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Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffed Butternut Squash
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This stuffed butternut squash recipe features a vegetable and rice stuffing flavored with sage and pecans. A delicious fall meal!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 small butternut squash*
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1 cup white basmati rice
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter (or vegan butter)
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 2 cups chopped kale, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 package (4 ounces) cream cheese (or 3 tablespoons vegan butter)
  • 2 tablespoons milk (omit for vegan)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. Roast the squash: Slice each of the squash in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil on the cut sides, then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Turn cut side down on the sheet and roast until tender, about 40 minutes (test with a fork to assess doneness).
  3. Make the rice: Rinse the rice in cold water using a fine mesh strainer, then drain and shake it dry. Place the rice in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed (test by pulling back the rice with a fork). Remove from the heat. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  Fluff the rice with a fork. 
  4. Toast the pecans: Place the pecans in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the nuts are fragrant and slightly darker brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
  5. Make the stuffing: Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, and oregano, and sauté for an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the kale and 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté for 2 min. Add the cream cheese and milk and stir until distributed and melted. Add the rice and and pecans. Taste and add additional salt to taste (we added 1/8 tsp). 
  6. Fill the squash: When the squash is finished roasting and tender, remove the sheet from the oven. Use a spoon to scoop out the center of the squash, leaving a 1/4-inch shell around the outside. Chop the removed squash into pieces (it will not be perfectly square but that’s ok!) and stir it into the rice filling. You can leave out some of the squash if it feels like it is too much for the rice quantity (since the amount depends on the squash size). Spoon the filling back into the hole in the squash and top with grated Parmesan cheese. There may be some extra filling, which you can serve on the side or reserve as leftovers.
  7. Roast: Return to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately. Leftovers last refrigerated for 2 days (see make ahead tips above).

Notes

*Size is important here, since each eater will get one half of the squash. A large butternut squash is much too big! If all you can find is a large squash you can slice the squash in half length-wise, but it doesn’t have the same look.

**This recipe is tough to multiply because the more butternut squash you have in the oven, the longer it takes. If you roast 4 small squashes, increase the baking time (it can take up to 1 hour depending on your oven and the squash size). Anything above 8 portions is best prepared in advance in batches.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/stuffed-butternut-squash/