Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash

Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash

I think that I could eat butternut squash every single day. No lie. Thankfully, my kids love it, too. For years and years, I have only prepared butternut squash one way – steamed and mashed with a little bit of butter and brown sugar mixed in. Done. The only tricky part about steaming butternut squash is prepping it – it’s kind of a pain in the butt to peel and chop it – especially when you are trying to peel and chop enough for our whole gang.

Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash
Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash

One night, on a whim, I simply cut the tops off the butternut squash and then carefully cut the squash in half right down the middle. I drizzled some olive oil over the orange flesh and threw them in the oven on a cookie sheet with my fingers crossed. I clearly missed the SQUASH ROASTING 101 Lesson earlier in life. It was SO EASY. It kind of felt like I cheated.

The squash was roasty delicious. All I needed to do was scoop out the insides and it was ready to eat. It got me to thinking that the only thing better than super easy roasted butternut squash would be an entire meal cooked in a super easy roasted butternut squash.

Roasted butternut squash
Roasted Butternut Squash – The easiest way to butternut squash deliciousness

Keeping it super simple – I decided to start with just adding quinoa and chorizo. While my squash was roasting, I cooked up 1 cup of quinoa (just added salt and water) and scrambled about 1 pound of chorizo sausage removed from its casings. After the squash finished roasting, I combined the chorizo, the quinoa, and about 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. I scooped the chorizo and quinoa back into the squash and let the extras fall on the pan. I sprinkled a little bit more cheese on top and popped the pan back into the oven for another ten minutes. That’s it. So easy! I served the big kids their own squash on a plate – let me tell you that letting them eat their dinner right out of the squash incited a few cheers of glee. Who knew? Less mess for me, more fun for them.

Quinoa
Quinoa!

I know a lot of people are trying to eat more quinoa and butternut squash are abundant this time of year! This is an excellent way to experiment… I hope you enjoy it!

Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash

Only four ingredients! The Quinoa and chorizo stuffed squash is delicious and easy.
Course Dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 to 6 servings
Author Erin Brighton

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 butternut squash , halved, seeds scooped out
  • 1 cup quinoa (cooked - makes 2 cups)
  • 1 lb chorizo , crumbled and cooked
  • 1/2 cup to 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Cut each butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
  2. Lay flesh side up on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Cook at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until flesh pierces easily with a fork.
  4. Remove from oven.
  5. Combine cooked chorizo and cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese.
  6. Fill the roasted butternut squash "bowls" with quinoa and chorizo. Top with a little bit more parmesan cheese.
  7. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then serve your squash as is!

 

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Erin Brighton

I am a native New Englander now living in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina and enjoying summers in sea-breezy Scituate, Massachusetts with my five small kids and two large dogs. I love to cook easy, local, and gluten-free for friends and family.

12 thoughts on “Quinoa and Chorizo Stuffed Squash”

    1. Thanks, Christie! It added a TON of flavor but, since we only used a pound for 8 of us, it wasn’t really a meat-centric meal. The focus was definitely the quinoa and the squash!

  1. Stuffed squashes are always a favourite here but I have never done it with butternut squash! Time to change that (and my husband would love the chorizo!)

    1. Thanks, Kacey! I usually get big butternut squash but I recently found a bunch of babies and it was so fun to stuff them. I agree that there are other types of squash that come to mind first when you think about stuffing squash but butternut really works well!

    1. Thanks, Patricia! It was really fun. The kids are now working on new things to “stuff” into their squash for next time.

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