Description
This Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries recipe offers a hearty, nutritious, and flavorful vegetarian dish perfect for cozy dinners. Roasted butternut squash halves are filled with a savory mixture of quinoa, sautéed apples, kale, cranberries, pecans, and aromatic spices, then baked to meld the flavors together. Optional feta cheese adds a creamy finish, making this a balanced meal full of texture and taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to season
Filling
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, or olive oil for dairy-free & vegan
- 1 medium apple, cored and diced
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup vegetable or chicken broth
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
To Serve (Optional)
- Feta cheese, for serving (optional, not vegan or dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Squash: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then flip them cut-side down on the sheet.
- Initial Roasting: Bake the squash for 20 minutes, then flip the halves cut-side up and continue baking for another 20 minutes or until the flesh is fork-tender. Scoop out some flesh from the fuller side so both halves are even in thickness.
- Sauté the Filling Ingredients: While the squash is roasting, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced apple and onion for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped kale and minced garlic, cooking until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Stir in the vegetable or chicken broth, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, dried thyme, dried sage, and ground cinnamon. Let the mixture simmer briefly to meld the flavors.
- Combine with Quinoa: Fold in the cooked quinoa until the filling is well combined and heated through.
- Stuff the Squash: Spoon the quinoa filling evenly into the roasted butternut squash halves, pressing gently to fill them completely.
- Final Baking: Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes. This step helps meld the flavors together and lightly toast the filling for a delicious finish.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and optionally garnish with fresh thyme or crumbled feta cheese. Serve warm and enjoy this nutritious, hearty dish.
Notes
- For a vegan or dairy-free version, substitute butter with olive oil and omit feta cheese.
- Cook quinoa ahead of time or use pre-cooked quinoa to save prep time.
- Adjust seasonings like thyme, sage, and cinnamon to your preference for a personalized flavor.
- Use vegetable broth for a vegetarian version or chicken broth if preferred.
- To toast nuts, you can lightly toast pecans separately for extra crunch.
- This dish can be made gluten-free by ensuring the broth and other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
Keywords: butternut squash recipe, stuffed squash, quinoa recipe, healthy vegetarian dinner, fall recipes, cranberry pecan stuffing, baked squash