Stuffed Butternut Squash with Brown Rice, Cranberries & Pecans
This stuffed butternut squash is a cozy, flavorful vegetarian main that’s perfect for fall or holiday dinners. Tender roasted squash is filled with a hearty mixture of brown rice, chickpeas, tangy cranberries, crunchy toasted pecans, and nutty Gruyere, creating a savory-sweet combination that’s satisfying to eat and beautiful to look at.
Servings 2
Calories 544kcal
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash about 2.5 lbs/1.2kg
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup shallot finely diced
- ¼ cup celery finely diced
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons white wine optional, but delicious
- 1 teaspoon dried sage or 1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
- ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans measure after chopping
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Carefully slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape the seeds out.1 medium butternut squash
- Rub the squash with about a teaspoon of olive oil and score the flesh if you like.1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Place into a baking dish, and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.
- While the squash is roasting, you can prepare the filling.
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat until they smell nutty and fragrant. Set them aside to cool, and then chop roughly.¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Add the shallots and celery, and sauté until the shallots are translucent.¼ cup shallot, ¼ cup celery
- Add the dried cranberries, white wine, and sage. Sauté until the wine has evaporated.¼ cup dried cranberries, 2 Tablespoons white wine, 1 teaspoon dried sage
- Remove from the heat and stir in the brown rice, chickpeas, gruyere cheese, and toasted pecans.1 cup cooked brown rice, ½ cup chickpeas, ½ cup shredded gruyere cheese, ¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
- Season with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- When the squash has finished roasting, remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is cool enough to handle.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C.
- Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop, carefully scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving about ½ inch of flesh in the skin.
- Use a fork to mash the squash in the bowl. Add the rice mixture, and stir to combine well.
- Spoon this mixture into the squash halves, packing it down and forming mounds on the halves.
- Sprinkle the tops with a little extra cheese if you like, then return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only
- I like to score the tops of my squash before roasting, but this is really cosmetic and is totally optional.
- The squash can be roasted up to two days in advance and kept in the fridge until you're ready to stuff them.
- The rice can be cooked in advance. Frozen brown rice packets are also great for this recipe!
- The white wine is optional, but it's delicious in this recipe.
- Dried sage can be replaced with 1 Tablespoon of fresh sage if you have it on hand.
Nutrition
Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1418mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 394IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 394mg | Iron: 3mg