Stuffed Butternut Squash

A Delicious Vegetarian Dish for Everyone

Oct 31, 2009 Trish Coleman

Butternut squash stuffed with herbs and rice makes a hearty vegetable dish that's the perfect fall dish for both vegans and meat lovers.

Vegetarian dishes are often an afterthought at the Thanksgiving table. With all of the turkey, stuffing and gravy to be enjoyed, vegetarian diners are often left with little more than cranberry sauce and potatoes to fill up on. Stuffed butternut squash is impressive and filling enough to work as a main dish for vegetarians (and vegans, see note on how to modify recipe) or as a delicious side dish for turkey lovers.

Choosing the Right Rice

The recipe calls for a mix of long grain white rice and wild rice. If wild rice is unavailable, increase the amount of white long grain rice, modifying the cooking time as necessary. Brown rice can also be substituted for white rice for a nuttier tasting, high fiber option.

Adapting for Vegans

To make the dish vegan-friendly, use oil or margarine in place of butter in the stuffing mixture. Top with toasted breadcrumbs instead of parmesan cheese (see recipe at the bottom of the recipe*).

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Makes about 8 to 10 servings as a side dish or 4 to 6 servings as a main course

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil such as safflower

Stuffing:

• ½ cup raw wild rice
• ½ cup raw white rice
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• ½ cup red pepper, finely diced (about ½ a large pepper)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter OR margarine OR oil such as safflower or olive
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Using a large sharp knife, cut the butternut squash lengthwise down the middle and separate the two halves.
3. Scoop out any seeds and discard. Rub each half of the squash with the oil (1 teaspoon per half). Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Check tenderness with a sharp knife – it should be soft enough to scoop out with ease.
4. While the squash is roasting, prepare the stuffing ingredients. In a large saucepan, heat 2 cups vegetable stock until boiling. Add wild rice, cover tightly. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Add white rice to the pot and continue to cook the rice mixture for another 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed.
5. In a large bowl, add onion, red pepper, garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme. Once the rice mixture has cooked, add it as well.
6. Remove baked squash from the oven and let cool slightly. Using a large spoon, carefully scoop the flesh out of the baked squash halves, making sure to leave about ¾” of a ‘wall’ intact so the shells will hold together. Add the scooped squash to the rice/stuffing bowl.
7. Stir the cooked squash into the rice stuffing mixture until it is thoroughly combined. Add melted butter and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Scoop the stuffing mixture back into the squash halves. Top each half with parmesan cheese or bread crumbs (1/4 cup per half).
9. Bake stuffed squash for 20 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to brown on top. Garnish with a sprig of sage if desired.

Substitute margarine, olive oil or neutral oil (canola, safflower, etc) for the melted butter. Top with ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs that have been tossed with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs. Bake stuffed squash for 20 minutes or until crumbs begin to brown.

The copyright of the article Stuffed Butternut Squash in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Trish Coleman. Permission to republish Stuffed Butternut Squash in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

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