Of all the thanksgiving leftovers in our house, the dressing (or stuffing) is definitely gobbled up the fastest. However, it’s always fun to try making new recipes out of leftovers, and if your grandmother is anything like mine, she’s probably made a few extra Pyrex dishes of dressing “just in case”. You can turn those leftovers into a stunning stuffed squash with minimal effort!

I’ve chosen acorn squash for this dish, but you can use any seasonal squash that’s the size of a grapefruit or a bit larger. I followed the advice of Emma Christensen over at the Kitchn for stuffing a squash with just about anything. You could use leftover turkey with your dressing to stuff the squash, but I was really feeling the idea of sausage and kale thrown in there. And believe me. It is seriously. So. Good.

I did do one thing wrong here though. I sliced the squash horizontally through the center rather than slicing it halfway from stem to root. If you want an even distribution of squash and stuffing, definitely don’t follow my lead there. The great thing about slicing open any squash though, is all the seeds inside! If you’re making a few of these squashes to feed a crowd, you’ll have plenty of seeds left for toasting, which is an extra treat!

Now that I’ve discovered how versatile this art of squash-stuffing is, I can’t wait to try it with other things. I’m thinking a cheesy farro stuffing with walnuts and apples next..

Do you have a favorite stuffed squash recipe, or a favorite way to use up leftover dressing? Let us know in the comments below!

We hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving week filled with friends, family, and great food!