stuffed honeynut squash

Honeynut squash is a sweet miniature winter squash perfect for roasting and stuffing with a quick and easy fall inspired filling.

Stuffed Honeynut Squash

large (or 2 smaller) honeynut squash, halved and seeded

extra virgin olive oil

yellow onion, chopped

celery,

garlic,

sweet/tart apple, chopped

rosemary

salt and pepper

pecans

Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a heavy...

Preheat oven to 400°F and spray a heavy duty baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place the halved and seeded honeynut squash flesh...

Place the halved and seeded honeynut squash flesh side down on the baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes until flesh is fork tender and skin has started to turn golden brown around the edges.

While honeynut squash roasts, prepare the filling by...

While honeynut squash roasts, prepare the filling by placing a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the ground meat and cook until browned,...

Add the ground meat and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks.

Drain any excess water from the meat (this...

Drain any excess water from the meat (this will depend which kind of meat is used) if necessary and return the skillet with the meat to the stove. Reduce heat to medium.

Add the olive oil, onion, celery and garlic...

Add the olive oil, onion, celery and garlic to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes until onions and celery start to soften.

Add the chopped apples and rosemary and cook...

Add the chopped apples and rosemary and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When squash is roasted, remove from the oven...

When squash is roasted, remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.

Scoop some of the flesh out of the...

Scoop some of the flesh out of the squash and place in a large bowl, leaving enough squash intact around the perimeter to maintain the shape.

Add the ground meat mixture to the bowl...

Add the ground meat mixture to the bowl with the scooped honeynut squash and mix until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the filling back into the squash halves....

Spoon the filling back into the squash halves. Top with the chopped pecans and place back into the oven for another 5 minutes until warmed through.

Garnish with any leftover chopped rosemary and serve...

Garnish with any leftover chopped rosemary and serve warm.

These irresistible honeynut squashes are stuffed with a Moroccan-inspired lamb filling and are sprinkled with a crispy brown-butter breadcrumb and feta topping. It&#039;s a beautiful main course that’s as fitting on a weeknight table as on a special occasion menu. Honeynut squash has a rich, sweet flesh, but if you can&#039;t find it you can use acorn squash instead (since acorn squash isn&#039;t quite as rich or sweet as honeynut, I suggest adding a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to each roasted squash cavity before stuffing). If your squashes are really small, roast four instead of three.

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Squash

Cooking spray

honeynut

extra virgin olive oil, divided

lamb

Salt and black pepper

onion,

garlic cloves, minced

ginger

tomato paste

cumin

coriander

cinnamon

cayenne pepper

chicken broth

pine nuts

mint,

cilantro,

unsalted butter

gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

feta cheese

Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes for honeynut squash, or 40-50 minutes for acorn squash. Remove the pan from the oven and flip each squash over so that the cut side is facing up. Set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 550˚F. Do Ahead: The squash can be roasted up to 8 hours in advance. Leave at room temperature.

Roast the squash

While the squash cooks, make the filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the lamb, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through (if the lamb releases a lot of fat while cooking, spoon it off as it cooks). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate and discard the drippings.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cayenne. Stir until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth and give everything a good stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil. Return the meat to the skillet, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes, or until thickened.

Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the pine nuts, mint and cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let cool slightly.

Make the lamb filling

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Pour the butter over the breadcrumbs and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and then fold in the feta.

Make the breadcrumb topping

Season the squash halves with salt and pepper (if using acorn squash, I like to add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup to each squash cavity since it&#039;s not as sweet as honeynut). Spoon the lamb filling into each squash cavity, mounding it firmly in the cavity and over the top of the squash. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over each squash, pressing them to adhere. Do Ahead: The stuffed squash can sit at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

Roast the stuffed squash in the 550˚F oven until the top is lightly browned and crisp, about 4-6 minutes. Garnish with additional mint and cilantro before serving.

Assemble and bake

Loved this recipe. I’m going to add this recipe for my fall cooking. I made this with butternut squash but I will be looking for honey nut squash. I will be checking out other Moroccan recipes

Wow I have never had honeynut squash and this was perfect to try with this delicious lamb recipe. This will now be my go-to recipe! I didn't have pinenuts so I subbed dried cranberries. Mmmmm...every warm bite was like a fall party in my mouth!

This recipe is a keeper. Made 1/2 recipe for the two of us and and subbed almonds for the pine nuts because that’s what was on hand. The proportions were perfect for one acorn squash. We’re not big fans of sweets so I didn’t add any honey or maple syrup. Delicious! The notes were especially helpful, allowing me to make the components in the morning and put dinner together quickly.

Delish!!! Will definitely make this again! Was great to prepare parts early and put together right before dinner. I used GF panko.

Made this with a small halved butternut squash. I scooped out some of the flesh to make room for more stuffing. My husband and I both loved it! He's not the biggest squash fan, but with the lamb and all the great flavors, he ate an entire half squash and said, "don't lose this recipe!" It could easily be adapted to a veep or vegan dish, but we loved it as is.

This was fantastic! I used a Kubocha squash I had on hand and blended perfectly with the mix. Did not have chicken broth handy so I used some beef broth, which was fine. I love my spices so I pretty much doubled those and it was d*** tasty! Making it again tomorrow night for my son, coming home to visit. Prep time is pretty good. Cook the squash while prepping the onions and meat.

This was delicious.  Made some modifications all keeping in the spirit of the recipe.  Added a can of chickpeas, along with a 1/4 cup of raisins, a tablespoon of harissa and a dice preserved lemon.  I didn't have pine nuts handy so I toasted the squash seeds and used those.  Really nice dinner.

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Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Squash

Top 2 stuffed honeynut squash recipes from across the web

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Stuffed Honeynut Squash

Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Squash

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