Stuffed butternut squash is filled with only four ingredients, but packed with flavor. The combination of sweet butternut squash, spicy Italian sausage, and tangy goat cheese has quickly become one of my favorite, protein-packed fall meals.
This whole getting dark at 4:30pm is killing my vibe. All I want to do when I get home from work is lay on the couch by the fire, snuggle with my kitties, and watch Christmas movies. But, as it turns out, we have to eat…so I guess that means at some point I have to make dinner.
This stuffed butternut squash has been a lifesaver for dinner! If you've never had butternut squash before, it has a sweet, but nutty flavor. The taste is most comparable to a sweet potato. Even if you have a picky eater, the bright, fun color of the squash makes it not as scary to try!
Preparing the Butternut Squash
I've found that many people are intimidated by purchasing a whole squash. How do you cut it? Do I need to peel the skin? How do I cook it? I promise you, it's not as hard as it may look.
First things, first, you need to cut the squash. The best way I've found to cut your butternut squash is using a sharp knife, and a wooden kitchen mallet. Carefully (key word being carefully) we are going to cut the squash long-wise into two pieces.
Place the knife in the middle of the squash and get the tip of the knife into the squash so it has pierced the skin. Hit the top of the metal part of the knife so the mallet is pushing the knife through the squash. With this technique, you're letting the mallet doing the work, instead of shoving the knife through the hard squash.
Cut one half of the squash using this technique, and then flip it over and do the same to the other size until your whole squash is split in half. Once your squash is cut in half, remove the seeds. Now you are ready to bake. No removing the squash skin required!
Roasting Butternut Squash
Roasting the butternut squash takes some time. However, to speed up the process on a weeknight, go ahead and prep (cut & de-seed) the squash in the morning or the night before you wish to cook it.
Right when you get home, go ahead and throw your butternut squash in the oven. It takes an hour to roast, so you'll have some time to relax before you have to get the other ingredients prepared. About 20 minutes or so before the squash needs to come out of the oven, start to cook the quinoa and Italian sausage.
Feeding a Crowd
If you need to feed a crowd with this dish, you can serve it in more of a family style way. Once the squash is done roasting, go ahead and scoop out the flesh & mash it. In a large, shallow serving bowl, spread the mashed butternut squash. Top with the remaining ingredients. People can self serve as needed!
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter melted
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage
- 4 oz goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Cut the butternut squash in half long-wise. Remove the seeds from each half.
- Using a metal sheet pan, place the butternut squash flesh side up. Rub 1 tablespoon of ghee or melted butter on the flesh of each side of the squash. Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Place in the oven and allow to roast for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package.
- Remove the casing from the Italian sausage. To a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat. Add in the Italian sausage and break into crumbles using a wooden spoon. Cook until no pink remains and sausage is cooked through.
- Crumble the goat cheese into small bites. Mix the quinoa, Italian sausage crumbles, and goat cheese together.
- Once the squash has cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Slightly mash the squash to create ample room for the stuffing. Add the quinoa, sausage, and goat cheese mixture to the top of the squash boats.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?!
Let me know how you liked the recipe! Comment below, or share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #HomebodyEats. Happy cooking, Homebody family!
Yum
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