Sausage Stuffed Squash with Goat Cheese, Pecans, and Cranberries
Sweet roasted squash, savory sausage, and creamy goat cheese come together in an easy weeknight meal that’s also company-worthy. Pecans add fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, and a delightful crunch while jewel-like cranberries lend bright, tart sweetness—turning this cozy dish into a nutrient-dense comfort food you can feel good about.
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Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 medium acorn or small butternut squash, halved, seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 –1 1/2 tablespoons Grandma’s Sausage seasoning
- 6 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa or rice, optional (see Notes)
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans, divided
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries, divided
- 4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses, plus more for optional drizzling
Instructions
Roast the squash.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Rub or spray the cut sides of squash with about 1 tablespoon of the oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Place cut-side down on a parchment-lined sheet and roast for about 40 minutes until almost tender when pierced but still holding shape.
Cook the sausage.
- While squash roasts, heat a large skillet over medium. Add a splash of oil only if your pork is very lean.
- Add ground pork and Grandma’s Sausage seasoning; cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through.
- Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses.
Build the filling.
- Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Stir in 1/2 cup each of pecans and cranberries, reserving enough for garnish.
- If you’re adding cooked grain, fold it in now and taste. Adjust salt and pepper, if needed.
- Gently fold in the goat cheese so you keep some nice pockets.
Stuff and bake.
- Turn the roasted squash halves cut-side up.
- Mound the sausage mixture into each squash cavity.
- Return to the oven at 375°F for another 10 minutes or so, until the squash is completely tender and the goat cheese is a bit melty.
Finish and serve.
- Remove from the oven. Top with the reserved pecans and cranberries. Just before serving, drizzle a small amount of pomegranate molasses over the top of each stuffed squash.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Prep tip:
If you plan to add grains, batch cook them or buy precooked in pouches to save time.