Stuffed Squash With Chorizo & Quick-Cook Quinoa
We don’t want to play favorites, but we love this recipe. It’s full of peppery chorizo, nutty quinoa, sweet squash, rich mushrooms and crunchy green onion. Each bite is an explosion of texture. The squash absorbs some of the spicy fat from the chorizo, and it’s cooked perfectly so you can easily scoop it all up with a spoon.
The date syrup adds a very light, natural sweetness that amplifies the flavor of the squash and helps balance the spicy and bitter notes from the meat and quinoa. The interplay of sweet and spicy is perfect for fall. And although this dish is nutrient packed, it just feels like comfort food. Serve it with hot sauce for extra zing.
Another great thing about this meal is you can dress it up or down, without doing anything it all. Just as it is, it’s the perfect dish for a special dinner with the S.O., a sit-down dinner with the in-laws or a cozy night curled up on the couch with your favorite TV show.
4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
2 acorn or butternut squash
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ pound chorizo (see note)
1 8-ounce package R&R Cultivation mushrooms, mix of choice
1 bunch green onions
1 package quick-cook quinoa blend of choice (suggest Spanish style, brown rice & red bean quinoa blend, garlic & chickpea quinoa blend, quinoa & brown rice blend)
2 tablespoons Just Date Syrup
Directions
- Heat oven to 375 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and stringy bits. Season the cut sides with salt and pepper, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place cut side down on the lined sheet pan. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the squash is in the oven, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add chorizo to the pan and brown until fully cooked. Add mushrooms and green onions, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Prepare quinoa blend following package instructions. Add quinoa blend to sauté pan with mushroom-green onion mixture. Stir to combine.
- Once squash is fork tender (see note), fill with quinoa mix, drizzle with date syrup and enjoy!
Note: For a plant-based option, substitute plant-based “meat” for the chorizo.
If squash is not fork tender after 30 minutes in the oven, turn cut side up and fill with quinoa mix, then loosely cover with foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
This recipe is brought to you by Nourish, our guide to eating a variety of whole foods that expand your palate, give you more energy and help you live a balanced life. If you love it, check out the entire Nourish collection.
