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Quinoa Stuffed Squash Boats

Welcome to Holiday Side Dishes Week! I often prefer the side dishes over the main dish when it comes to holiday eating, is that strange? My guys will eat the same thing over and over for all the big holidays, but I've been trying to shake it up a bit with some new things.

Squash has been my go-to this fall.  There are just so many kinds available right now.  I stopped by the local farm and they had some beautiful delicata, so I grabbed it up.  A quick search for recipes on the Taste of Home site led me to these Quinoa Stuffed Squash Boats from Lauren K.


I made only one change to the recipe, and that was to omit the cheese because I forgot to buy it. Nothing else I had on hand seemed like a good fit.  It was still delicious.   I loved the sweetness from the dried cranberries, and the crunch from the pepitas.

It was great the day of, and it also froze and reheated great, which is pretty awesome around the holidays when I'm always looking to save time.  If you can't get your hands on the delicata, it would be great in butternut or acorn squash too.

Thank you so much to Heather for hosting, and to all of the other #FestiveFoodies for sharing their #HolidaySideDishes! You can see what they're serving up by using the links at the bottom of the post.

Quinoa Stuffed Squash Boats

Quinoa Stuffed Squash Boats

Ingredients

  • 4 delicata squash (about 12 ounces each)
  • 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (15 ounces) rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage (used dried)
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (omitted)
  • 1/4 cup salted pumpkin seeds or pepitas, toasted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Cut each squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Lightly brush cut sides with 1 teaspoon oil; sprinkle with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down. Bake 15-20 minutes or until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine broth and quinoa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
  3. Stir in chickpeas, cranberries, green onion, sage, lemon zest, lemon juice and the remaining oil and salt; spoon into squash. Sprinkle with cheese and pumpkin seeds.
quinoa, squash, cranberries, pepitas
Side dishes, Main dishes
American

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