Stuffed Butternut Squash

This Roasted Stuffed Butternut Squash is packed with cheesy goodness (Parmesan and cream cheese) and loaded with veggies like spinach and mushrooms. It's a delicious blend of savory and sweet flavors, making it perfect for the holidays (like Thanksgiving and Christmas) or any meal! Plus, it’s gluten-free and meatless.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Keyword stuffed butternut squash

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings people

Calories 495kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Butternut squash

2 whole butternut squash medium
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
black pepper freshly ground

Spinach, mushroom, and cheese mixture

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 oz mushrooms (crimini or baby bella)
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 oz spinach fresh
8 oz cream cheese
1.5 cups Parmesan cheese shredded
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
salt and coarsely ground black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roast the butternut squash

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Prepare the butternut squash. Slice each one in half lengthwise. Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
Place butternut squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash. Season generously with salt and coarsely ground black pepper. Turn the squash over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet. Tip: you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 40 minutes.

Make spinach and mushroom cheese mixture

While the butternut squash is in the oven, prepare the cheese and veggie mixture.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook sliced mushrooms (seasoned with salt and pepper) on high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Remove the cooked mushrooms from the skillet and put them on a plate.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat to the same skillet and add fresh spinach. Cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. If there is any liquid in the pan, drain it. Alternatively, microwave the fresh spinach in a large microwave oven-safe dish for 1 or 2 minutes until it wilts.
Add cream cheese to a large microwave-safe bowl (the same one you used for spinach if you microwaved it). Soften cream cheese briefly in the microwave oven. Make sure the cheese does not actually melt, just softens.
Add 1 cup shredded Parmesan (saving the remaining ½ cup for later), cooked spinach, and half of the cooked sliced mushrooms to the same bowl. Mix everything well. Tip: save the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms to arrange on top of the cheese mixture.

Stuff roasted butternut squash with the cheese and veggie mixture

By this time, you have roasted the butternut squash for 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn the cooked squash halves cut sides up.
Let it cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving about a 1-inch border along the sides. (For reference, I provide the step-by-step photos, including this step, above the recipe card).
Add the scooped-out squash back to the larger cavities and press it down if needed.
Divide the veggie and cheese mixture among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled or is slightly over the top. Top with the remaining cooked mushrooms. (see my photos above the recipe card for reference)
Roast the stuffed butternut squash in the preheated oven at 400 F for 15 more minutes until the cheese mixture melts.
Optionally, broil for 3 or 5 minutes to get a golden crust over the cheese. Watch closely and be very careful not to burn the squash and the cheese mixture. Tip: Broil on the second oven rack from the top - not on the very top rack so that it doesn't burn. Do watch carefully because all ovens are different. My squashes were fine broiled for 5 minutes on the second oven rack from the top.
Top with fresh thyme (or other fresh herbs you like!)

Nutrition