Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash With Marinara and Fried Sage Leaves

Easy weeknight fall feels, using Pumpkin Marinara or any red sauce, plus an update on Eat Happy Italian.

Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash with Marinara and Fried Sage Leaves, recipe and photo by me, Anna Vocino

We have less than 25 twin packs left of our seasonal, delish Pumpkin Marinara, but you can still make this recipe for beef stuffed acorn squash with any of sauce flavor.

I am migrating recipes from AnnaVocino.com to this newsletter to get all of my published online recipes in one place. This recipe is a hidden gem that you want to make.

But first, a word from our sponsor (it’s me. I’m the sponsor):

PLEASE PRE-ORDER EAT HAPPY ITALIAN!

The new cookbook drops 10/8, and it’s got 101 incredible low carb, gluten free Italian and Italian American recipes. I’m so excited for y’all to get this book and cook your way through it.

Five years ago, I swore I’d never release another cookbook when Amazon botched the launch of my second book and half my hair fell out of my head from stress.

The lesson I learned was that Amazon is the boss, and maybe I should learn not to stress so hard about things I absolutely can’t control. Those of you who were with me during this time remember how Amazon was randomly cancelling hundreds of pre-orders and insisting that the books hadn’t arrived even though pallets of books sat on their loading docks for weeks, waiting to be checked in. Whatever. The book eventually came out, and life marched on.

Because of that experience, I launched this Substack newsletter, which I love so very very much. I’m a gal who likes to find silver linings in things, lest my mind get the better of me.

But here we are, five years later, and Eat Happy Italian is ready. Plus I just signed the contract for my fourth cookbook with low carb sips, dips, and bites, tentatively titled Happy Hour.

Turns out I couldn’t stop writing recipes. My literary agent insisted I put them into book form, and she was and is always right (thank you, Amy Collins). Down the line, I will write an updated anniversary edition of the first Eat Happy, plus the Eat Happy For The Holidays PDF is coming out, and Easy Weeknight Meals is on the horizon.

OK, let’s get back to getting dinner on the table. This time with another simple use of ground beef, but with a fall spin.

Pro Tip: make extra fried sage leaves. They will make your heart sing a thousand songs all at once.

Extra Pro Tip: be gentle when you scoop out the squash from the shells. Those shells want to rip because you've cooked them properly, but if you wanna keep it cute for serving, tread gently.

The downloadable PDF, print-friendly version of this recipe is here.

Want more Eat Happy inspiration? Make sure you sign up for the 31 Days of Meals plan and free recipe sampler here.

BEEF STUFFED ACORN SQUASH WITH MARINARA AND FRIED SAGE LEAVES

(Serves 2)

• 1 acorn squash, halved, seeds discarded

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

• 1/2 sweet onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 1 cup Eat Happy Kitchen Pumpkin Marinara, make your own from the recipe in Eat Happy Too, or use any flavor of marinara you prefer

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the acorn squash halves face down on a baking sheet or casserole dish and cook for 30-35 minutes, or until the squash is soft when shell is pressed. Remove from the oven and let cool while cooking the filling. Carefully scoop out the squash flesh into a small mixing bowl, keeping the shells in tact for serving.

Heat a small nonstick sauté pan to medium high heat and toast the pine nuts until fragrant and starting to turn golden brown, being careful not to burn them, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pine nuts to a plate and heat the olive oil in the same small pan on medium high heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the sage leaves and let them toast until crispy, about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Remove the sage leaves with a slotted spoon from the olive oil and set the leaves aside to drain on a paper towel. Season the fried sage leaves with salt. Pour the remainder of the olive oil into a large, flat-bottomed nonstick sauté pan.

Bring the large sauté pan to medium high heat, until the oil is hot and shimmering once again, and cook the onion until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Then brown the ground beef, using a spatula to separate the beef into small pieces. Cook the beef about 3-4 minutes, until cooked thoroughly. Stir in the salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and white pepper. Add in the toasted pine nuts and Pumpkin Marinara, mixing evenly. Season the slightly cooled squash with salt and fold it into the meat mixture. Scoop the mixture back into the squash shells and serve, garnished with fried sage leaves.