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Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage, Rapini, and Apricots
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage, Rapini, and Apricots makes a beautiful fall dinner. From the sweet-savory squash to the Italian sausage and sage to the bitter rapini to the chewy-sweet apricots – this recipe is autumn to its core. (Photo: Andria Dilling)
From the sweet-savory squash to the Italian sausage and sage to the bitter rapini to the chewy-sweet apricots – this recipe is autumn to its core. Stuffed acorn squash makes a beautiful main course. Also, it’s totally customizable: Feel free to swap kale or spinach for the rapini, onions or shallots for the leeks, and dried cranberries or apples for the apricots. You really can’t go wrong.
2 medium acorn squash, halved crosswise, seeds removed
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 leeks, white part only, sliced thin
½ tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
½ teaspoon dried sage
2 cups chopped rapini
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup chopped, dried apricots
1/3 cup apple cider
1 cup cooked brown rice
½ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup walnut pieces
Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If the squash halves are not standing up (if they’re rolling around), trim a tiny bit off the bottoms so that they stand securely. Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, rub with a little bit of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, flesh side up, until the squash is soft when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 35 minutes.
Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, garlic, sage, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the leeks are translucent. Add the rapini and cook just until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Add the apricots, apple cider or juice, and rice, and cook for 4 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated.
Turn the broiler on. Divide the sausage mixture in heaping servings among the squash halves (if you have too much filling, save it to serve over pasta or in an omelette). Sprinkle with parmesan and walnuts and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or so, until the cheese is bubbly and the walnuts are toasted, checking to be sure nothing burns. Sprinkle chopped parsley over before serving.
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