Stuffed Butternut Squash
I think that butternut squash is my favorite winter squash. It’s easy to cook, has a nice sweet, buttery, nutty flavor and can be used in a wide variety of different ways, and much like any winter squash these big, bulbous gourds can be stuffed with all sorts of delicious things to create impressive dishes that are packed with flavor.
Today, I will be doing just that, I’ll stuff a butternut squash with some Italian sausage, kale, pearled barley, and some other ingredients for an easy and delicious dinner!
Serves 4-6
Time: 1 1/2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
2 medium butternut squash, split in half and seeded
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage meat
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, finely diced
6 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
1 cup shredded kale (from 3 or 4 big stalks)
1 cup cooked grain (brown rice, pearled barley, or farro will work)
1 cup shredded gruyere cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 C and line a large baking sheet with foil
Rub the prepared butternut squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use a knife to jab the skin of the squash in many places then lay them cut-side down on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the squash is soft.
For the filling, start by crumbling the sausage meat into a large frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is no longer pink in the middle. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, add the garlic, red onion and mushrooms to the rendered sausage fat, then cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the veggies are soft. Add the kale, grain of choice, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then cook until the kale wilts. Transfer to a bowl with the sausage, then add the gruyere and half of the parsley.
Once the squash is cooked, remove from the oven then carefully scoop out the squash flesh from the neck and the well where the seeds used to be, making sure to leave a thin border of flesh around the skin. Divide the filling among the squash, then return to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. Garnish with parsley and Parmigiano, then serve!
(Do not throw away that delicious squash flesh! Save it for a soup, risotto, pasta sauce, or whatever you can think of doing with butternut squash flesh.)
