From the roundup: 22 Easy High Protein Fall Dinners the Whole Family Will Actually Eat
Around 4 o’clock, I halve and seed the acorn squash, get the cut sides roasting face-down, and have the turkey filling browned and seasoned before anyone is back from school pickup. Turkey stuffed acorn squash is one of those fall dinners that feels more involved than it actually is, because most of the 50 minutes is just the oven doing its job. The thing I learned early is to press on the squash skin after 25 minutes rather than just trusting the timer, because larger squash can run underdone in the center if you flip them too soon. Each half is its own portion, which means no slicing at the table and no arguing over who got more filling.
Why you will love this
- Each squash half is a self-contained serving, so plating takes about 30 seconds and there is no serving dish to wash.
- The turkey filling comes together while the squash roasts, so you are not standing around waiting.
- 93 percent lean ground turkey keeps the filling from getting greasy inside the squash shell.
- The smoked paprika and marinara give the filling enough flavor that you do not need a sauce on the side.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven the next day, which makes this worth making even if you are only feeding two people.
Tips for success
- Place the squash cut-side DOWN for the first 25 minutes. That direct contact with the hot pan is what gives you tender, lightly browned flesh instead of steamed, watery squash.
- Drain any excess liquid from the skillet before stirring in the marinara. Ground turkey releases moisture as it cooks, and a watery filling will make the squash shell soggy.
- Do not skip the 2-minute simmer after adding the marinara. It lets the sauce absorb into the turkey instead of sitting on top as a separate layer.
- Use low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella rather than fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella has too much water and will puddle in the squash instead of melting cleanly.
If your squash is tough to cut
- Acorn squash is notoriously hard to halve raw. Microwave the whole squash for 2 to 3 minutes first to soften the skin just enough to cut safely.
- A sharp chef’s knife and a folded dish towel under the squash (to keep it from rolling) make this much easier.
- If the halves are uneven and one sits at an angle on the pan, crumple a small piece of foil underneath it to prop it level during roasting.
Substitutions
Ground chicken works in place of turkey with no changes to the recipe. Lean ground beef is fine too, but drain the fat well before adding the marinara or the filling gets greasy. For the cheese, provolone or fontina melt nicely, and sharp cheddar gives the filling a completely different but good flavor. If anyone at your table is dairy-free, just skip the cheese or use a plant-based shredded mozzarella.
If you cannot find acorn squash, delicata squash halves roast in the same way and do not even need peeling. For kids who are skeptical of squash in general, the marinara-based filling is familiar enough that most of mine eat it without complaints, especially once the cheese is melted on top.
Make-ahead and storage
You can roast the squash halves and cook the turkey filling up to one day ahead. Store them separately in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, fill the squash, top with cheese, and bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until everything is hot and the cheese is bubbling. This actually makes weeknight assembly faster than starting from scratch.
Leftover stuffed squash keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or microwave on medium power for 2 to 3 minutes. The squash texture softens a bit after refrigerating, but the flavor holds up well. I would not freeze these once assembled since the squash gets watery after thawing, but you can freeze the turkey filling alone for up to 2 months.
Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
- Brush the cut sides of the acorn squash halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season them with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Place them cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, until the flesh is fork-tender and the edges have started to brown. The squash should give easily when you press on the skin.
- While the squash roasts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns slightly translucent.
- Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Season with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes if using. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the turkey is fully cooked through with no pink remaining.
- Stir the marinara sauce into the turkey mixture and let it simmer together for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully flip the squash halves cut-side up using tongs. Spoon the turkey filling evenly into each squash half, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top of each one.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble at the edges. Serve immediately, right in the squash shell.
Notes
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