I cooked a stuffed butternut squash with potatoes for our usual weekly column Light and Tasty.
Today’s topic is autumn fruits and vegetables, and I chose squash because I’ve bought, and eaten, it three times already in the past few days; I really love it. š
For this recipe, I used a butternut squash, a variety I like not only to eat but also because… itās easy to cut! š Yes, I have to admit, cutting round squashes, especially if they are large, is not my forte, but with butternut squash, I manage much better.
Moreover, when stuffed and cut lengthwise, it becomes a single-serving bowl, and I really enjoy serving it like this!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Microwave
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 2.2 lbs, or butternut)
- 2 potatoes (about 9 oz)
- Half onion
- rosemary
- extra virgin olive oil
- cheese (optional, to taste)
Tools
- Knife
- Baking Dish
- Peeler
- Scoop
- Microwave
- Oven Sfornatutto
- Microwave-Safe Container for microwave cooking
Steps
Wash the squash well, cut it in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds using a spoon.
Score the flesh with the tip of the knife to facilitate cooking the thicker part of the squash.
Bake at 392Ā°F for about 20 minutes.
š This first cooking will make it easier to scoop out the flesh, although it is not yet soft.
Scoop the squash flesh using a spoon or a specific scoop.
š Useful and optional: to speed up cooking, you can microwave the squash for a few minutes at this point. I recommend running it for a couple of minutes at a time, stirring the pieces of flesh with a spoon. The squash cooks very well in the microwave and quickly, but it’s best to proceed in short steps to avoid overcooking the skin at the base (I did it for 5 minutes).
Slice the onion and add it to the squash.
Bake again at 356Ā°F for 10-15 minutes (or a bit longer if you didn’t use the microwave step).
Meanwhile, peel and cut the potatoes into pieces and cook them in the microwave: for two potatoes, 7 minutes is enough, stirring halfway through and leaving the container with the lid closed to rest in the microwave while waiting to take out the squash.
When ready, remove the squash from the oven, stuff it with the potatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and season with rosemary.
Bake again until the potatoes are golden.
This stuffed butternut squash with potatoes is an excellent and scenic side dish, also suitable for festive days while remaining a light recipe.
But it can also become a main course by simply adding cheese (to taste, cut into pieces), which, melting, is not only delicious but also a great binder for the potatoes.
The cheese can be replaced with tofu or tempeh, in pieces or crumbled, if you want a vegan main dish.
I tried adding cheese to only one of the two half-squashes. As seen in the photo below, the cheese started to brown much earlier than the potatoes…
…so I removed the half with cheese after just 10 minutes and continued cooking the second half-squash for another 10 minutes until the potatoes were golden.
Serve the stuffed butternut squash with potatoes hot or warm.
You can slice it directly onto plates or eat the filling by scooping the now-cooked and soft flesh with a spoon or fork.
ā The skin is edible if well-cooked (the bottom of mine was well-cooked and soft, while I discarded other parts of the skin).
Tips for No-Salt Dishes
Ā I remind you thatĀ I cook without adding salt.
Tips to enhance the flavor of stuffed squash with potatoes without adding salt:
– pepper or chili pepper
– a dash of spicy oil added raw before serving
– a raw mince of garlic, sage, and rosemary before serving.
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
ā« Decrease salt gradually, as the palate needs to adjust slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
ā« Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cuminā¦
ā« Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mintā¦
ā« Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnutsā¦
ā« Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orangeā¦
ā« Use myĀ salt-free vegetable granulesĀ and theĀ gomasio.
ā« Prefer fresh foods.
ā« Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that do not disperse flavors (grill, foil, steam, microwave)
ā« Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
ā« Sometimes allow yourself an exception to the rule. Itās good for the mood and helps perseverance.
If you do not want, or cannot, give up on salt:
ā« You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.Ā
Follow Me!
In my newĀ WhatsApp channelĀ and onĀ Instagram, on theĀ Facebook page, inĀ PinterestĀ and in my two groups:Ā Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyondĀ and Ā Just what I was looking for!Ā and if you like…Ā subscribe to myĀ Newsletter.
In my newĀ WhatsApp channelĀ and onĀ Instagram, on theĀ Facebook page, inĀ PinterestĀ and in my two groups:Ā Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyondĀ and Ā Just what I was looking for!Ā and if you like…Ā subscribe to myĀ Newsletter.
Other Light and Tasty Recipes:
Here are other autumn recipes that theĀ Light and Tasty TeamĀ proposes today: š
Carla Emilia:Ā Gratin of Fennel with Anchovy Bread
Claudia:Ā Kiwi Smoothie
Daniela:Ā Arugula and Persimmon Salad with Grana Shavings and Hazelnuts
Elena:Ā Sweet and Sour Celeriac
Milena:Ā Autumn Fruit and Vegetable Salad
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why is butternut squash called that?
The butternut squash has an elongated shape with a central constriction, more or less pronounced, which makes its shape similar to that of a violin.
What is the difference between butternut squash and violin squash?
Both have an elongated shape with a central constriction, which makes the shape similar to that of a violin. The butternut has smooth skin, while the violin squash has rough skin.
