When choosing  winter squash, pick any kind you like, but just make sure they are smaller and similar in size so roasting times don’t vary too much. I used small acorn squashes, but little butternuts, pumpkins, delicata, kobacha or spaghetti squash would work well too.
With a sharp knife cut squash in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon. You could also do these standing upright, reserving the tops for garnish, by cutting a little off the bottom so they have an even platform to stand on.
Brush insides with an equal mix of olive oil and maple syrup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay on a greased baking sheet and roast in a 400F oven until fork tender.
Make maple pecans (see below).
When squashes are tender, turn them over and let cool. Place in a baking dish and fill with Apple Parsnip Sage mixture. Grate some fresh nutmeg over the top and place in a 350F oven.
You can also refrigerate them at this point, and bake them the next day. They will take longer to heat thru if coming out of the fridge.
Maple Glazed Acorn Squash with Apple, Parsnip and Sage
Maple Glazed Acorn Squash with Apple, Parsnip and Sage
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: northwest
Ingredients
- 3 small acorn squash
- 2 cups peeled and diced parsnip (two medium sized)
- 1 cup Italian or soy sausage, browned
- 1 cup diced apple (fuji or gala)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 cup (packed) chopped kale
- 2 T packed, chopped sage
- 2 T maple syrup
- 1/2 cup maple pecans (recipe below) or toasted pecans
- 3 T olive oil
- Splash white wine, or hard cider
- kosher salt
- pepper
- fresh nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Cut Acorn Squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Brush insides with a mix of 1 T olive oil and 1 T maple syrup. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and lay skin side up on a greased, or parchment lined baking sheet, and roast in a hot oven for 30-40 minutes, until you can pierce through skin and flesh with a fork. Remove from the oven and using a metal spatula, turn over, trying to keep caramelized edges intact, and let cool. Place in a baking dish.
- While squash is roasting in the oven, brown Italian sausage (or soy sausage), set aside and wipe out pan. In the same pan, saute parsnips and onions in 2 T olive oil, on medium heat, until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add apples and sage, and saute 5 more minutes, until apples are tender. You may need to add a little more olive oil. Generously Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Splash with a little white wine and add kale and pecans. When wine has evaporated, add 1 T maple syrup.Add sausage back in and taste for salt, adding if necessary. Add a little fresh grated nutmeg or a pinch or two ground. Fill the squash with the apple parsnip sausage mixture and place in a 350 F until heated through (about 15 minutes)
To Make Maple Pecans
- Pre heat oven to 400F
- In a small bowl, coat pecans with real maple syrup (only real maple will work here) Add a pinch of salt and some cracked pepper. Spread out on a greased baking sheet and using a timer, bake 8 minutes to start, in a 400 F oven, give them a mix, then bake another 7 – 13 minutes. These need to toast up nicely for the right “crunch,” but time will vary depending on your oven – so keep a close eye on these to make sure they don’t burn.
- Remove, let cool 3-4 minutes, then use a metal spatula to unstick them from the sheet pan. If they are completely stuck, place them back in the oven for a minute or two, to loosen, and try again. Then let cool completely, store in a zip lock bag. I make these in big batches and use in salads or cheese platters.
Hi Sylvia, I am thinking of making this as a Thanksgiving side. I’m trying to decide what, if any, steps I could do the day before…roast the squash? make the filling? stuff the squash and just reheat before eating? What do you suggest? I can’t wait to try it!
I think it would be fine to stuff them ahead and reheat!
This was DELICIOUS, thank you! Loved the sage and apple flavors coming through. Loving all the recipes you have here. Your website is the one I go to for the bulk of my dinner planning. I so appreciate having so many healthy recipes to choose from for my growing family and I 🙂
★★★★★
Awww, thanks Hilary!
This looks delicious and so lovely for fall. I am going to try it….but will the squash skins be soft enough to eat, or do you only eat the soft squash “innerds “ ?. Thanks!
Just the innards 🙂
These heart-shaped treasure boxes of Fall were delicious! It took me a long time to make them maybe because my parsnips were oencil-sized. I warmed them the next day in the roaring-hot brick oven at Sunnyfield Brick Oven Bakery, Tamworth, N.H. Perect Fall celebrations!
★★★★★
Just made this tonight. What a fabulous fall dish, with a wonderful mix of flavors! Followed recipe exactly– with one exception. I didnt use any maple syrup– but added a small amount of dried cranberries instead.
Thanks Jackie- Glad you enjoyed and made it your own.
Hey friend! Just wanted to let you know I featured this recipe in my “50 Paleo Fall Squash Recipes Roundup” I posted this weekend. I know I already commented on this recipe but…I couldn’t resist sharing it in the roundup 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration, keep the awesome recipes coming!
Here’s the link if you want to check it out! http://www.realfoodwithdana.com/paleo-winter-squash-recipes-roundup/
Thanks Dana!!!
Ohmygosh this looks mouthwateringly delicious. I’ve made stuffed acorn squash a couple times but never seem to get the cooking times quite right, ha! Love the addition of white wine here too. I’m so excited it’s finally fall again for those hearty delicious squashes 🙂 Great photography too! Can’t wait to try this one out!
Hi there! I featured this recipe in my fall recipe round up post today at http://physicalkitchness.com/healthy-paleo-fall-recipes/
Thank you for the inspiration!Â
Yum, this looks delicious! Perfect for the upcoming fall 🙂
Love that third photo– looks delicious and I agree that the colors pop. I’m looking to make a similar (yet different stuffed squash tonight) with apple sage Field Roast (veggie sausage) plus some other things, came here from Buzzfeed for inspiration!
Thanks for visiting Mary!!
I try it tonight!
This looks so awesome, I’m adding it to my meal plan!
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Fall is my favorite season, bc these squashes/apples root veggies always hit the spot. Made this tonight for my vegan teens and they were impressed. I did not use wine (which maybe I should have?) at end and felt there might be a tanginess missing… would adding citrus or balamic mess up the combo??
Glad they liked it. Yes, the recipe does need a touch of acidity, the reason for the wine. I think a tiny little balsamic would work great…or maybe even orange zest. Thanks for the feedback!
amazing photos! just curious about the camera technique?? Or maybe you just have a stunning dark kitchen, that makes everything pop?? heheh
thanks for the recipie, will make it this week, was just blankly glancing over at the little perky acorn squash perched on the fridge!
Now it’s met its doom…hahah
cheers!
Magda
Hi Magda,
Thank you..and nothing really tricky with the photography. We do have a limited amount of light in the kitchen and I don’t use any artificial lights. I have a dark table that i sometimes use to create a more wintery feel. Thats pretty much it. Thanks for visiting. 🙂
Looks delicious and the pictures are equally stunning!
Thanks!!
this looks amazing!
I always had a thing against squashes–my taste buds are convinced that eating them is like chomping straight into a jack-o-lantern–but I’ve ventured out to buy an acorn squash. Can’t wait to put this recipe (and my taste buds) back to the test!