This is squash at it’s best! My family thinks it’s one of the best side dishes EVER. It makes any autumn dinner better and is a MUST for Thanksgiving.
When my children were young and we lived in rural Pennsylvania, I found an old recipe book at a garage sale. My favorite recipe in the book was Stuffed Acorn Squash. The squash mixture was baked and served in the empty acorn squash shells. This quickly became a family favorite, even the littles liked it!
It became an absolute MUST for Thanksgiving dinner and got Qohs and Aahs anytime I served it. Over the years I the recipe evolved. I grew weary of serving the squash in the shells. It’s a great thing to do if you are up to it! You just need to make sure and buy uniform sized squash that aren’t over large.
I eventually began adding butternut squash because it ramps up the flavor. *Corinne just sticks with acorn squash when she makes it. I also add more of the butter/onion/stuffing mixture because it’s delicious!
By September the fresh crop of squash is out.
Don’t worry about sizes too much….the mix between acorn and butternut can vary.
Split squash and clean out well with spoon.
Place face down on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake for 30 minutes and then check for doneness. The squash should be nice and soft. Cool cooked squash on cooling rack while continuing to cook larger pieces until soft.
When cooled, spoon out into large bowl.
Mash squash with a potato masher or fork. Add chicken broth until mixture reaches soft consistency.
Stir in eggs, salt, and pepper.
Melt butter in skillet. Sauté onions until soft. Remove from heat and stir stuffing mix.
Stir about 3/4 of onion/stuffing mixture into squash, mix well.
Pour squash into prepared casserole dish. *or spoon into cleaned out acorn squash shells*
Sprinkle reserved stuffing mix onto top of squash.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes until topping is toasted.
Truly one of the best Thanksgiving side dishes EVER! Enjoy!
Cindy
Autumn Squash Casserole
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium to large acorn squash **buy 5-6 smaller acorn squash if wanting to do individual servings in shell
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 medium onion
- 1 box Stove Top Stuffing any flavor, I use Cornbread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut acorn squash in half between stem and bottom. Clean out all seeds.
- Cut butternut squash in half between stem and bottom. then cut each piece in half the other direction, through the stem and bottom of squash, Clean out all seeds.
- Lay cut side down on greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and flip each piece over and check with fork, the squash should be very tender. Remove pieces onto cooling rack as they are done, continuing to cook other pieces as needed. Allow to cool enough to handle.
- Scoop out all squash into a large mixing bowl. Mash together with large spoon or potato masher.
- Turn oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Mix in chicken broth, eggs, salt and pepper.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add onions. Stir and cook until tender.
- Turn off heat. Add dried Stove Top mixing well.
- Add about ¾ of the Stove Top/butter mixture into the squash. Mix together.
- Pour into lightly greased 9×13 pan.
- Sprinkle remaining Stove Top mixture over top. Bake for 35 minutes.