Stuffed Butternut Squash are a delectable entree for a vegetarian style Thanksgiving. They’re stuffed with quinoa and sautéed shiitake mushrooms for an umami flavor everyone will love!
How to Cut a Butternut Squash
If you’ve never prepped a butternut squash, whether it’s for roasting or turning into a soup, it can be a bit intimidating. Here are some tips for how to cut a butternut squash for this recipe.
- Lay the squash on its side on a sturdy cutting board. Cut off the top and bottom half inch of the squash using a sharp chef’s knife.
- Now that you have a flat bottom to help stabilize, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. They can be a little stubborn sometimes to cut through. Be careful and gently wedge your knife down the center.
- No need to peel your butternut squash for this recipe. The skin of butternut squash is edible when it’s cooked. Next, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and your squash is ready to be roasted.
How to Make Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Prep the Butternut Squash: Cut your butternut squash in half lengthwise, brush with olive oil and place cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Roast the Squash: Roast the butternut squash for 45 minutes at 400 degrees F. Press on the skin of the squash to check if it’s softened enough.
- Prepare the Stuffing: While the squash is roasting, make the stuffing. This stuffing is a combination of quinoa, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, roasted walnuts and a sprinkle of fresh thyme to add a bit of Thanksgiving flair.
- Stuff the Butternut Squash: Now that you’ve got all your components for this recipe ready to go, it’s time for the fun part. Remove your roasted butternut squash from the oven and carefully flip over. Divide the quinoa mixture into the crevices of the squashes. You could also scoop out a bit of the flesh if you want some extra room for stuffing. Return to the oven to roast for an additional 10 minutes.
- Finishing Touches: While the stuffed butternut squash are roasting, make the Italian Salsa Verde. Remove the squash from the oven and plate. Top with the sauce and serve.
I love the idea of making these Stuffed Butternut Squash for our Thanksgiving meal because we have several vegetarians in our family who obviously won’t be eating roasted turkey. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have a gorgeous main dish for themselves! Plus, this recipe would be a great side dish for anyone whether they eat meat or not!
More Delicious Squash Recipes
- Sweet and Sour Roasted Squash
- Roasted Kabocha Squash
- Air Fryer Maple Sage Squash
- Cinnamon Roast Butternut Squash
- Spaghetti Squash Marinara
- Roast Acorn Squash
Let me know what you think of this Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe! Leave a comment or tagged me on Instagram if you make them.
Stuffed Butternut Squash
These stuffed butternut squash are a great main dish for vegetarians at your Thanksgiving dinner or as a side dish for anyone to gobble up!
Ingredients
Stuffed Butternut Squash:
- 2 medium butternut squash cut in half lengthwise with seeds removed
- olive oil for brushing
- 3/4 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/3 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Italian Salsa Verde (makes 1 cup):
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1/4 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup parsley leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives (about 3 long ones)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about one medium lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the Butternut Squash:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash, cut side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
- While the squash roasts, place the quinoa and broth or water in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender.
- While quinoa is cooking, heat a thin layer of oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat and saute the mushrooms for 4 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and saute one more minute or until mushrooms are golden and tender.
- Place the walnuts on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and toast for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Add the sautéed mushrooms, walnuts and leaves of the thyme into the quinoa and stir to combine.
- Spoon the quinoa mixture generously into each halved squash, lightly pressing down to fit more mixture.
- Return the squash to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Remove and drizzle with Italian Salsa Verde.
For the Italian Salsa Verde:
- Place ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth(ish).
Notes
- Lay the squash on its side on a sturdy cutting board. Cut off the top and bottom half inch of the squash using a sharp chef’s knife.
- Now that you have a flat bottom to help stabilize, cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise. They can be a little stubborn sometimes to cut through. Be careful and gently wedge your knife down the center.
- No need to peel your butternut squash for this recipe. The skin of butternut squash is edible when it’s cooked. Next, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and your squash is ready to be roasted.
Nutrition
Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 1831mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 41492IU | Vitamin C: 106mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 6mg
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