This Stuffed Butternut Squash with ground turkey, apples, pecans and hot honey is a high protein flavor bomb! It's really simple to make and ready to eat in an hour. Healthy meets big taste in this easy Fall dinner recipe or Thanksgiving side dish.
I love Fall heavy recipes and this has all the Autumn flavors with apples, cranberries and warm spices. It's also guilt free, because it's nutrient packed and high in protein.
For more squash recipes, check out this Creamy Butternut Squash Soup, Sautéed Delicata Squash and Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Fall Favorite. Perfect for Fall and Winter when butternut squash is in season.
- Easy Prep. I can't stand cubing butternut squash, so I always opt for slicing it in half and baking. Let the oven do the work!
- Nutrient Packed. High protein (over 25 grams per half), low in calories, and loaded with vitamins. Butternut squash is high in antioxidants too.
- Thanksgiving Worthy. Surprise friends and family with this over the top side dish.
For more Ground Turkey Recipes try these Turkey Burrito Bowls, Turkey Chili, Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, and Ground Turkey Meatballs.
Ingredients:
Butternut Squash: I look for a medium sized butternut squash about 2-2.5 lbs for this recipe. A bigger one is fine to use, but will require a longer baking time.
Cranberry Pecan Mix: I grabbed a bag of a mixture of pecans and cranberries to keep it simple, but you can also buy them separately.
Apple: I like a honeycrisp or pink lady for their crisp texture.
*Find the full recipe ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
- You can easily double this recipe by using two butternut squashes and a full pound of ground turkey.
- The ground turkey can be swapped out with ground sausage if you prefer it.
Check out this Stuffed Acorn Squash with apple and sausage too!
How TO make Stuffed Butternut Squash:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the inside of the squash (not the outer skin) with a few teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle on ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
Step 2: Place the squash face down onto a cookie sheet, so you can only see the skin side. Bake for 35-40 minutes until fork tender.
Step 3: After the squash has been cooking for about 20 minutes, get ready to make the filling by placing a large pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil into the pan, then the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey as it cooks for about 3-4 minutes. Toss in onion, apple, garlic, dijon mustard, cumin, allspice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook until the apple and onion is softened and the turkey is no longer pink. Set aside.
Step 4: Remove the butternut squash from the oven, flip over with a spatula, and test a couple spots with a fork to make sure it sinks all the way into the squash and doesn't hit any hard spots. If it's not cooked enough, return to the oven for 5-10 minute increments. Once it's fully cooked, use the end of a spoon to scrape a bit of the squash from the neck into the bottom portion. This will allow us to fill the full squash half.
Step 5: Fill each squash up with the turkey filling. Bake for another 7-8 minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and top with pecan, cranberries and drizzle with hot honey. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Be really careful cutting the squash in half. It takes a sharp knife and some force.
- Make sure the butternut squash is almost entirely ready to eat before adding the turkey filling. You don't want to overcook the ground turkey because it dries out easily.
Pair this squash with my Kale Pomegranate Salad or this Roasted Pear Salad.
More Fall Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 large servings 1x
Description
This Stuffed Butternut Squash with ground turkey, apples, pecans and hot honey is a high protein flavor bomb! It's really simple to make and ready to eat in an hour. Healthy meets big taste in this easy Fall recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized butternut squash, about 2-2.5 pounds
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces lean ground turkey 93/7 (½ pound)
- ¼ cup yellow onion, diced fine
- ⅓ cup peeled apple, diced fine (preference for honey crisp or pink lady)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons hot honey + more as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Brush the inside of the squash (not the outer skin) with a few teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle on ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
- Place the squash face down onto a cookie sheet, so you can only see the skin side. Bake for 35-40 minutes until fork tender.
- After the squash has been cooking for about 20 minutes, get ready to make the filling by placing a large pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil into the pan, then the ground turkey. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey as it cooks for about 3-4 minutes. Toss in onion, apple, garlic, dijon mustard, cumin, allspice, and ½ teaspoon salt. Continue to cook until the apple and onion is softened and the turkey is no longer pink. Set aside.
- Remove the butternut squash from the oven, flip over with a spatula, and test a couple spots with a fork to make sure it sinks all the way into the squash and doesn't hit any hard spots. If it's not cooked enough, return to the oven for 5-10 minute increments. Once it's fully cooked, use the end of a spoon to scrape a bit of the squash from the neck into the bottom portion. This will allow us to fill the full squash half.
- Fill each squash up with the turkey filling. Bake for another 7-8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and top with pecan, cranberries and drizzle with hot honey. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Be really careful cutting the squash in half. It takes a sharp knife and some force.
Make sure the butternut squash is almost entirely ready to eat before adding the turkey filling. You don't want to overcook the ground turkey because it dries out easily.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
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