This stuffed butternut squash recipe truly has it all!  It’s the ultimate comfort food made with fresh vegetables, savory Italian sausage, hearty kale, and aromatic sage. Plus, you’ll get a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries and diced apple. Don’t forget to add some walnuts for a little crunch.

Stuffed squash recipes are so tasty, warm, and filling. They’re a perfect side dish for the Holidays or Thanksgiving, and on top of that, they’re super easy to make and something the whole family will enjoy.

And if you’re looking for more butternut squash recipes, I’ve got you covered. Try this No Bean Butternut Squash Chili, 20-Minutes Butternut Squash Soup or these Ground Beef Butternut Squash Bowls.

Stuffed butternut squash halves on a white serving plate.
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Butternut squash season is here, and that’s always something to celebrate. So many great meals incorporate this versatile fall favorite. The best part? Roasting a butternut squash in the oven will make your home smell oh so dreamy!

How To Make

Ingredients

  • Butternut squash — When selecting a squash, make sure it’s ripe. Most squash from the grocery store is ready to eat. If you happen to be using garden-fresh squash, make sure it doesn’t have any green spots. The whole skin should be light tan, tough, and matte rather than glossy.
  • Extra virgin olive oil — Brushing a little bit of olive oil on your squash before roasting will keep it hydrated and add a nice flavor.
  • Onion — I typically use a yellow onion, but white can be substituted.
  • Garlic — One to two large cloves, minced.
  • Yellow bell pepper — If you’re feeling adventurous, feel free to choose a different color of pepper!
  • Seasoning — This recipe is seasoned simply with just salt and pepper.
  • Italian pork sausage — Look for a nitrate-free brand
  • Kale — Delicious, hearty greens.
  • Apple — I recommend using a pink apple in this recipe to maximize flavor.
  • Dried cranberries — Delicious, sweet, and tart!
  • Sage — Chopped, fresh sage is best, but dried will also work.
  • Walnuts — Nuts add nice texture and crunch to this recipe. You can also use chopped pecans or even some roasted pumpkin seeds.

Optional: You can also add crispy chopped bacon on top of it. So good!

Instructions

Prepare butternut squash:

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Left: halved butternut squash. Right: scooping seeds out of squash.
  • Brush each half with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place squash halves on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, until it’s fork tender.
Left: halved butternut squash with oil and seasonings. Right: squash on lined baking sheet.

Prepare filling:

  • While squash is roasting, make the filling. Place a large skillet on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium-high. Remove sausage from casing (if applicable) and add it to the skillet. Use a spoon to break the meat apart and allow it to brown completely.
Browned sausage in a cast iron skillet.
  • Add diced onion, diced bell pepper, and minced garlic to the browned meat. Sauté veggies until they start to become soft, which should take 3-5 minutes.
Onion, garlic and diced pepper added to browned meat in skillet.
  • Add kale to the pan and stir until wilted. Next, add diced apple and sage. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the apple begins to soften, then remove the pan from the heat.
Kale, diced apple and sage added to skillet with browned meat and veggies.
  • Stir chopped walnuts and cranberries into the filling.
Dried cranberries and walnuts added to skillet with all other filling ingredients.

Assemble stuffed butternut squash:

  • Once the squash is done roasting, remove it from the oven. Carefully scoop out a little bit of flesh with a fork to create more space for your filling or sausage mixture. If you want, use extras to make a small batch of Roasted Butternut Squash Mash for later.
  • Stuff each half of the squash with filling and top with extra sage, if desired. Enjoy it on its own or with rice!
Stuffed butternut squash halves on a white serving plate.

Recipe Tips

  • A shorter, stout squash works best for this recipe. They tend to have more seeds than a long, thin squash. This creates a nice big crater for filling. You will scoop a little bit of flesh out to create even more space, but with a short squash you’ll need to remove less.
  • If you’re having difficulty cutting the squash in half, microwave it for a couple of minutes to soften.
  • I generally use a yellow bell pepper for this recipe, but any color is tasty. Green is least sweet and red is the sweetest.
  • Both ground beef and ground chicken are great substitutes for the sausage in this recipe. If you prefer a different protein, feel free to improvise.

Variations

Cheese: Top your stuffed squash with a little bit of shredded cheddar, asiago, or parmesan. Crumbled goat cheese would also be yummy.

Seasonings: Add a dusting of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves to your filling. You might also play around with some more savory seasonings like oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, or cumin.

Squash: Roast a different kind of squash, but stuff it with this filling! Try honeynut, kabocha, acorn, or spaghetti squash.

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How To Store Leftovers

  • Allow leftovers to cool and transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days. If you don’t have a big enough container, you can use plastic wrap.
  • You can also freeze leftovers for approximately 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container.
  • To reheat, allow the squash to thaw in the refrigerator overnight (if frozen). Microwave on high, in 30-second increments, until warmed through. Or, you can preheat your oven to 350°F and place the thawed squash on a lined baking sheet. Cook until hot (about 20 minutes).

If you love this stuffing recipe, be sure to check out my Sausage & Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash or this mouthwatering Stuffing Sweet Potato too. They are so good!

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Italian Sausage

3.36 from 48 votes
Author: Olivia Ribas
Servings4 people
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
This stuffed butternut squash is the ultimate comfort food. It's made with fresh vegetables, savory Italian sausage, hearty kale, and aromatic sage. Plus, you’ll get a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries and diced apple. Don’t forget to add some walnuts for a little crunch!
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Ingredients 
 

For the Butternut Squash

For the Filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cups onion diced
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 1 cup yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1/2 lb Italian pork sausage
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups kale chopped
  • 1 cup medium apple chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberry
  • 2 tbsp walnut chopped

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon.
  • Season the cut sides with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • Place the halved squash on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 mins or until is tender.
  • While butternut squash is in the oven, make the filling by adding olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it's just browned. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper and saute for 3 mins.
  • Add kale to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes, or until the kale is wilted. Then, add the apple and sage. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the apple has softened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries and walnuts.
  • When the butternut squash halves are baked, remove from the oven. Remove some of the flesh with a fork, but leave some to eat with the filling. You just want to make room for the filling. Stuff the filling into the squash halves. Season with chopped sage if you prefer, before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

  • A short, stout squash will work best for this recipe.
  • If you have trouble cutting your butternut squash in half, you can microwave it for a couple of minutes so it softens enough to cut.
  • Feel free to swap the yellow bell pepper for any coloured bell pepper. Green is the least sweet and read is the sweetest. 
  • If you prefer different ground meat, such as chicken or beef, feel free to use it in place of the ground sausage. 
  • To store: Store leftover stuffed butternut squash in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also tightly wrap it up if you do not have a large enough container.
  • To reheat: Reheat the butternut squash in the microwave or oven. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4, Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 405mg, Potassium: 444mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g

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

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italian-sausage-stuffed-butternut-squash - This Italian Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe is the ultimate comfort food and it's a complete meal with lots of veggies and protein. It's also low-carb, gluten-free and paleo-friendly!

Olivia Ribas

Welcome

Hi, I'm Olivia


Happy to have you here! I’ve been creating and sharing tasty, easy-to-make recipes on Primavera Kitchen for over 10 years now! I’m all about simple, delicious recipes made with fresh, seasonal, and wholesome ingredients that your whole family will love.

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3.36 from 48 votes (44 ratings without comment)

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13 Comments

  1. Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says:

    I always wonder how single parents do it, it’s so much work for just one person! I love the looks of this squash…it’s gorgeous, healthy and looks delicious!

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      Glad you liked this recipe, friend 😉

  2. Sues says:

    Yum, this looks delicious! I love the addition of green olives, too! I’m glad your husband is home, though it sounds like you did an awesome job managing solo!

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      Thanks a lot for your kind comment, Sues 😉

  3. slope says:

    Look so yummy! cant wait to make this tonight!

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      Thanks for stopping by 😉

  4. look what you made me do lyrics says:

    Look so delicious!!! I want to eat all of this at the first moment when I see them.Thank you for sharing these food.

  5. Susan Davis says:

    I made this today. I used 1# sausage because that’s what I defrosted, 1C onion, more garlic, red bell pepper instead of yellow, and spinach instead of kale because that’s what I had. Oh, and I had mixed dried blueberries and cranberries so that’s what I used. Fresh parmesan on top. I also sprinkled a very tiny amount of orange zest and cinnamon on the squash before I baked it. It was delicious and I will for sure make it again.

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      Sounds delicious!

  6. Jacqueline Jackson says:

    Second time I made it. Didn’t have apple so I used yellow raisins. It was delicious!

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      That’s awesome!

  7. Linda Smith says:

    LOVED this! Tasted like it came from a 5-star restaurant! I didn’t have any yellow pepper, and my sage was dried. Am making is tomorrow to serve at a dinner party. Beautiful and delicious!!!!

    1. Olivia Ribas says:

      Amazing! So happy to hear that 😉