This quinoa-stuffed butternut squash is the perfect Thanksgiving / holiday recipe. The butternut squash is stuffed with fragrant quinoa, spinach, mushrooms and pecans.
Background – Quinoa-Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe
When One Green Planet approached me last week and and asked if I could submit an original vegan Thanksgiving recipe, I jumped at the chance. Although I cook almost everyday, I don’t often keep track of ingredients and whatnot. This was an opportunity to create and document a real recipe, from scratch. I was honored that they’d pick me to be a guest writer and really enjoyed the challenge.
I decided to use butternut squash because it’s one of my favorite vegetables – and also because it was the only squash that I could easily find in Australia at the moment! I used quinoa because it fit with my low-carb theme this week. I also figured that it would be a nice way for people to introduce it to friends and family, who may not have tried it before.
As I wrote for One Green Planet:
This savory dish can be served as a main, or as a side. This recipe uses one small squash, which feeds 2 people quite well. You can easily double or multiply this recipe as needed to feed all your guests. If you can’t find small squashes, feel free to use a big one, and let your guests pass the dish around the table and serve themselves.
By using quinoa instead of breadcrumbs or rice, this becomes a very low-carb, high-protein dish. The mushrooms add wonderful density, and the buttery pecans add nuttiness and crunch.
If you prepare all your ingredients beforehand, everything will come together very quickly. You can prepare the filling while the squash is initially baking, and you can work on the veggies in the filing while the quinoa is cooking.
I really hope you enjoy this quinoa-stuffed butternut squash recipe. No matter whether you’re American or not, it’s important to be thankful for all the things that you have. Those of us who are vegan are pretty conscious of all the suffering in the world, so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and depressed. However, there is a lot of good out there too, and it’s nice to acknowledge that now and then – even better still if you can do so with good friends and family! {I really miss my family these days, but know that I’ll be back home soon enough, and look forward to making food like this for everyone!}
I’m certainly so THANKFUL for all the comments and support that I’ve received from readers like you. I know that everyone is super busy, so I really appreciate those of you who’ve taken a few moments to provide feedback, encouragement or their own cooking tips and secrets. No matter what you’re doing this weekend, have a safe and happy one!
More special occasion meals
- Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers with Almonds and Mint
- Gourmet Vegan Mushroom Risotto
- Quick & Easy Vegan Cheesecake
- See all my vegan special occasion meals
Vegan Quinoa-Stuffed Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is stuffed with fragrant quinoa, spinach, mushrooms and pecans in this perfect Thanksgiving / holiday recipe. Vegan and gluten-free!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Holidays, Christmas, Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1/2 + 1/4 cup vegetable broth, divided
- 1 tbsp vegan margarine
- 1/2 cup pecans, cut in half if not already halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup mushrooms (half shitake, half button/cremini works really well)
- 2 cups packed spinach, coarse stems removed
- ½ tsp sage
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
- Cut the squash lengthwise to make 2 even halves. Remove the seeds and any dangling strings of flesh.
- Oil a baking tray or dish with 1 tbsp olive oil and place the squash halves on it, flesh facing down. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tender. When done, carefully remove the tray or dish from the oven and place it on a heat-proof surface. Gently turn the squash halves over so that the flesh is facing up. Brush it with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt. Set aside.
- While the squash is cooking, bring 1/2 cup of the broth and the quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan, then lower to low heat and simmer until the quinoa is ready and has little curls coming out of each grain, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
- In a small frying pan, melt the margarine over medium heat. Add the pecans and toss them until toasted, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Add spinach and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add quinoa and pecans to the vegetables, along with the sage, thyme, nutritional yeast and ¼ cup vegetable broth. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Fill each squash half with half of the mixture and put back in the oven for another 15 minutes, so that everything heats through.
Notes
Recipe originally posted on One Green Planet.
Keywords: butternut squash, gluten-free, holiday & special occasion, mushroom, nutritional yeast, original, pecan, quinoa, spinach, stuffed, Thanksgiving, vegan
