Description
Savory stuffed butternut squash blends hearty ingredients into a comforting autumn meal. Crispy bacon, melted cheese, and tender spinach create a delightful harmony you’ll crave with every satisfying bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash:
- 2 medium butternut squash
Protein:
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 cup shredded chicken (optional)
Filling Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Seasoning and Aromatics:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Additional Optional Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice butternut squash lengthwise, carefully removing seeds and creating a hollow cavity for stuffing.
- Drizzle olive oil over squash halves, then season with salt, pepper, and dried thyme, ensuring even coating.
- Roast squash cut-side down for 25-30 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized.
- While squash roasts, crisp bacon in a skillet until golden and fragrant, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- In the same skillet, sauté minced garlic until aromatic, then quickly wilt fresh spinach.
- Combine crumbled bacon, wilted spinach, shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and feta in a mixing bowl.
- Optional: Toast chopped pecans or walnuts until lightly golden for added crunch.
- Remove squash from oven and flip cut-side up, filling each half generously with the prepared mixture.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs over stuffed squash for a crispy topping.
- Return stuffed squash to oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese melts and top becomes golden.
- Garnish with chopped green onions before serving hot directly from the baking sheet.
Notes
- Slice squash carefully to create a stable base, preventing wobbling during roasting and filling.
- Toast nuts separately to control browning and prevent burning when mixed with other ingredients.
- Drain excess bacon fat before adding garlic to prevent greasy filling and maintain clean flavor profile.
- Substitute bacon with smoked tempeh or sun-dried tomatoes for vegetarian version, ensuring similar umami depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg