Stuffed Winter Squash Recipe
Here are the basic steps and recipe framework for stuffed winter squash. The world is your oyster, I mean squash, make yours delicious!
Adapted from The Kitchn
Ingredients
1 medium winter squash (about the size of a grapefruit or slightly larger), such as acorn, kabocha, red kuri, sweet dumpling, delicata, or spaghetti
2 to 3 cups filling (see below)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
General amounts for filling — to equal 2 to 3 cups total:
1/2 to 1 cup protein — ground sausage, ground beef, chicken, tempeh, or baked tofu
1 to 2 cups vegetables — onions, mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, greens
1/2 cup cooked grains and/or nuts — barley, quinoa, millet, farro, rice, walnuts, almonds, pecans
1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheese
1 to 3 teaspoons herbs or spices
- Arrange a rack in the lower-middle position of the oven and heat to 375°F. Cut the squash in half from stem to root. Scoop out the seeds.
- Place the squash halves cut-side-down in a baking dish and pour in enough hot water to fill the pan by about 1/4 inch. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil.
- Roast the squash until very soft and tender when poked with a fork or paring knife, 30 to 50 minutes. Exact roasting time will depend on the size and variety of your squash. While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling.
- Depending on the size of your squash, 2 to 3 cups of combined ingredients is usually sufficient. You can combine leftovers from other meals (cooked chicken, roasted vegetables, etc.) or you can prepare a fresh filling. Cook any raw meats and raw vegetables and combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper to your liking.
- Flip the cooked squash halves so they form bowls. Rub the inside with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the filling between the halves — it’s fine to really stuff the wells and also to mound the filling on top.
- Cover again with the foil. Roast until heated through and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Top with extra cheese if desired and serve immediately.