Welcome Fall and Winter with this Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe! The best flavor and textures are created by filling oven roasted butternut squash with ground sausage, fresh sage, diced apples, toasted nuts, and pumpkin seeds. This easy yet impressive dish makes a wonderfully healthy dinner for the whole family. 

A sausage, kale, and apple mixture are used to fill a roasted butternut squash.

Easy Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

My taste buds danced from the sweet notes of butternut squash mixed with savory sausage and the salty crunch of nuts and seeds.

Indeed, the first attempt at nailing a Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash was a success.

What made this stuffed butternut squash recipe THAT good? I’m so glad you asked!

First off, the butternut squash is roasted in the oven with just a touch of oil until it is beautifully caramelized with a hint of sweetness.

The ground sausage is cooked to a fine crumble so the meat is uber tender.

Finely diced apples are added in to give both texture and even more sweetness.

Toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds not only add crunch but also a lovely nutty taste. It’s a complete meal!

But the flavor?! It’s all thanks to the addition of some finely chopped fresh sage—the BEST accompaniment to any butternut squash dish. (If you can’t get enough of the squash-and-sage combo, you have to try this Butternut Squash Sage Risotto.)

Butternut squash, onion, kale, ground sausage, nuts, garlic, apple, seeds, spices, and herbs are the ingredients for this recipe.

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make stuffed butternut squash include:

  • Butternut Squash. Either one large squash about 3-4 pounds, or two small squashes are needed. Avoid getting anything much bigger since you’ll have to cook it longer and likely won’t have enough stuffing.
  • Sausage. Choose a ground breakfast sausage. If you want a spicier kick, throw in spicy Italian sausage instead. Italian sweet sausage adds a different flavor, as well. You can go with chicken sausage or turkey sausage if you prefer.
  • Garlic. Fresh is best, but garlic powder can be substituted. Make sure it is finely minced so that it spreads throughout. A garlic press is great for this, or you can learn How to Mince Garlic.
  • Apple. Any variety will do; Gala, Fuji, and Honeycrisp are slightly sweeter options, while green apples, like Granny Smith, are more tart. (Here’s more on the different Types of Apples.) Leave the skin on for more fiber content and color, or peel if you’d prefer. (Learn How to Cut an Apple and How to Keep Apples from Browning!)
  • Nuts. Pecans are ideal, especially when you toast them before adding in, but almonds or walnuts will taste great as well. (Find out How to Toast Pecans for the best results.)
  • Seeds. Pumpkin seeds after they have been salted and toasted give a great crunch. Or, you can try sunflower seeds from the grocery store.
  • Spices and Savory Herbs. For the best flavor mix in fresh sage, or ground if needed. Also, include a pinch of nutmeg—you can omit this but it really helps to balance everything out. Of course, sea salt and black pepper are added.
  • Kale. The finely chopped greens offer color and extra nutrition. Spinach may also be used, but it tends to break down and become soggy more than kale.

How to Make Stuffed Butternut Squash

Below you’ll find the steps to make this sausage-stuffed butternut squash at home:

Roast Butternut Squash in Oven

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle both halves with oil and sprinkle the top of the squash with salt.

Place the squash cut side down onto a parchment paper-lined large baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through. The roasting time will depend on the size of your squash.

You can also cook them in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, but the squash flesh won’t have the same slightly sweet and caramelized flavor you get from the roasting process.

Cook and Crumble Sausage

Drizzle a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then toss in the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. 

Then push everything to the side, add the ground meat, and sauté for 7-8 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through. Crumble sausage with a potato masher for smaller pieces with a finer texture.

Mix in Other Ingredients

Finely dice the apples (you can leave the skin on or off depending on your preference).

Combine the apples with the sausage mixture and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until the apples are slightly tender but still crisp.

Fold in the kale, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sage, and nutmeg. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat everything up. Turn off the heat and add in the lemon juice.

Stuff and Serve

Fill the roasted butternut squash halves with the sausage stuffing. If you prefer, sprinkle with additional fresh herbs, and enjoy!

You can make a complete meal by serving this healthy comfort food with some brown rice or white rice.

​This dish is good enough for the Thanksgiving table or any special occasion.

The butternut squash is filled with the sausage mixture.

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: Roast the butternut squash up to 4-5 days in advance and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff. 
  • To Store: Place leftover stuffed squash in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • To Freeze: Seal the butternut squash and stuffing separately in freezer-safe airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • To Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. You may also microwave.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already Whole30 and Paleo as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

  • Low-carb: Leave out the apples.
  • Vegetarian and vegan: Substitute the sausage for ground tofu.

What flavors go well with butternut squash?

Sage and thyme are popular herbs to pair with butternut squash. Other flavors that go well are maple, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, or cayenne pepper. These complement the sweet and savory aspects of this gourd.

Should I peel my butternut squash before roasting?

When you are roasting halved butternut squash it is not necessary to peel it. However, cubed butternut squash is better when peeled prior to roasting. 

A fork is used to eat the roasted stuffed butternut squash.

Expert Tips and Tricks

  • Soften the squash. If you are having trouble cutting into the squash, poke a couple of holes and microwave it for a few minutes. 
  • Roast until golden. You want the edges to caramelize for the natural sweetness to come out.
  • Mash it up. Use a potato masher to finely crumble the sausage.
  • Fresh is best. Find some fresh sage to mix in for the best flavor in this fall comfort food.
  • Get ’em toasty. Roast the pecans before mixing in for added depth and a crunchy texture. 

More Butternut Squash Recipes

If you love this popular gourd, check out more tasty ways to enjoy it!

Butternut Squash Sage Risotto is an impressive meal for anyone.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Air Fryer Butternut Squash, and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese are so warm and comforting.

Keep is simple with Maple Roasted Butternut Squash.

Or, whip up this Fall Harvest Salad with Apples.

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 5 votes

Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

Welcome Fall and Winter with this Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe! The best flavor and textures are created by filling oven roasted butternut squash with ground sausage, fresh sage, diced apples, toasted nuts, and pumpkin seeds.
Yield 6 servings
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 50 minutes
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Ingredients 

Roasted Butternut Squash:

  • 1 large butternut squash about 3-4 pounds
  • 2 Tbsp. oil
  • 1 tsp. salt

Sausage Stuffing:

  • 2 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado oil
  • ½ sweet onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 lb. ground sausage
  • 1 small apple cut into ¼” cubes
  • 2 cups kale roughly chopped
  • ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped and toasted
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds roasted and salted
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh sage finely chopped
  • ½ tsp. salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Roast Butternut Squash. Cut butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. Drizzle both halves with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place squash halves flat-side down onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
    1 large butternut squash, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. salt
  • Cook and Crumble Sausage: Add 2 tablespoons oil and onion to a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Saute for 3-4 minutes, add garlic, and continue sauteing for an additional minute. Push onion to the side and add the ground sausage. Cook for 7-8 minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through. Use a potato masher to break up the sausage into fine crumbles.
    2 Tbsp. oil, ½ sweet onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 lb. ground sausage
  • Mix in Other Ingredients. Stir in diced apple and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, or until apples are slightly tender. Mix in kale, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sage, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat everything up. Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice.
    1 small apple, 2 cups kale, ½ cup pecans, ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, 1 Tbsp. fresh sage, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, Pinch of nutmeg, 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • Fluff the squash using a fork and fill each half with the sausage stuffing. Enjoy!
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

5 from 5 votes

Video

Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

  • To Prep-Ahead: Roast the butternut squash up to 4-5 days in advance and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to stuff. 
  • To Store: Place leftover stuffed squash in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • To Freeze: Seal the butternut squash and stuffing separately in freezer-safe airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • To Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. You may also microwave.
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Nutrition

Calories: 533kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 19g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 977mg, Potassium: 1235mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 26565IU, Vitamin C: 79mg, Calcium: 206mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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