I love pumpkin. It’s no secret. I get excited when the calendar finally says it’s fall and I get to start using it in every way possible.
But I have to admit. As much as I love pumpkin, there is another fall squash that I love even more.
The butternut squash.
I know most people crave things like chocolate or potato chips, but I seriously get cravings for butternut squash. Is that weird?? Luckily, Ms. Rachael Ray shares my enthusiasm for this wonderful squash, and quite often has recipes that feature it. (Just one more reason why I love her!!)
I have a note in my phone where I type in the Rachael Ray Show recipes that I would like to make as I see them on her talk show. Needless to say, that list is quite long. But as soon as is saw this episode, this recipe jumped right to the top of the recipes that I wanted to make. I love twice baked potatoes, but I never thought to do the same thing with a squash!!
This was everything I was hoping for. Creamy and cheesy and, well, butternut squash served in a whole new way. It was also suprisingly filling and made the perfect dinner. You could leave out the bacon and easily turn this into a meatless meal, but (of course) we did the bacon. This was one of those meals that I couldn’t stop thinking about after dinner, and woke up the next morning excited to eat the leftovers for lunch. Or maybe I’m just obsessed with food, but either way, these were amazing!
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Double-Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Roasted butternut squash is mashed with lots of cheese and bacon (or omit the bacon for a vegetarian meal!) and then stuffed back into the squash skins and baked in this filling and comforting Double-Stuffed Butternut Squash.
Ingredients
- 2 butternut squash (1 1/2 – 2 lbs each)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 lb bacon
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
- Thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Halve each butternut squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place cut side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Roast just until tender, about 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Decrease oven temperature to 375°F.
- Cut the bacon into small pieces, then cook in a skillet until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel lined plate.
- When the squash is cool enough to handle, carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4” around the edges to keep the squash intact. Mash the squash flesh with 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, all of the ricotta, sage, and thyme. Add in half of the bacon and stir to combine. Stuff the squash shells with the mashed squash. Top with the remaining cheddar and Parmesan.
- Bake until heated through and the cheese on top has melted, about 20 minutes.
- Garnish with the green onions and the remaining bacon.
Recipe Notes:
Adapted from The Rachael Ray Show
Around the Web:
Roasted Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili from FoodieCrush
Butternut Squash and Sage Biscuits from Farmgirl Gourmet
Baked Tortellini with Turkey, Butternut Squash and Chard from Cookin’ Canuck
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
October 18, 2013 at 5:06 amI get craving for werid things too. Frozen peas, pumpkin, Creamed corn are my veggie cravings, This looks delicious! I want to have this for dinner
Colleen @ What's Baking in the Barbershop?! says
October 18, 2013 at 5:14 amI get so excited about delicious recipes like this too! Love all the cheesy goodness going on here. All types of squashes – I just can’t get enough!
Tieghan says
October 18, 2013 at 6:29 amThese squash look so, so, so good! Butternut is my all time favorite too and yes, I totally crave it! Love these!
sally @ sallys baking addiction says
October 18, 2013 at 7:24 amThough it may not appear as such from my blog, but I love butternut squash so, so much. I’ve been cooking with it nonstop for a couple weeks now. It’s so versatile! These stuffed squashes look incredible. What a delicious, easy meal/side!
Kevin @ Closet Cooking says
October 18, 2013 at 7:42 amJust look at all of that melted cheesy goodness in that stuffing!
Ali @ Inspiralized says
October 18, 2013 at 7:45 amThis is right up my alley – it looks amazing! I can’t get enough of butternut squash. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says
October 18, 2013 at 8:01 amI have been on a total butternut kick lately! This recipe looks pretty fantastic and I love the cheeses in it!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
October 18, 2013 at 8:36 amButternut squash is definitely what I call the finer things in life–I LOVE it! And the cheesy goodness you have rocking on top? SOLD.
Dordean hufman says
October 18, 2013 at 9:21 amWe do the same thing but instead of bacon we use Italian sausage with mozz cheese and stovetop stuffing. Yummy
Cinn Jenn says
September 22, 2015 at 7:48 amOoooh! That sounds yummy too!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
October 18, 2013 at 11:42 amI love butternut squash, such a great idea!
Bree (Skinny Mommy) says
October 18, 2013 at 1:49 pmI absolutely must try this–looks so great and different too!
Colleen, The Smart Cookie Cook says
October 18, 2013 at 6:14 pmI get butternut squash cravings too! The stuff is so good! But I never would’ve thought to make it like this. That woman’s a genius. and thank YOU for sharing it with us. Yum!
Jaclyn says
October 18, 2013 at 6:29 pmThese look unbelievably good!!
Joanne says
October 18, 2013 at 7:13 pmI have SOOOO much love for butternut squash! And this double stuffed version has ALL THE GOOD THINGS AND SPICES IN IT.
Rebecca says
October 19, 2013 at 12:26 pmI just made this Double-Stuffed Butternut Squash and it was delicious 🙂 Although I had to improvise a little as I didn’t had any Ricotta… I just used Creme Fraiche instead and it worked also just fined 😉 I love Sage so so much, was so happy to use it. Really there are way too little recipes out there using Sage 😛 Tomorrow we are trying your Butternut Squash Risotto 😀 Yeah for Squash season 😀
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
October 20, 2013 at 1:07 amAnything “stuffed” is always a win in my book
Tracey says
October 20, 2013 at 3:35 pmThis might be the best thing I’ve seen all week! I love, love, love butternut squash, but would never have thought to stuff it like this. So genius! 🙂
Chels R. says
October 22, 2013 at 12:53 pmThis is kind of amazing! I need to make this! And watch her show. I can’t even remember the last time I watched live tv, which is what I have to do since I don’t have dvr.
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
October 22, 2013 at 6:33 pmI’m coming for dinner!!!
Becky says
October 23, 2013 at 10:28 amWonderful idea to twice bake the squash. Trying this soon!!
barbara delprete says
October 23, 2013 at 5:05 pmHad it tonite. It was delicious. But fyi it’s twice baked not twice stuffed. Will make it again
Deborah says
October 24, 2013 at 1:04 amI kept wanting to call it twice baked, too! 🙂 It’s a Rachael Ray recipe, and she called it double-stuffed, so I stuck with that. I’m so glad you tried it and liked it!!
Nutmeg Nanny says
October 24, 2013 at 11:23 amI love butternut squash 🙂 this is an incredible recipe!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
October 24, 2013 at 6:18 pmGirl, I want to devour every single thing you post!!! This looks amazing!! Also, what kind of lighting do you use in your pictures? All of yours look incredible!
Deborah says
October 24, 2013 at 11:02 pmYou are too nice!! I’m only natural light, which often means dinner is done at 3pm. The life of a food blogger! 🙂
barbara delprete says
November 5, 2013 at 3:22 pmHow do I put it on Facebook it’s the best. Made it with delicata squash which is the sweetest squash out there.
Deborah says
November 6, 2013 at 9:35 pmI bet it is delicious with delicata squash! If you are wanting to share it on Facebook, here is the link from when I posted it. If you click on the link, you can hit the share button. Thanks so much!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152041969333132&set=a.10150351592623132.406559.262025653131&type=1
Camila Picolli says
November 7, 2013 at 11:31 pmHi Deborah!
I love reading your blog and I have “a thing” for butternut squash too!
I also write a recipes blog and this week I prepared a recipe inspired in your Double-Stuffed Butternut Squash. It was delicious!
http://www.litegoodies.com/2013/11/07/healthy-meat-stuffed-butternut-squash/
Thanks so much.
Camila
Tracey says
January 10, 2015 at 1:11 pmAbsolutely lovely. I substituted the herbs with some finely diced and fried onion and garlic and a little English mustard (only because I am not keen on sage or thyme). The double roasted-ness makes it amazing.
Cinn Jenn says
September 22, 2015 at 7:52 amMade this one tonight, but I forgot to buy ricotta cheese! It was still tasty. Gotta try it again with the ricotta next time for the full creamy deliciousness.
Deborah says
September 28, 2015 at 12:00 amGood to know it’s good without the ricotta cheese! 🙂 I’m glad you still liked it, and you’ll have to tell me if you make it again with the ricotta!
Viktoriya says
April 13, 2016 at 3:01 pmMade this last night and I was so excited to have it again today as leftovers! I added some extra spices because it’s fun to 🙂