner packed with sausage, spinach, apples, pecans, and cranberries. It is also a festive side dish!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut squashes in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and place cut side up on lined with parchment paper baking sheet.
Then brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Preheat large skillet on medium-high heat, add olive oil and sausage meat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly and breaking into small pieces. Add onion, garlic and sage, and saute for another 3 minutes.
Now add apple, spinach and saute until spinach has wilted, stirring often. Turn off heat and add pecans, cranberries, black pepper; stir and adjust salt to taste. Set aside.
When butternut squash halves are cooked and cooled a bit, remove some of the flesh in the middle with a tablespoon. Just enough to fit the stuffing in. Save the flesh and turn into mashed butternut squash later.
Divide the apple sausage stuffing evenly between 4 halves and broil on the second rack from the top for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.Freeze: Wrap halves tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe bag up to 3 months.Reheat: Reheat in microwave or in the oven until heated through.