RECIPE: Roasted Delicata Squash Stuffed With Pesto Quinoa

Cooking With ClanceyNovember 24, 2020

I was hanging with my friend and culinary inspiration, Chef Danielle of Garden Groove Kitchen, when she mentioned a pesto quinoa she making.

After having recently been lost in fronds of fennel from my recent CSA farm box finale, I had already done the prep work of making fennel-scallion pesto. Therefore, this was an easy-to-throw together dish (assuming you have the pesto either pre-made or store bought; even then, making pesto is not all together complicated.)

I cashed in some of my stock options and cooked the quinoa in this magical liquid for extra flavor, two-parts liquid to one-parts grain.

Quinoa, a nutritional powerhouse that’s loaded with protein and is gluten free. It also has important minerals like magnesium and zinc, according to WHFoods.com. So this particular use as a “stuffing” is more health supportive than other choices.

Once the quinoa had absorbed all its cooking liquid, I tossed it in about 4 tablespoons of my fennel scallion pesto, made with pumpkin seeds for my nut free friends and lemon (not Parmesan) for my vegan friends.

I am, however, currently addicted to cheese, and struggling to kick the habit, so I did add some parmigiano reggiano to this meal later.

Squashing Expectations

Delicata squash are long and hollow throughout, making it a perfect vessel for stuffing with your favorite ingredients.

Before roasting, use a spoon to scoop out the squash seeds. (You can also roast these seeds with salt and save for a crunchy topping on salads, etc.)

After having done this a few times, I recommend coating the squash lightly in oil and roasting it cut-side down for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. This will make its texture Lucious, like a mashed sweet potato that then plays off the flavors of your stuffing.

After that, you flip the squash and fill it with the quinoa using a spoon. This is also the time to coat it in parmesan (if you’re a cheese-addicted sucker like I am). Roast for about 10 more minutes.

We served ours with toasted pumpkin seeds (more zinc, apparently an important mineral in immune response to COVID-19 virus — we are in a pandemic right now, after all).

Then we topped it with sunflower sprouts, adding a vibrant green flourish and an addition nutritional boost to our dinner.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Pesto Quinoa

A 40 minute healthy squash recipe that squashes the competition.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup Quiona
• 2 cup Cooking Liquid
• 1 Delicata Squash
• 4 tbsp Pesto
• To taste Parmesean
• To taste Salt
• To taste Pepper
• 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
• To garnish Sprouts
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

 

• Measure one cup of quiona, wash in a wire mesh strainer, then add to simmer pot with two cups of cooking liquid (water or veggie stock, or player's choice, player). Bring to a boil then reduce heat, stirring to avoid sticking to bottom of the pot, until all liquid absorbed.
• Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Wash and clean Delicata Squash. Cut in half length-wise and use spoon to remove seeds. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place face down on baking sheet (with parchment or foil). Cook for 15-20 minutes depending on size of squash.
• Using the quiona in the pot, or transerfing to a mixing bowl, stir in pesto and mix well.
• Take partially cooked squash out of oven, flip over. Then using a spoon, fill crevice with pesto quiona. Coat with parmasean if your using. (You can add nutritional yeast as an alternative.) Roast for 10 more minutes. Top with seeds, sprouts, or whatever excites you, cool for 5 minutes, while you set the table or clean up, and serve.

Keyword Delicata Squash, Pesto Quiona, Squash, Stuffed Squash