You’re Going to “Fall” For This Veggie Loaded Dish!
We were having dinner at a favorite local restaurant. I ordered the vegetarian special, which is always something different and interesting. I had a stuffed acorn squash with lentils. But the really delish part of this dish was the topping of brown butter 🥕carrot puree. It was so good! I hope they don’t mind, but I had to make some for myself. That’s where I came up with this recipe for Stuffed Butternut Squash with Apples, White Beans and Rice Topped with Brown Butter Carrot Puree and Fresh Pomegranate Seeds! If you’re looking for delicious meatless recipes, this one is a must try. Don’t skip the Pomegranate seeds, they takes this over the top with their bright pop of flavor.
The Last of the Garden Squash
This weekend I finally ended the long run of my amazing butternut squash. Just a couple of plants and I have butternuts for months. The final few were small, but mighty. I was looking for a way to use them, so this dish was born.
Now, you can just as easily make this with larger squash. Or for that matter, you can use any type of squash you like best. I love all the amazing squash that you can find everywhere this time of year. Pick some up when you’re out choosing your jack o lanterns 🎃. I love going through the squash barrels at pumpkin patches this time of year.
Meatless Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday……etc.
I am not vegan or even a vegetarian. I still enjoy eating meat, but we actually don’t eat meat too often at all. If you’re looking to make for meals centered on veggies, thing about adding squash. There are so many different kinds and they are so healthy and totally filling too. Here’s how I made this Stuffed Butternut Squash with Apples, Beans and Rice and Topped with Brown Butter Carrot Puree.
Roasting Veggies
I always roast my veggies instead of using the microwave. Roasting lets the veggies take on even more flavor through caramelization of the natural sugars in the vegetables. But, if you are short on time, by all means, cook them ahead in the micro.
Split the squash in half and remove the seeds and sloppy stuff. What is the technical name for that stuff anyway? I really don’t know. Put them onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Top each with a little drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, then turn them over to roast.
Add about 3-4 cleaned and peeled carrots to the same pan. Lightly toss with some olive oil and salt and pepper and put the entire pan into the oven at 400º. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the squash is fork tender, and the carrots are slightly browned. Let the cool to the touch and proceed with the rest of the steps.
Veggies In Veggies
Preheat you oven to 350°
Into a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat on medium. Once the oil is hot, add 1 whole chopped onion, 1 clove of finely minced garlic and 1 whole chopped apple. I used granny smith, but any crisp apple would work, add 1 teaspoon of salt. Next, add 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh sage and marjoram and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme.
Let cook on medium until just starting to take on color. If you want to substitute another herb for the marjoram, it’s great with rosemary too.
Add 1 can of drained and rinsed white beans. Add 1 cup of rice. You can use brown rice, jasmine, etc. Any kind of rice would be great, try it with wild rice too. Mix to combine and let it cook another few minutes. Remove from the heat.
Put the cooked squash into a baking dish, then fill with the mixture. You can over fill, the squash. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350º.
Stuffed Butternut Squash Made Even Better with Brown Butter
Into a small sauce pan, add 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and let it melt on low heat. Let the butter cook slowly, making sure it doesn’t burn. The butter will start to bubble with the solids rising to the top. After a few minutes, the butter will start to turn brown and as it darkens, the rich, nutty scent will knock you over. Once the butter is a golden, medium brown, remove from the heat. You can strain it though a fine mesh sieve, but for this use, it’s not necessary.
Brown Butter Carrot Puree
Into the food process, add the roasted carrots and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let the carrots process for a minute.
Next, add the brown butter and let the mixture come to a puree. Remove from the processor and put into a small bowl.
Serve
Serve the stuffed squash hot and top with brown butter carrot puree and fresh pomegranate seeds and some freshly chopped marjoram or parsley. Enjoy! 😋
Stuffed Butternut Squash with Apples, Beans and Rice and Topped with Brown Butter Carrot Puree
Notes
Pomegranate Seeds make this dish pop. You can easily freeze pomegranate seeds and use them as a topping for all kinds of things.
Ingredients
- 3 small butternut squash or 1 large
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 large onion
- 1 granny smith apple
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram (or substitute rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 can 15 ounces white beans
- 1 cup cooked rice (any kind you like)
For the Brown Butter Carrot Puree
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 carrots, cleaned and peeled
Garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh pomegranite seeds
- freshly chopped parsley or marjoram
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400 degrees
- Split the squash in half and remove the seeds and sloppy stuff. Put them onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Top each with a little drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, then turn them over to roast. Add about 3 large, cleaned and peeled carrots (for 1 cup, chopped) to the same pan. Lightly toss with some olive oil and salt and pepper and put the entire pan into the oven at 400º. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the squash is fork tender, and the carrots are slightly browned. Let the cool to the touch and proceed with the rest of the steps.
- Reduce oven heat to 350°
- Into a large saute pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat on medium. Once the oil is hot, add 1 whole chopped onion, 1 clove of finely minced garlic and 1 whole chopped apple. I used granny smith, but any crisp apple would work, add 1 teaspoon of salt. Next, add 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh sage and marjoram and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme. Let cook on medium until just starting to take on color. If you want to substitute another herb for the marjoram, it's great with rosemary too.
- Add 1 can of drained and rinsed white beans. Add 1 cup of rice. You can use brown rice, jasmine, etc. Any kind of rice would be great, try it with wild rice too. Mix to combine and let it cook another few minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Put the cooked squash into a baking dish, then fill with the mixture. You can over fill, the squash. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350º.
- Brown Butter
- Into a small sauce pan, add 1/2 cup of unsalted butter and let it melt on low heat. Let the butter cook slowly, making sure it doesn't burn. The butter will start to bubble with the solids rising to the top. After a few minutes, the butter will start to turn brown and as it darkens, the rich, nutter scent will knock you over. Once the butter is a golden, medium brown, remove from the heat. You can strain it though a fine mesh sieve, but for this use, it's not necessary.
- Brown Butter Carrot Puree
- Into the food process, add the roasted carrots and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let the carrots process for a minute. Next, add the brown butter and let the mixture come to a puree. Remove from the processor and put into a small bowl.
- Serve
- Serve the stuffed squash hot and top with brown butter carrot puree and fresh pomegranate seeds and some freshly chopped marjoram or parsley. Enjoy!
