This stuffed butternut squash makes the perfect fall dinner, full of tasty wild rice, meaty ground turkey, herbs, and tart cranberries, it’s packed full of fall flavors!
Is there anything more autumnal than a bright orange butternut squash?
It’s one of my favorite veggies to eat during the cooler months!
This stuffed butternut squash has all the flavors of fall, with wild rice, herbaceous sage and thyme, yummy ground turkey, and tart, chewy dried cranberries.
Topped with a little salty feta cheese, and dinner is served!
As a bonus, this dinner also happens to be naturally gluten-free.
Your guests are going to love all of the beautiful colors and tasty textures of this deliciously stuffed butternut squash.
Looking for even more squash recipes? Try my Stuffed Honeynut Squash!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for stuffed butternut squash
- Butternut squash – This winter squash is the star of the meal! Slightly nutty and sweet in flavor, it’s the perfect base for our meal.
- Wild rice blend – Wild rice blend is nutty in flavor and has a great toothsome texture for our filling.
- Ground turkey – Turkey is the protein of choice in our stuffed butternut squash.
- Onion, celery, garlic – These three are familiar, savory flavors in fall foods.
- Dried cranberries – These will add a touch of sweetness and a nice chewy texture.
- Herbs – Sage and thyme are classic fall herbs.
- Feta cheese – The salty bite from the feta will contrast perfectly with our filling.
How to prepare butternut squash?
Preparing a butternut squash couldn’t be easier!
Don’t let the size fool you, these big boys are easy to prep and clean, in a snap.
First, always make sure you have a sharp chef’s knife. A sharp knife will do the hard work for you, a dull knife is more likely to cause an accident.
Next, simply cut the butternut squash lengthwise, and scoop out all of the seeds with a spoon.
Now your squash is ready to be baked!
Alternative protein
I used ground turkey because it is lean, and also, turkey is a great fall flavor, but feel free to use ground chicken or even ground Italian sausage instead.
If you’d like to make this meat-free, feel free to replace the ground turkey with your favorite ground meat-free product.
Making this dish faster
This stuffed butternut squash is packed full of flavor but can take a bit of time since we’re roasting our own squash and cooking our own wild rice.
The easiest thing to do to cut down on time is to use quicker cooking wild rice.
One option is using fast cook rice which takes about half the time to cook, or using 90-second microwavable wild rice.
Make ahead
You could roast the butternut squash and prepare the filling a day ahead of time!
Keep them stored separately in the refrigerator, and when you’re ready to make dinner, simply fill the butternut squash halves and bake!
Storage and leftovers
Lastly, any leftovers of stuffed butternut squash can be put into airtight containers and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, simply place on a microwave-safe plate, covered loosely with a damp paper towel, and heat 3-5 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
More butternut squash recipes
- Love a delicious salad? Try my Butternut Squash Salad
- Need to feed a hungry crowd? Try my Butternut Squash Turkey Sausage Chili
- Want something sweet and savory? Try my Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
- Celebrating soup season? Try my Butternut Squash Minestrone Soup
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1-1/4 cups wild rice blend rinsed
- 2-1/4 cups low sodium chicken
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion diced (2 cups)
- 3 celery stalks sliced (¾ cup)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
- Feta or cheese of choice optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Halve the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side up on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle the tops with a total of 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until just fork-tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
- While the squash is baking, cook the wild rice blend.
- Combine rice and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes (or the time designated on the back of your rice bag.) Remove from heat. Let rice stand for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the ground turkey. Cook until almost cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes.
- Then, add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
- Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Add cooked rice, dried cranberries, thyme, and sage to the skillet. Stir to combine.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, leaving a ½-inch thick border around the sides and bottom.
- Stuff the ground turkey and wild rice filling into the squash halves until they’re heaping, then return the squash to the oven.
- Bake at 375 degrees F until hot, about 10 additional minutes.
- Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Debbie
Thursday 2nd of November 2023
Great recipe! Made with raisins instead of cranberries as I didn't have any. Full of flavor:)!