Cheesy Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
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Cheesy Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
Category
Vegetables
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 small acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Fustini's Tuscan Herb olive oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz), plus more for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 10-0z package frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dried
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Ingredients
Directions
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven, preheat to 425 degrees F. Put the squash, cut-side up, in a large microwave-safe dish with 1 tablespoon water, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and pierce with a knife to vent. Microwave until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese, stirring to melt. Add the nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the rice and spinach.
- Transfer the squash to a rimmed baking sheet and fill it with the rice mixture. Sprinkle with more cheese and bake until lightly browned about 15 minutes. Top with parsley.
Recipe Note
You can substitute fresh spinach for the frozen. Sauté fresh spinach in a little olive oil. Drain through a fine mesh sieve and season with a little salt if you wish. Adapted from foodnetwork.com