Stuffed butternut squash with quinoa, mushrooms and spinach

Two stuffed butternut squash halves on a white platter loaded with quinoa, mushrooms, spinach and dried cranberries with grated Parmesan on top and extra spinach and dried cranberries scattered on the platter.

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4.56 from 9 votes

Stuffed butternut squash with quinoa, mushrooms and spinach

These stuffed butternut squash are a gluten-free + vegetarian dish that’s hearty and filling and full of flavor!

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash
¾ cup quinoa
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 oz. button mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
3-4 packed cups baby spinach
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or hard Italian cheese, divided
⅓ cup walnuts, chopped (and lightly toasted, if desired)
3 tablespoons dried cranberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425.
Carefully cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Bake on a foil-lined baking sheet at 425 for 40-50 minutes, until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
While the quinoa is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are softened and have given up their moisture, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the spinach for 1-2 minutes, just until wilted. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir to combine.
Combine the quinoa and veggie mixture and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Mix and season to taste with extra salt and pepper.
Once the butternut squash is cooked, let cool for a few minutes and then scoop out the inside section of the butternut squash flesh, leaving a ½-inch border all the way around. Reserve extra squash for another recipe (see notes).
Drizzle the squash with remaining teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Fill each squash with the quinoa and veggie mixture, mounding it up a bit on each one.
Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until everything is warmed through.
Top each squash half with the dried cranberries, walnuts and remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

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Notes

I prefer to use spinach because it wilts quickly, but you could use kale for a heartier green if you prefer.

Don’t skip the toppings! Feel free to substitute another nut, cheese or dried fruit, but these really bring the dish to another level.

When you scoop out the inner part of the cooked butternut squash, you’ll be left with some extra. You may have enough to use for my butternut squash black bean quinoa burgers or you can just add some butter and seasonings to it and have a mashed squash side dish another day. I’ve also warmed it through in a skillet, added some spinach and made a fried egg to go on top for a savory breakfast.

Nutrition

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