Roasted acorn squash with turkey quinoa stuffing recipe is a meal all in one edible bowl! Each serving is filled with healthy lean protein, vegetables, and fruit.

Do you ever wonder how in the world are you supposed to cook acorn squash? I feel that way when I reach the lonely forgotten collection of winter squash and gourds at the grocery store. They just seem to serve better as food inspired decorations instead of edible ingredients. Boy was I so wrong!

I’ve become a pro at breaking down butternut squash for soups and macaroni and cheese, but acorn squash was a new one for me to tackle. I wanted to create a healthy satisfying meal all in one. Being inspired by autumn and the holidays, I decided to make a recipe for roasted acorn squash with turkey quinoa stuffing.

I confess! I could eat a whole pot of this turkey quinoa stuffing all by itself. It’s a tasty concoction of grains, vegetables, and fruit. I didn’t mean to add so many ingredients, but as I was recipe testing the list got a little longer. I asked myself what the stuffing was missing or needed and went for it.

To create these edible acorn squash cups, I made some simple knife cuts. A small amount on both ends of the squash was cut to form a base and then split in half the create two portions. Super simple! There are some seeds so make sure to scoop the inside nice a clean before roasting. I chose smaller sized squash that I thought would work for a single portion to hold about a 1/2 cup of stuffing.

I have this insatiable need to make squash even sweeter than it already is. That’s why these acorn squash are drizzled with maple syrup, cinnamon, and spicy savory seasonings. As they roast, the flesh softens and becomes perfectly scoopable with each spoonful.

A good stuffing has a base of aromatics like carrots, onions, celery and bell pepper. Sauteed Honeycrisp apples (Fuji can be substituted) and dried cranberries add a hint of sweetness. Spinach boosts the nutrition in each bite, plus the protein-packed quinoa and lean ground turkey. Fresh lemon zest, chives, and parsley brighten up the stuffing. Crunch fan? Pecans are the icing on the cake and make this stuffing even more addicting.

These roasted acorn squash cups are Thanksgiving served up in one adorable edible bowl. A wonderful starter, appetizer or dinner meal, you can’t go wrong. I like to serve generous amounts of stuffing for each portion. A light, healthy and wholesome dish ready to devour in under an hour. I’d love to hear about your experience cooking with acorn squash!

Is the skin on the acorn squash edible? Yes! It absolutely is. Once you’re done roasting the flesh is tender, and the skin becomes soft and palatable. The skin is pretty thin, so once you cook the acorn squash go ahead and take a bite. With that being said, since you are already oiling the inside and outside of the squash, you can also season the skin with some salt and pepper as well. Don’t forget to save your seeds, you can roast them and eat them as a crunchy snack or topping later!

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Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Turkey Roasted acorn squash with turkey quinoa stuffing recipe is a meal all in one edible bowl! Each serving is filled with healthy lean protein, vegetables, and fruit. Pin Print Save to Favorites Review 4.25 from 8 votes Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing squash 2 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more for brushing squash

3 small acorn squash 3 small acorn squash

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt , divided, plus more for seasoning

, 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided, plus more for seasoning 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper , divided, plus more for seasoning

, 1/4¼ teaspoon chili powder, plus more for sprinkling 1/4¼ teaspoon chili powder plus more for sprinkling

½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling ½ teaspoon cinnamon , plus more for sprinkling

, 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained 1 cup quinoa , rinsed and drained

, 1 pound ground turkey 1 pound ground turkey

½ cup yellow onion, minced ½ cup yellow onion , minced

, 1 clove garlic, minced 1 clove garlic , minced

, ½ cup carrots, ⅛-inch dice ½ cup carrots , ⅛-inch dice

, ½ cup celery, minced ½ cup celery , minced

, ½ cup red bell pepper, minced ½ cup red bell pepper , minced

, ¾ cup fuji apples, or honeycrisp apples, unpeeled, ¼-inch dice ¾ cup fuji apples , or honeycrisp apples, unpeeled, ¼-inch dice

, 3 cups baby spinach 3 cups baby spinach

¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

zest of 1 lemon zest of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons parsley, minced, plus more for garnish 2 teaspoons parsley , minced, plus more for garnish

, 2 teaspoons chives, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish 2 teaspoons chives , thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

, ½ teaspoon rosemary, chopped ½ teaspoon rosemary , chopped

, ½ teaspoon thyme, chopped ½ teaspoon thyme , chopped

, ½ cup pecans, chopped, plus more for garnish ½ cup pecans , chopped, plus more for garnish

, ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped ¼ cup dried cranberries , chopped US Customary Metric Instructions Roasted Acorn Squash Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil and lightly oil.

Prepare acorn squash by cutting off a small amount of the bottom to create a flat surface, and then cut a small portion of the stem off to create another flat surface.

Cut the squash in half width-wise through the center, scoop out the seeds. Repeat with the other squash. Place them on the sheet pan

Lightly brush olive oil on the outside and inside of the squash halves.

Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and a light drizzle of maple syrup on the inside cavity and rim. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the flesh is fork-tender. Meanwhile, make the filling as the squash roasts.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Turkey Stuffing Cook 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water, bringing the liquid to a boil then reducing heat to low to simmer, cover and cook until light and fluffy, about 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large sauté pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces, about 6 minutes.

Season the meat with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, cook for 6 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Add the bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the apples and cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, then add to a large bowl.

Add 2 cups of the cooked quinoa, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, garlic powder, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons parsley, 2 teaspoons chives, ½ teaspoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon thyme, ½ cup pecans, and ¼ cup cranberries to a large bowl. Stir to combine.

Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¾ teaspoon black pepper, stir to combine and season more as needed. Return mixture to the large pan to reheat if needed.

Scoop about ½ cup of the turkey stuffing into each acorn squash.

Garnish with more parsley, chives, and pecans, serve warm. Equipment 2-3 qt. Saucepan

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Nutrition Facts Stuffed Acorn Squash with Ground Turkey Amount Per Serving Calories 401 Calories from Fat 126 % Daily Value* Fat 14g 22% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Cholesterol 37mg 12% Sodium 520mg 22% Potassium 1090mg 31% Carbohydrates 51g 17% Fiber 8g 32% Sugar 8g 9% Protein 24g 48% Vitamin A 4700IU 94% Vitamin C 69.3mg 84% Calcium 110mg 11% Iron 4.7mg 26% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.