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10.11.20

Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash {Paleo, Whole30}

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Whole 30

This Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash is filled with all your favorites – sausage, apples, cranberries, onions and garlic, kale, pecans and savory herbs. The stuffing is packed with savory/sweet flavors and the perfect addition to a holiday gathering, or for any meal!  Paleo, gluten free, Whole30 compliant.

Each year I simply need to make a new recipe for stuffed squash.  It’s one of my favorite meals (and side dishes) ever and I can’t get enough!

This year, I decided to go with a stuffed butternut squash recipe instead of my usual acorn squash.  While the butternut squash takes a little bit longer to roast, it’s well worth it!

It’s comforting, nourishing, and addicting all at the same time!  And of course, it’s such a crowd pleaser on Thanksgiving or whenever you’re having guests over.

Easy to throw together but looks so impressive and tastes even better.

What You Need to Make Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

For the stuffing, I went the sweet savory route as I typically do with acorn squash.

Sausage (use sugar-free to make it Whole30 compliant), veggies, herbs and spices for flavoring, apples and dried fruit.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make sausage stuffed butternut squash:

  • 2 medium/large butternut squash
  • avocado oil or olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Italian sausage
  • onion
  • garlic
  • sage leaves
  • rosemary leaves
  • thyme leaves
  • kale
  • apple
  • pecans
  • dried cranberries (apple juice sweetened)

How to Make Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

Preheat your oven to 425° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Cut open each butternut squash lengthwise so you have 4 long halves.  Scoop out the seeds and strings, then drizzle with 2 Tbsp of the oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper.  Place face down on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until softened.  Pressing the top of the squash will give you a sense of how soft it is without having to remove it from the oven.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil.  Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook until about 3/4 of the way done.  Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.  Add in the fresh herbs (or dried, if using) and continue to cook for another minute.  

Stir in the kale, apples, and pecans and cook, stirring to combine flavors, for another minute or two until just  softened.  Remove from heat, stir in the cranberries, and season the mixture to taste with sea salt and black pepper. 

Once the squash is done, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes, then use a spoon to carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 3/4” border around the sides and bottom.  You can save the squash for another use, or even freeze it to keep longer.  

Spoon the sausage mixture into the squash generously to use all of it up.  Once filled, place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the top of the stuffing and squash are golden brown, 2-4 minutes or so.  Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired and enjoy! 

Easy Substitutions for Stuffed Butternut Squash

You can easily sub in turkey or chicken sausage for the pork sausage if you choose.  Actually, any ground meat can be used here, just make sure you season it well if it’s plain.

Other subs include spinach or any other greens for the kale, raisins for the cranberries, and dried herbs for the fresh.  A pre-made poultry seasoning blend is also a delicious replacement for the herbs if you can’t find fresh ones.

I don’t recommend subbing anything for the apples since they add the perfect sweetness and crunch!  Specifically, I love using either the honeycrisp or pink lady varieties since they stay sweet when cooked and don’t get mushy.

Also – this recipe can absolutely be made with acorn squash as well.  You’ll need to adjust the roasting time for the smaller acorn squash, or you can use my ultimate stuffed acorn squash recipe instead.

What To Serve with Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash

If you’re serving this stuffed butternut squash as a meal – you have everything you need!

If you’re serving it as a holiday side dish, it will go perfectly with some of my other favorite Thanksgiving and holiday side dishes.  Here are some of my favorites:

Green bean casserole

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower 

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon

Garlic Herb Paleo Dinner Rolls

I hope you’re ready for a delicious and seriously addicting recipe that’s going to WOW anyone who tastes it!  Preheat your oven and grab your squash because it’s time to cook – let’s go!

Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash {Paleo, Whole30}

Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash {Paleo, Whole30}

This Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash is filled with all your favorites – sausage, apples, cranberries, onions and garlic, kale, pecans and savory herbs. The stuffing is packed with savory/sweet flavors and the perfect addition to a holiday gathering, or for any meal!  Paleo, gluten free, Whole30 compliant.
Author: Michele Rosen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: Paleo, Whole30
Keyword: butternut squash, paleo, sausage, squash, thanksgiving, whole30
Servings: 8 servings
Print this Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review
4.39 from 34 votes

Ingredients

  • 2 med/large butternut squash
  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil, divided
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 1 lb Bulk Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves minced**
  • 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves minced**
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced**
  • 3 cups kale chopped
  • 1 medium apple chopped (honeycrisp or pink lady)
  • 1 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries apple juice sweetened
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut open each butternut squash lengthwise so you have 4 long halves. Scoop out the seeds and strings, then drizzle with 2 Tbsp of the oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper. Place face down on the baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until softened. Pressing the top of the squash will give you a sense of how soft it is without having to remove it from the oven.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook until about 3/4 of the way done. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add in the fresh herbs (or dried, if using) and continue to cook for another minute.
  4. Add in the kale, apples, and pecans and cook, stirring to combine flavors, for another minute or two until just softened. Remove from heat, stir in the cranberries, and season the mixture to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
  5. Once the squash is done, allow it to cool for about 5 minutes, then use a spoon to carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 3/4” border around the sides and bottom. You can save the squash for another use, or even freeze it to keep longer.
  6. Spoon the sausage mixture into the squash generously to use all of it up. Once filled, place the baking sheet under the broiler and broil until the top of the stuffing and squash are golden brown, 2-4 minutes or so.  Garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

**use 1 tsp each if using dried herbs

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal
Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 11g
Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 43mg
Sodium: 426mg
Potassium: 372mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 8g
Vitamin A: 2619IU
Vitamin C: 35mg
Calcium: 71mg
Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PaleoRunningMomma on Instagram and hashtag it #PaleoRunningMomma

Want More Fall and Thanksgiving Inspired Whole30 and Paleo Recipes?  Try one of These!

Ultimate Roasted Stuffed Acorn Squash 

Caramelized Onion and Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Paleo Green Bean Casserole

Sausage and “Rice” Stuffed Acorn Squash

Cauliflower Sausage Stuffing 

Roasted Delicata Squash Harvest Kale Salad

Butternut Squash Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Cranberries

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Paleo Running Momma!

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About Michele

More than a little into running and paleo recipes (yoga now too!) but I'm not here to rain on your grains (or anything else) so come along for the ride! I do a little too much of everything (except cleaning), and I enjoy laughing at myself. As long as I'm the one making the jokes, that is. Just kidding. So bring me your angst, your appetite and your frying pan and climb aboard!

Reader Interactions

Reader Reviews & Comments

  1. mapquest driving directions says

    October 12, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    5 stars
    It was amazing and too fascinating. I love your food. I will cook it for my family this weekend

    Reply
    • Imnewtothis says

      October 22, 2020 at 12:50 pm

      5 stars
      Made it twice this week, absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe !

      Reply
  2. Mary says

    October 16, 2020 at 10:42 pm

    Remove the parchment paper before broiling. Mine caught on fire!

    Reply
    • Amelia says

      December 2, 2020 at 8:55 pm

      Of course..m you should never out parchment paper in a broiler 😂

      Reply
  3. Jill says

    November 5, 2020 at 1:30 pm

    5 stars
    This was amazing! So many flavors that compliment each other, and so good for you! It’s definitely comfort food for us paleo people! Thanks for this one. Eating leftovers tonight. Can’t wait!

    Reply
  4. Caitlyn says

    December 13, 2020 at 11:52 am

    5 stars
    This was very good. I doubled the dry herbs (I bet it was amazing with fresh herbs so I will do that next time, used turkey sausage and mixed the squash I scooped out with the mixture to make it stick together. So good!! Will definitely make this again. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Diahann says

    January 9, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    I made this recipe. The best way I can describe the taste is savory.😁

    Reply
  6. Neely says

    January 10, 2021 at 4:15 pm

    4 stars
    How do you actually eat this? I made it and flavors were great, but we couldn’t figure out how to eat with the inedible skin on the squash. We ended up scraping everything out and making a hash on the plate. Tasted great, but wasn’t very fun to wrestle with it in order to get the actual edible parts away from squash skin. I would have just roasted edible chunks of squash and made sausage filling separately had I thought it through. Please advise

    Reply
  7. Sally says

    January 10, 2021 at 9:42 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today but cut the recipe in half because there are just two of us. I left out the apples because I’m not a fan. And I mixed in the scooped out squash with the stuffing mixture before broiling it. It was delicious! I will definitely make this again. So flavorful! I bet a little goat cheese sprinkled on top would be good as well.

    Reply
  8. Mishelle says

    January 16, 2021 at 1:50 pm

    1 star
    I tried this and sorry to say it wasn’t a hit in my house. I used beef sausage instead of pork, but the mixture of apples and pecans with the meat didn’t seem to go well together.

    Reply
  9. Shawn Whitehurst says

    January 21, 2021 at 9:51 pm

    5 stars
    Delish! 12yo enjoyed!

    Reply
  10. Brenda says

    February 3, 2021 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    My stomach was saying full, but the taste buds were saying keep eating it is so good! Didn’t use the cranberries because I didn’t have them. Can’t wait to make it with them! Thank you!

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi! I’m so happy you stopped by! My name is Michele and I’m a Paleo eater and recipe creator, runner, mom of 3, and the gal behind Paleo Running Momma! Over here you’ll find real-food, clean eating family favorites that you’ll be excited to share with your loved ones. I hope you stay awhile, eat, savor, and enjoy!

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