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 many cups does 1 butternut squash make? ›

Butternut squash – Depending on the size, whole butternut squash can yield between 1 ½ cups for a small squash to 3 cups or so for a medium to a larger one. Take this into account when choosing a butternut squash for your recipe.

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.

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 many squash for 4 cups? ›

One 1 1/2 pound butternut squash will yield approximately 4 cups of 1/2-inch cubed squash.

How many squash is 2 cups cooked? ›

Helpful squash equivalents:

1/3 to 1/2 pound raw unpeeled squash = 1 serving. 1 pound peeled squash = 1 cup cooked, mashed. 2-1/2 pounds whole squash = 2-3/4 to 3 cups pureed. 1 pound trimmed squash = 2 cups cooked pieces.

What does butternut squash do for the body? ›

Butternut squash contains considerable amounts of fiber, which can help you keep a healthy weight and regulate bowel movements. It's known to help prevent colorectal cancer while the beta-carotene in butternut squash can also improve eye health.

What to pair with butternut squash? ›

Serve your butternut squash with one of these other fall-flavored chicken recipes: Rosemary Chicken Thighs with Apples or Maple Dijon Chicken and Vegetables. Pasta. Round out your favorite pasta recipes from Baked Turkey Meatballs to Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff with this healthy vegetable side.

Is butternut squash a super food? ›

And while we know it's delicious, this starchy veggie is actually a cold weather superfood. In fact, while it contains more carbohydrates than other vegetables (like leafy greens), it provides an abundance of health benefits due to its richness in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.

Can dogs have 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.

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 you eat butternut squash raw? ›

Skip eating most hard-skinned squash raw. "Hard skinned squash is difficult to eat raw," Marz says. "They are usually much larger in size, have a harder flesh, and are much more fibrous." Examples of hard-skinned squash that should not be eaten raw include: pumpkins, delicate, butternut, Hubbard, and acorn.

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.

Do you have to cut butternut squash before cooking? ›

Ditch the struggle. Learn how to roast butternut squash the EASY WAY without any prep work. No pre-peeling, chopping or deseeding (yes really!). Just whole-roast it in the oven until soft and tender.

Should you wash butternut squash before cooking? ›

Washing: First, start by washing your hands before preparing food. Then wash winter squash before preparing and eating.

How much do you get from 1 butternut squash? ›

HELPFUL TIP: You can get about 4 cups of cubed butternut squash from 1 (2-pound) squash. Use a heavy vegetable peeler to peel the squash and then remove the pulp and seeds before chopping into cubes.

What is the yield of a butternut squash? ›

We discovered a 3-pound squash yields 4½ cups uncooked 1-inch cubes. Therefore, 1 cup cubed raw butternut squash weighs about ⅔ pound.

How much butternut squash is a portion? ›

A serving of cooked butternut squash is 1 cup. With nothing added, it has: 82 calories.

How many butternut squash does one seed produce? ›

Butternut squash varieties to try

The plants each produce 4 or 5 long,pear-shaped fruits.

References

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