Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats

By
Derek Jacobson
·

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Delicata squash is one of the easiest winter squashes to cook. There is no peeling, and the thin skin gets soft enough to eat once it roasts. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and you have four ready-made little boats.

Here they get filled with quinoa, mushrooms, dried cranberries, and pecans, then roasted until tender. Each half is a side dish that looks special on a holiday table but takes only about 15 minutes of hands-on work. It is festive and filling, and it happens to be vegan.

Why These Squash Boats Work

  • No peeling. Delicata skin is thin and tender after roasting, so prep is quick.
  • Two-step roasting. The squash roasts cut side down first so it steams and softens. Then it gets flipped and filled so the top browns a little.
  • Sweet, savory, and crunchy. Sweet squash and tart cranberries balance earthy mushrooms and thyme, while pecans add crunch.
  • Built-in serving dish. Each half is one portion, so there is nothing to scoop or slice at the table.

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

  • 2 delicata squash: Pick firm squash with no soft spots. Acorn squash works too, but it needs a longer roast and the skin is tougher.
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa: Leftover quinoa is perfect. Brown rice, wild rice, or farro make good swaps.
  • ½ cup chopped mushrooms: Cremini or white button mushrooms are both fine.
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries: Raisins or chopped dried apricots work if that is what you have.
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans: Walnuts are a close match. For a nut-free version, use pumpkin seeds.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper: Dried thyme is easy. If you use fresh, add about a tablespoon of leaves.

How to Cut Delicata Squash Safely

Delicata is softer than butternut or acorn squash, but it can still roll on the cutting board. Wash and dry the squash first. Lay it on a damp kitchen towel so it stays put. Trim off both ends with a sharp chef’s knife, then stand it on one flat end and cut straight down through the middle.

Use a sturdy metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy pulp. Get it fairly clean so there is more room for filling. If the squash feels very hard to cut, microwave it whole for 1 to 2 minutes to soften the skin a little. Poke it a few times with a fork first so steam can escape.

How to Make Them at a Glance

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  2. Set the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  3. While the squash roasts, cook the mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Stir in the quinoa, cranberries, pecans, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  4. Flip the squash, fill each half with the quinoa mixture, and roast 10 minutes more.
  5. Serve warm.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Underroasting the squash. Poke it with a fork before filling. It should slide in easily. If not, give it 5 more minutes.
  • Bland filling. Quinoa needs salt. Taste the filling before it goes into the squash and season well.
  • Wobbly boats. If a half rolls, trim a thin slice off the bottom so it sits flat.
  • Burnt pecans. Nuts on top can scorch. If they darken too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil.

Variations

  • Make it a main dish: Stir in cooked crumbled sausage (cooked to 160°F) or a can of drained chickpeas.
  • Add cheese: Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese for the last 5 minutes. This makes it vegetarian instead of vegan.
  • Maple glaze: Brush the squash with a little maple syrup before the second roast for extra sweetness.
  • Add greens: Wilt a handful of spinach or kale into the mushrooms.

What to Serve With Them

These squash boats are a great side for roast turkey, baked chicken, or pork tenderloin. They also fit right in on a Thanksgiving table next to mashed potatoes and green beans. For a meatless meal, serve two halves per person with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Make ahead: Cook the quinoa and make the filling up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge. On the day you serve, roast the squash, fill it, and finish in the oven. Add a few extra minutes since the filling starts cold.

Storage: Keep leftover squash boats in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Warm them in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. The oven keeps the pecans crunchier.

FAQ

Can you eat the skin of delicata squash?
Yes. The skin is thin and turns soft when roasted. Just give the squash a good scrub before cutting.

How do I pick a good delicata squash?
Look for squash that feel heavy for their size, with cream or yellow skin and green stripes. Avoid soft spots or lots of green on the skin.

Can I roast the seeds?
Yes. Rinse them, pat dry, toss with oil and salt, and roast at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle them on top.

Is this recipe gluten free?
Yes. Quinoa, squash, mushrooms, cranberries, and pecans are all naturally gluten free.

These boats are a nice way to add color to a fall dinner. Find the full recipe card with amounts and steps right below.

Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats
Pin
Print

Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats

Recipe by Derek Jacobson
Servings

4

servings
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 2 delicata squash, halved and seeded

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped

  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp thyme

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  • In a pan, sauté mushrooms with olive oil until tender. Stir in quinoa, cranberries, pecans, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Flip squash, fill with quinoa mixture, and roast for 10 more minutes. Serve warm.
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Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats

Delicata squash is one of the easiest winter squashes to cook. There is no peeling, and the thin skin gets soft enough to eat once it roasts. Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and you have four ready-made little boats.

Here they get filled with quinoa, mushrooms, dried cranberries, and pecans, then roasted until tender. Each half is a side dish that looks special on a holiday table but takes only about 15 minutes of hands-on work. It is festive and filling, and it happens to be vegan.

Why These Squash Boats Work

  • No peeling. Delicata skin is thin and tender after roasting, so prep is quick.
  • Two-step roasting. The squash roasts cut side down first so it steams and softens. Then it gets flipped and filled so the top browns a little.
  • Sweet, savory, and crunchy. Sweet squash and tart cranberries balance earthy mushrooms and thyme, while pecans add crunch.
  • Built-in serving dish. Each half is one portion, so there is nothing to scoop or slice at the table.

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

  • 2 delicata squash: Pick firm squash with no soft spots. Acorn squash works too, but it needs a longer roast and the skin is tougher.
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa: Leftover quinoa is perfect. Brown rice, wild rice, or farro make good swaps.
  • ½ cup chopped mushrooms: Cremini or white button mushrooms are both fine.
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries: Raisins or chopped dried apricots work if that is what you have.
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans: Walnuts are a close match. For a nut-free version, use pumpkin seeds.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper: Dried thyme is easy. If you use fresh, add about a tablespoon of leaves.

How to Cut Delicata Squash Safely

Delicata is softer than butternut or acorn squash, but it can still roll on the cutting board. Wash and dry the squash first. Lay it on a damp kitchen towel so it stays put. Trim off both ends with a sharp chef’s knife, then stand it on one flat end and cut straight down through the middle.

Use a sturdy metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and the stringy pulp. Get it fairly clean so there is more room for filling. If the squash feels very hard to cut, microwave it whole for 1 to 2 minutes to soften the skin a little. Poke it a few times with a fork first so steam can escape.

How to Make Them at a Glance

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
  2. Set the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  3. While the squash roasts, cook the mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Stir in the quinoa, cranberries, pecans, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  4. Flip the squash, fill each half with the quinoa mixture, and roast 10 minutes more.
  5. Serve warm.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Underroasting the squash. Poke it with a fork before filling. It should slide in easily. If not, give it 5 more minutes.
  • Bland filling. Quinoa needs salt. Taste the filling before it goes into the squash and season well.
  • Wobbly boats. If a half rolls, trim a thin slice off the bottom so it sits flat.
  • Burnt pecans. Nuts on top can scorch. If they darken too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil.

Variations

  • Make it a main dish: Stir in cooked crumbled sausage (cooked to 160°F) or a can of drained chickpeas.
  • Add cheese: Top with crumbled feta or goat cheese for the last 5 minutes. This makes it vegetarian instead of vegan.
  • Maple glaze: Brush the squash with a little maple syrup before the second roast for extra sweetness.
  • Add greens: Wilt a handful of spinach or kale into the mushrooms.

What to Serve With Them

These squash boats are a great side for roast turkey, baked chicken, or pork tenderloin. They also fit right in on a Thanksgiving table next to mashed potatoes and green beans. For a meatless meal, serve two halves per person with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Make ahead: Cook the quinoa and make the filling up to 2 days ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge. On the day you serve, roast the squash, fill it, and finish in the oven. Add a few extra minutes since the filling starts cold.

Storage: Keep leftover squash boats in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating: Warm them in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. The oven keeps the pecans crunchier.

FAQ

Can you eat the skin of delicata squash?
Yes. The skin is thin and turns soft when roasted. Just give the squash a good scrub before cutting.

How do I pick a good delicata squash?
Look for squash that feel heavy for their size, with cream or yellow skin and green stripes. Avoid soft spots or lots of green on the skin.

Can I roast the seeds?
Yes. Rinse them, pat dry, toss with oil and salt, and roast at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle them on top.

Is this recipe gluten free?
Yes. Quinoa, squash, mushrooms, cranberries, and pecans are all naturally gluten free.

These boats are a nice way to add color to a fall dinner. Find the full recipe card with amounts and steps right below.

Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats
Pin
Print

Stuffed Delicata Squash Boats

Recipe by Derek Jacobson
Servings

4

servings
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 2 delicata squash, halved and seeded

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped

  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

  • 1/4 cup pecans, chopped

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tsp thyme

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
  • In a pan, sauté mushrooms with olive oil until tender. Stir in quinoa, cranberries, pecans, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Flip squash, fill with quinoa mixture, and roast for 10 more minutes. Serve warm.
Pinterest

Like this recipe?

Follow @dinnerendeavor on Pinterest