Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (2024)

Stuffed Butternut Squash is a meatless meal packed full of fresh flavors inspired by Mexican cuisine. This Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe comes in a handy bowl you can eat too!

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (1)

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Meatless Meals


For the most part, we are meat eaters, Don doesn't typically feel like it's a complete meal without some sort of meat in the equation, but I like to mix things up from time to time and throw in some meatless meals. Usually he complains and asks 'is this all?' or 'where's the main course?' It's not that we don't LOVE vegetables. We absolutely love vegetables and typically our meal will consist of a big salad or lots of steamed fresh vegetables with a small piece of protein and, if he's lucky, I'll add in a starch.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (2)



When I served up this Stuffed Butternut Squash I didn't mention it was a meatless meal and Don didn't miss it one bit! The beans, rice, vegetables, and cheese all combined to create a satisfying meal with a complex mix of flavors to rival any of our meaty main dishes!

Scroll down past my photo tutorial to access the ingredients and directions all in one place, if you prefer. Thanks!

How to Make Stuffed Butternut Squash

To make the butternut squash bowls,

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Scrub the outside of the squash clean and cut each in half down the middle from the stem to the root end.
  3. Scoop out the seeds and place on a baking sheet so the inside of the squash is facing up.
  4. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and brush a little on each squash.
  5. Sprinkle each squash with a pinch of kosher salt and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until very soft when pierced with a fork.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (3)

While the squash is roasting, prepare the rice as follows:

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet and add 1 cup Basmati rice.
  2. Cook the rice until lightly toasted and add 2 cups of broth. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth works fine if you prefer. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and rest for 5-10 minutes, covered.
  3. Fluff rice with a fork and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, black beans, 2 cups salsa, 1 cup corn kernals, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix that all up and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Reserve until ready to stuff squash.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (4)


When squash is nice and soft, remove it from the oven and allow to cool...

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (5)

Scoop out the inside, leaving a nice border all the way around. I use the open end as a guide and scoop out enough squash to make it even end to end.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (6)

Reserve the squash you scoop out to make a wonderful dessert such as my Butternut CheesecakeorOatmeal Butternut Squash Cookies.

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (7)


Spoon the rice mixture into the squash bowls to fill. Try to divide it evenly. Depending on the size of your squash, you might have a little rice mixture leftover. It's great for enjoying in a wrap for lunch the next day or even another dinner with a salad. Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of shredded cheese, or more to your liking...

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (8)

and bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with sour cream and my homemade Simple Guacamole. Enjoy!

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (9)


Life Tastes Good
Published 11/29/2015
Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (10)

Ingredients

  • 2 whole butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup Basmati Rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups Homemade Tomato Salsa (click for recipe),or your favorite salsa
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Simple Guacamole (click for recipe)
  • Sour Cream

Instructions

  1. To make the butternut squash bowls, preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the outside of the squash clean and cut each in half down the middle from the stem to the root end. Scoop out the seeds and place on a baking sheet so the inside of the squash is facing up. Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and brush a little on each squash. Sprinkle each squash with a pinch of kosher salt and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until very soft when pierced with a fork.
  2. When squash is nice and soft, remove it from the oven and allow to cool. Scoop out the inside, leaving a nice border all the way around. I use the open end as a guide and scoop out enough squash to make it even end to end. Reserve the squash you scoop out to make a wonderful dessert such as my Butternut Cheesecake or Oatmeal Butternut Squash Cookies.
  3. While the squash is roasting, prepare the rice. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet and add 1 cup Basmati rice. Cook the rice until lightly toasted and add 2 cups of broth. I use chicken broth, but vegetable broth works fine if you prefer. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and rest for 5-10 minutes, covered.
  4. Fluff rice with a fork and add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, black beans, 2 cups salsa, 1 cup corn kernals, 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix that all up and give it a taste. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Reserve until ready to stuff squash.
  5. Spoon the rice mixture into the squash bowls to fill. Try to divide it evenly. Depending on the size of your squash, you might have a little rice mixture leftover. It's great for enjoying in a wrap for lunch the next day or even another dinner with a salad. Top each stuffed squash with a tablespoon of shredded cheese, or more to your liking and bake in the 400°F oven until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with sour cream and my homemade Simple Guacamole. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 15 mins.

Cook time: 1 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 15 mins.

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Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (11)

Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay cook butternut squash? ›

In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.

Can you eat the skin on a stuffed butternut squash? ›

It's definitely OK to eat squash skin,” Rayna Joyce, vegetable production manager at Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne, Vermont, told me. “Some (winter) squash have really delicate skins and they become tender when cooked. You can bake them and eat the whole thing.”

How does Jamie Oliver cook butternut squash? ›

Method. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.

Will butternut squash soften in the oven? ›

Cook Whole in the Oven

Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and place flesh side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 F for 30 to 40 minutes. The squash will be soft and tender when it has cooked through.

How to cook butternut squash Martha Stewart? ›

Directions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place squash cut-side down on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until almost completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

How to cook butternut squash Paula Deen? ›

directions
  1. In a medium saucepan combine squash, onions, carrots,broth, and salt. Simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes.
  2. Puree soup in a blender or food processor with the butter. Whisk cream into soup. Serve in wide, shallow bowls with a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Why does my skin feel weird after touching butternut squash? ›

Food handlers and kitchen workers often take precautions to wear rubber or latex gloves when peeling butternut and acorn squash to avoid temporary butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) dermatitis A contact dermatitis reaction to butternut or acorn squash may result in orange and cracked skin, a sensation of "tightness" ...

Can dogs eat butternut squash? ›

Generally, butternut squash is safe to feed to most pooches, unless your vet has advised otherwise. As a guide, we would recommend feeding small dogs no more than 1 or 2 teaspoons of butternut squash, whilst bigger dogs can eat up to 3 or 4 tablespoons of butternut squash.

What are the benefits of eating butternut squash? ›

Research shows that butternut squash can help reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, in particular. It can help your blood pressure. Butternut squash is high in potassium, which can help keep your blood pressure in check. Managing your blood pressure can reduce your risk for stroke and heart disease.

What are 3 ways you can eat butternut squash? ›

7 ways to cook with butternut squash
  • Butternut squash soup. ...
  • Spicy squash and spinach soup. ...
  • Roasted butternut squash. ...
  • Butternut squash laksa. ...
  • Moroccan-spiced tomato sauce with roast vegetables and chickpeas. ...
  • Beef and butternut squash moussaka. ...
  • Chilled toffee apple creams.

Is butternut squash healthier than sweet potatoes? ›

To begin with, the butternut squash beats the sweet potato with fewer calories, carbs and sugar per serving. Moreover, it is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins B6 and E. On the other hand, the sweet potato, however, provides more fiber and protein.

Is there a difference between roasting and baking squash? ›

Most recipes say to either bake or roast butternut squash—but what's the difference? While both cooking methods will turn the tough, raw gourd into a soft, sweet ingredient, roasting butternut squash is the more common process for achieving browned, crispy edges and a creamy interior.

Why is my roasted butternut squash mushy? ›

We are looking for browned, crisp edges on the outside and a soft, smooth texture on the inside. It's important to set your heat at 425°F - yes, that high! If your oven is set at a temperature that is too low, you'll end up with uncooked or mushy roasted squash. Don't be afraid to turn up the heat!

Can you overcook butternut squash? ›

Place in oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring once, or until squash is golden brown and fork tender. Don't overcook it or it will get mushy.

Why is my butternut squash mushy? ›

Although butternut squash can keep for months, it will eventually go bad if not used. You will know your squash is bad if there are soft, mushy spots or if once cut open, the color is extremely dull or if the flesh is spotty, mushy or dry to the point it is pulling away from the skin, then toss it.

Is it better to steam or boil butternut squash? ›

The squash also retains most of its nutrients when it is steamed and has a wonderfully sweet butternuttiness to it. Steamed butternut can also be used in a variety of ways – added to salads, mashed, puréed or enjoyed as is with a simple seasoning of your choice.

Is it necessary to peel butternut squash before cooking? ›

It's important to note that while many people choose to remove butternut squash skin (and this is best practice for soup making, where you want smooth results), you can 100% eat roasted butternut squash skin. Slice butternut squash into crescents and roast it with the skin on.

Should butternut squash be peeled before roasting? ›

There are two ways to roast butternut squash—skin on, and skin off. It's easiest to roast a whole butternut squash skin on, that way you don't need to deal with peeling.

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