Description
This Stuffed Butternut Squash with Quinoa and Cranberries recipe combines the natural sweetness of roasted butternut squash with a savory and tangy quinoa filling featuring apples, kale, dried cranberries, and pecans. It’s a nutritious and hearty dish perfect for cozy dinners or special occasions, offering a delightful blend of textures and flavors topped optionally with feta cheese.
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
Toppings
- Feta cheese, for serving (optional, not vegan or dairy-free)
Instructions
- Preheat and prep squash: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Slice the butternut squash 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.
- Roast squash: 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.
- Cook filling base: 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 flavorings and quinoa: Stir in the vegetable or chicken broth, dried cranberries, chopped pecans, dried thyme, dried sage, and ground cinnamon. Let the mixture simmer briefly. Then fold in the cooked quinoa until the filling is well combined.
- Fill squash halves: Spoon the quinoa filling evenly into the roasted butternut squash halves, pressing gently to fill them completely.
- Final bake: 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
- You can substitute salted butter with olive oil to make this vegan and dairy-free.
- Use vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian and vegan-friendly; chicken broth will add richer flavor but is not vegetarian.
- Feta cheese topping is optional and adds a salty contrast but can be omitted for a vegan version.
- Cook quinoa ahead of time to save preparation time.
- Leftover stuffing can be repurposed as a salad topping or side dish.
Keywords: butternut squash, quinoa, stuffed squash, cranberry, kale, vegetarian dinner, healthy recipe, baked squash, autumn recipe