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This stuffed honeynut squash is filled with Italian sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and just a touch of Parmesan cheese. You’ll love how simple it is to make this dish and love the sweet natural flavor of honeynut squash.
I’m here with a stuffed squash recipe that is going to blow your mind!
If you haven’t found honeynut squash before, you need to get to the store and start your hunt now. It’s so good! In fact, dare I say it’s my favorite fall squash?! If you’re looking for a bare-bones recipe, try my tutorial on How to Roast Honeynut Squash.
If you’re looking for a flavor-packed dinnertime recipe, this is one for you!
I took a few honeynut squashes and filled them with a mix of crispy spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, spinach, and a touch of Parmesan cheese. This recipe is sorta like a twice-baked honeynut squash type of thing, but I didn’t want to make the title a million words long, so I went with stuffed honeynut squash instead.
Trust me, if you’re a squash lover, you’re not only going to love this recipe but you’re going to love honeynut squash!
What is honeynut squash?
Ok, I know some of you are thinking to yourself, “What in the heck is a honeynut squash? Is she just calling a small butternut squash a honeynut?” No, I’m not. It is, in fact, its own variety.
It’s not very old (maybe around 10 years old) but packs a big wallop of flavor. Over the past three years, it has started to appear in the Northeast and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, this was the first year I actually found it at the local grocery store instead of just at a farmer’s market.
Other fun facts?
- It packs a ton of beta-carotene.
- The skin does not have to be peeled (hooray!)
- It came about as a collaboration between Michael Mazourek (Associate Professor at Cornell University) and Chef Dan Barber.
- Pick a squash with a bit of green and a deep golden color
Where can you find honeynut squash?
Don’t worry. You can find honeynut squash in most grocery stores and local farmers’ markets. Especially if you live in the Northeast. Just remember, if you can’t find something you want, you can always call your grocery store and request items.
This is how they know what people want!
I know I sound like I’m writing a paper on the honeynut squash, but really, it’s adorable, and you should pick some up ASAP.
How to cook honeynut squash?
I know I made it all fancy by stuffing it, BUT it’s also pretty amazing just cut in half and roasted on high heat. It gets all caramelized and sweet.
In fact, I wrote a whole post just dedicated to How to Roast Honeynut Squash.
SO MUCH GOODNESS.
Oh, and obviously make this stuffed honeynut squash.
Using another squash
I understand that finding honeynut squash may not be an easy task if you do not live in an area where it is grown or cannot find a supplier for the squash. You can still use this recipe with butternut squash or even acorn squash.
I would use one normal-sized butternut squash for the four honeynut squash we use in this recipe. Of course, use your best judgment when it comes to this recommendation. If you find yourself with super tiny butternut squash, you can use more.
These little honeynut squashes were about 6 inches in height to give you a visual.
More squash recipes
- Southwest Taco Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash Congee
- Sausage and Peppers Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- How to Roast Honeynut Squash.
Stuffed Honeynut Squash
Ingredients
For squash:
- 4 (6-8 inch) honeynut squash, cut in half lengthwise and seeds scooped out
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For sausage filling:
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, ground or links, remove casing on links
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
For roasted squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lay the honeynut squash halves onto a large baking sheet and rub the inside flesh of the squash with olive oil and sprinkle it with the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Flip the squash over so the cut side is down. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is soft.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
For filling:
- While the squash is roasting, add a 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat.
- When the pan is hot, add the Italian sausage and break it up with a spatula so it can be evenly brown and no large chunks remain.
- When half of the sausage is browned add in the mushrooms and diced onions and continue cooking until the sausage if fully cooked and the onion and mushrooms are soft.
- Add in the garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper and let cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
For assembly and baking:
- Scoop out the flesh of the squash into a large bowl. Be sure to leave a small amount of the flesh around the skin of the squash so it can hold its shape.
- Stir the scooped-out squash and add in the cooked sausage mixture, the chopped baby spinach, and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
- Add the filling to the squash halves and top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the filling is warmed through and the cheese is browned.
Notes
- If you cannot find honeynut squash you can substitute it by using butternut squash.
- These squashes are approximately 6 inches in size, so adjust the recipe accordingly.
- If you don’t feel like stuffing the squash, you can add it to a casserole dish and bake it in the dish to warm throughout.
- You can use mild or sweet Italian sausage as a substitute for hot Italian sausage.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was AMAZING!!! Subbed zucchini halves because I didn’t have mushrooms and didn’t use parmesan in the filling, they were absolutely delicious. The whole family loved them, thank you!!
Hi I’d like to make this recipe today, but like someone already mentioned you didn’t state in the recipe when you are supposed to add the garlic. Can clarify please and add in this step?
This is my go-to recipe any time I have a honeynut, delicate, or butternut squash. The flavors are perfect together!
Fantastic! I used ground Turkey instead of Italian sausage.
Fabulous! First time using honey nut squash. Great autumnal flavor. I will be adding this to our Thanksgiving table this year.
Next time I may add most of the spinach towards the end of cooking the sausage. I prefer my spinach a little more wilted than it was in my final dish.
flavors were delicious, but WAY too much spinach. I used 5 oz fresh baby spinach and followed the directions to a T, which resulted in my squash being overloaded with a wildly disproportionate amount of spinach lol – looked nothing like the pictures here. next time I’ll use half that or cook the spinach down first