Fitness / May 4, 2023

Delicious Stuffed Butternut Squash

This delicious stuffed butternut squash is an easy, fall dinner or side dish that is loaded with cozy flavors! And it’s gluten-free, too!

vegan butternut squash on a plate with a bowl of mashed potatoes on the side

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The other day I asked Mr. FFF what my skills in the kitchen were and you know what he said?

“Is squash a skill?”

Um. Nope, nope it’s not. But this also goes to show you just how much squash I eat. I love squash of all types. My “go to” is USUALLY kabocha squash. Sometimes in the form of roasted kabocha squash or kabocha squash soup.

But lately? ALL ABOUT THAT BUTTERNUT SQUASH LIFE.

Balsamic butternut squash salad is amazing. Butternut squash soup is SO good and you can even make vegan mac and cheese with butternut squash noodles.

BUT NOW? We’re doing a delicious stuffed butternut squash, filled with my favorite cauliflower stuffing recipe and, dang, it is just TOO GOOD.

Why You Will LOVE This Recipe

This recipe can serve as a side dish or as a main dish, depending on what you stuff it with. As it stands, this recipe will fill you up once you’ve filled it up!
So dynamic! Not only can you stuff it with whichever ingredients you wish, you can do so many things with the filling (see below).
Butternut squash is a healthy, low calorie source of vitamins and nutrients.
It’s vegan. You may not care about this personally but your guests who are vegans will appreciate you catering to their dietary needs.

Is Stuffed Butternut Squash Healthy?

Butternut squash is a super healthy ingredient. It is packed full of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and magnesium. It is also packed full of beta-carotene and antioxidants. The filling is also healthy, as it is jam packed with veggies and pecans, which are a great source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and monounsaturated fats (the good kind).

INGREDIENTS

To make this easy little fall dinner OR meatless Thanksgiving side dish, you’ll need to grab a few things for your stuffed butternut squash:

1 medium-sized butternut squash
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
3 cups cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp parsley, minced + additional for garnish
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup pecans

Vegan stuffed butternut squash ingredients on a pan

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Cut the squash down the center lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub with 1 teaspoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake

Bake until soft, about 40-50 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Fry

Heat the remaining oil up in a large frying pan on MEDIUM heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 6-7 minutes.

Cook

Add the cauliflower and cook, stirring frequently until it just begins to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour

Pour in the broth, reduce the heat to LOW-MEDIUM, and cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.

Scoop

Scoop the inside of the squash out, leaving about 1/2 inch around the sides and bottom (use the scooped-out squash for something else!) and fill with the cauliflower mixture. Roughly chop the pecans and sprinkle on top.

Toast

Turn the heat up to 450°F and place your squash back in the oven to lightly toast the pecans, about 7-10 minutes.

Top

Top with additional parsley

DEVOUR!

Other Uses for the Filling

You do need to scoop some of the center out of the squash to make this vegetarian stuffed butternut squash recipe, so I wanted to give you some ideas to use it:

Instead of making this sweet potato breakfast bowl, use mashed butternut squash instead (my favorite way!)
Mix it with air fryer brussels sprouts and miso lemon tahini dressing. The combo of sweet, tangy, crispy and creamy is SO good. Add some protein to make it a full meal!
When making pumpkin protein oatmeal, mix the butternut squash into your oats instead of pumpkin!

See, the options are endless if you put your thinking cap on!

FAQs

what is in the poultry seasoning?

It depends on which one you choose. That said, you can usually expect to find sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg, and black pepper. Some may also add garlic powder, onion powder, or celery seed.

what’s the difference between butternut squash and kabocha squash?

Both are types of winter squash, but butternut looks like a bell whereas kabocha is more squat. Kabocha has a hint of chestnut. Butternut has a creamy and smooth texture (hence, the name, I think), but kabocha is denser and dry.

do i eat the skin?

I don’t. Most people don’t. The texture is tough and tastes bitter, so eat at your own discretion.

How to store Stuffed butternut squash

Let the squash cool completely. Place it in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the squash. I usually wrap it in plastic or aluminum and then place it in an airtight container. It should keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. When reheating, ensure it attains an internal temperature of 165°F.