Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash is a yummy baked side dish filled with cranberries, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, apples and pecans.
While looking for different ways to cook acorn squash, I found a recipe in The Farmers Almanac that sounded really good. I made a couple changes to the original recipe, and cut the recipe in half (to make 2 servings, instead of 4).
This recipe for Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash is amazing, and it’s super easy to prepare. An acorn squash is stuffed with apples, cranberries, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. The squash is then re-baked until the fruit filling and squash is soft and tender.
There is minimal prep time involved, which is always a win-win in my book! Here’s how to make this delicious side dish:
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare The Acorn Squash
Acorn squash is a vegetable that belongs to the winter squash family, and is dark green in color, with long ridges from top to bottom. Some people think it resembles the shape of an acorn.
An acorn squash is a golden color inside, and becomes slightly sweet in flavor, once it has been fully cooked.
To prepare the acorn squash for this recipe, carefully cut the squash in half, lengthwise, from top to bottom, and remove the stem.
Once the squash is cut, use a spoon to remove seeds and pulp from each half. Be careful to NOT cut through the outer skin on the bottom. This will leave a large well in the center.
Place the squash halves, cut side down, in a large baking dish. Pour boiling water into the dish around the squash halves, to a depth of about ¼”.
Bake The Squash
Place the pan into a preheated 375°F. oven, and bake the acorn squash (uncovered) for 30 minutes.
When the squash is done, remove the pan from the oven. Carefully turn the baked squash halves over with a spatula, so the flesh side is facing up.
Stuff The Squash And Bake
Now it’s time to make the filling. Place chopped apples, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter in a bowl and stir well, to combine.
Divide the fruit mixture evenly between the squash halves, filling the well in the center, and mounding it on top.
TIP: Use aluminum foil to help level the squash, by crumpling it up and wedging it under the front of each squash half.
Place the pan back into the oven (uncovered). Continue baking the squash for 30 minutes, or until the squash and apples are tender. Remove the pan from the oven.
Serve The Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serve the apple pecan stuffed acorn squash once it’s removed from the oven. Use a heavy spatula to transfer the squash halves to individual plates, then serve.
The apples, chewy cranberries, cinnamon, butter, brown sugar and crunchy pecans taste amazing, when paired with the slightly sweet acorn squash!
We enjoy apple pecan stuffed acorn squash, served with Pan Seared Creole Salmon and Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus.
My husband said the acorn squash was “almost” like eating dessert! I think this yummy side dish would be great for Thanksgiving, because of its unique presentation.
I hope you have the opportunity to make this wonderful tasting veggie dish! We really love it, and trust you (and those you love) will, too!
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you’ll come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!
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Recipe adapted from: farmersalmanac.com/acorn-squash-with-apple-raisin-stuffing-11905
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash is a yummy baked side dish filled with cranberries, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, apples and pecans.
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 1 large Granny Smith apple (or other cooking apple) peeled, cored, chopped in ½" pieces
- 2 Tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins
- 1¾ Tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1¼ Tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut squash in half lengthwise, from top to bottom. Use a spoon to remove seeds/stringy pulp from center of each piece.
Pour boiling water into large baking dish, to a depth of ¼". Place squash cut side down into dish. Bake (uncovered) at 375°F. for 30 minutes. Once done, remove from oven; turn squash over with a spatula, so flesh side is facing up. TIP: Use aluminum foil to help level the squash by crumpling and wedging it under the front of each piece of squash.
Place apples, cranberries, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter in a bowl. Stir well, to combine. Divide mixture evenly between squash halves, filling the well, and mounding it on top.
Place pan back into oven (uncovered). Continue baking for 30 minutes, or until squash/apples are tender. When done, remove from oven. Use a heavy spatula to transfer squash halves to plates. Serve and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!