A cut, cooked, apple stuffed acorn squash. On a white plate with a metal fork

Fall Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

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This Fall Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash is a perfect autumn side dish or main course. Now that apples and squash are plentiful, and at their freshest, it is a perfect time to enjoy this recipe.

A cut cooked apple stuffed acorn squash on white plate with a metal fork.

In the fall, we love going to apple picking at a few of the orchards around us. So, I am always looking for delicious recipes to try featuring apples. Most recipes are sweet recipes, like apple pie, apple butter, or apple sauce. This is a savory recipe, which is a great way to use apples as well!

Do I need to use acorn squash?

Not at all! Acorn squash has a sweet nutty flavour and a hard outside. But so do many winter squash varieties.

  • Butternut Squash might be the most readily available at the grocery store. It has a very similar taste to acorn squash. It has a very smooth and creamy texture when cooked. Which is why it is a very popular choice for soups in the colder months.
  • Hubbard Squash is a similar shape and size to acorn squash. You cook this squash exactly the same as you would an acorn squash. This squash has a slightly more earthy taste, but don’t let that deter you. The sweetness of the apples, balances out the flavour perfectly.
  • Pumpkin. I would use a small pie pumpkin. They are similar in size and shape to acorn squash. They have a slightly different taste to acorn squash, but would be a great substitution, nonetheless. They become sweet and tender when baked in the oven. Probably why they are the classic fall squash. I mean, is it really fall without one pumpkin pie?
  • Buttercup Squash is very sweet and creamy. It is similar to acorn squash in taste, perhaps a little sweeter and earthier. It is also similar in shape and size to an acorn squash, so using this as a substitution is pretty straightforward.

What apples should I use?

There are so many apples out there that a comprehensive list of apples to cook with is near impossible. As a guideline, when you are baking with apples; you want an apple that will hold it’s shape and not turn to pure much, unless to are making sauces or butters.

Some of my favourite apples to use for baking are:

  • Granny Smith– These apples are tart and quite firm. They do well in baking because they tend to hold their shape. They are one of the most popular apple varieties and should be no problem to find at your local store or market.
  • Fuji– These apples are much sweeter than granny smith, but they have a bit of tartness to them. They hold up well to baking and are also a very popular variety.
  • Honeycrisp– The characteristics of this variety are spelled out in the name. Sweet but crisp enough to hold their shape while baking. Another perfect choice!
  • Gala– This is one of my favourite apple to eat raw. It has deliciously sweet smooth flavour. I almost always see this variety at the grocery store. They should be no problem to find at most grocery stores or markets.
  • Cortland– Another great crisp and sweet-tart apple. These are popular apples to eat fresh, bake, or cook with.
  • Empire– Another sweet and tart apple. This flavour profile lends itself well to eating fresh, baking, or cooking with.
An acorn squash, cut in half on a brown countertop
Woman scooping out the seeds of an acorn squash with a metal spoon.
putting an acorn squash in the oven, on a cookie sheet.

Ingredients for Fall apple stuffed acorn squash

1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded.

2 Tablespoons butter

1 rib of celery, chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2-3 (depending on size) apples, peeled and chopped.

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 ½ cups (stuffing style) bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

oil to drizzle

Woman chopping celery with a metal kitchen knife on a brown countertop.
Woman chopping apples with a kitchen knife, on a brown countertop.
Celery cooking in a cast iron skillet
Adding apples to the celery in the cast iron skillet.
Adding bread crumbs to a skillet of apples and celery with spices.

Method for Apple stuffed acorn squash

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  2. Cut squash lengthwise and remove the seed area.
  3. Place squash skin side up on a roasting pan. Bake for 45 mins, or until fork tender.
  4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter and add the chopped celery. Cook, stirring occasionally. About 5 minutes.
  5. Add ginger, allspice, salt and pepper and chopped apples. Stir and sauté everything together, for about 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and add bread crumbs. (I had some cornbread left over so I chopped it and dried it out in the oven. I then pulsed it in the food processor until I had coarse stuffing-style crumbs.)
  7. Stir everything together and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Once the squash is ready, remove from oven and turn over ,skin side down, in your roasting pan.
  9. Add the beaten egg to the bread crumb mixture. Mix together.
  10. Spoon the mixture into the middle cavity of the two halves of the squash. Drizzle the tops with oil or melted butter.
  11. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Cover the squash and bake 30 minutes.
  12. Remove from oven, cool slightly, cut and enjoy as your main course or as a side dish.
Cooked acorn squash in a black roasting pan.
Woman pouring a beaten egg into an apple and celery stuffing, in a cast iron skillet
Woman spooning apple stuffing into cooked acorn squash halves, in a black roasting pan.
An apple stuffed acorn squash on a white plate.
A finished plate with the skin of an acorn squash and a fork and knife.

Woman spooning apple stuffing into cooked acorn squash halves, in a black roasting pan.

Fall Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

flour and filigree
Celebrate the flavours of the fall harvest with sweet-tart apples and creamy and nutty acorn squash.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
for squash 45 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 580 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 acorn squash halved lengthwise and seeded.
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 rib of celery chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2-3 apples, peeled and chopped. depending on size
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
  • 1 egg beaten
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • oil to drizzle

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400 ℉ (200 ℃).
  • Cut squash lengthwise and remove the seed area.
  • Place squash skin side up, on a roasting pan. Bake for 45 mins, or until fork tender.
  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter and add the chopped celery. Cook stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
  • Add ginger, allspice, salt and pepper, and chopped apples. Stir and sauté everything together for about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add, stuffing style, bread crumbs.
  • Stir everything together and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once the squash is ready, remove from oven, and turn over so skin side is down.
  • Add the beaten egg to the bread crumb mixture and mix together.
  • Spoon the mixture into the middle cavity of the two halves of squash. Drizzle the tops with oil or melted butter.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 350 ℉ (180 ℃). Cover the squash and bake 30 mins.
  • Remove from oven, cool slightly. Cut and enjoy as your main course or as a side dish.
Keyword Apple, Fall, squash

Hi, I'm Rebecca!
I'm a Mom of 4 who is passionate about simple living, vintage whole food meals, and old-fashioned skills. Here on my blog, you will find comfort food recipes, delicious breads, and easy decadent desserts to share with your family, along with old-fashioned skills and simple living projects to make your home cozy.

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  1. Pingback: Fall Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash – Flour and Filigree | My Meals are on Wheels
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