Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach and Cheese is one of those recipes that turns a simple veggie into something seriously satisfying. I had this big squash and wasn’t sure what to do with it—until the idea to stuff it struck. A little spinach, plenty of cheese, baked until bubbly and golden—and suddenly it felt like fall on a plate. It was a hit at the table, and I already know it’s going to be a regular in the rotation.
Love Butternut Squash Recipes? Try my Million Dollar Spaghetti Squash Pasta or this Garlic Parmesan Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Spinach next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This dish tastes like fall and comfort food got together and made something magical. Sweet butternut squash, melty cheese, and just the right amount of garlic to make your whole kitchen smell amazing—it’s everything cozy dinners should be. And the best part? It looks way fancier than the effort it takes to make.
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Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach and Cheese
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 stuffed halves
Description
Two roasted butternut squash halves filled with golden, bubbly ricotta, mozzarella and spinach mixture, topped with fresh parsley, photographed on a baking sheet with kitchen towel nearby.
Ingredients
For the Butternut Squash:
- 1 big butternut squash (2–3 pounds, whatever looks good)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Spinach and Cheese Filling:
- 5 oz fresh spinach (big handful from those plastic containers)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped up
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella (save some for the top)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Tiny pinch nutmeg (trust me on this)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking spinach
Instructions
1. Prep Your Squash (10 minutes) Heat oven to 400°F. Cut that squash in half the long way – use your sharpest knife and go slow, these things are tough. Scoop out all the stringy seed stuff. Brush the cut sides with oil, sprinkle salt and pepper everywhere.
2. Roast the Squash (30-35 minutes) Flip those halves face-down on your baking sheet. Stick in oven for 30-35 minutes until you can poke the flesh with a fork easily. Don’t overcook or it gets mushy.
3. Prepare the Filling (10 minutes) While squash cooks, heat oil in your pan. Toss in garlic, cook for like 30 seconds until it smells amazing. Add all that spinach – it looks like way too much but it shrinks fast. Cook until wilted, maybe 3 minutes. Let it cool down.
4. Make the Cheese Mixture Mix ricotta, half the mozzarella (save the rest), Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and that little bit of nutmeg in a bowl. Squeeze the water out of your cooked spinach – seriously, squeeze it hard with paper towels or it’ll make everything soggy. Mix spinach into cheese stuff.
5. Scoop and Stuff (5 minutes) When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out some flesh from each half. Leave about half an inch around the edges. Chop up what you scooped and mix it into your cheese mixture. Pile this filling into both squash halves.
6. Final Bake (15-20 minutes) Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Back in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese gets golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Pick a squash that sits flat when you set it down – makes cutting safer
- Cook the squash ahead if you want, keeps in the fridge for days
- Hot spinach makes ricotta watery, let it cool first
- One big squash feeds 4 people dinner or 6-8 as a side
- Fork goes in easy when it’s done, but shouldn’t be falling apart
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting, Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Butternut Squash:
- 1 big butternut squash (2-3 pounds, whatever looks good)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the Spinach and Cheese Filling:
- 5 oz fresh spinach (big handful from those plastic containers)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped up
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella (save some for the top)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Tiny pinch nutmeg (trust me on this)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking spinach
Why These Ingredients Work
So the squash becomes like your bowl, except you can eat it. When it roasts, it gets all sweet and caramelized. Ricotta keeps everything creamy, mozzarella does that stretchy cheese thing kids love, Parmesan adds some bite. Spinach wilts down to almost nothing but gives you that green color. The nutmeg sounds weird but makes the squash taste more squash-y somehow.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Really sharp knife (butternut squash is no joke)
- Big baking sheet
- Pan for cooking spinach
- Couple mixing bowls
- Spoon for scooping seeds
- Foil if you need it
How To Make Stuffed Butternut Squash with Spinach and Cheese
1. Prep Your Squash (10 minutes) Heat oven to 400°F. Cut that squash in half the long way – use your sharpest knife and go slow, these things are tough. Scoop out all the stringy seed stuff. Brush the cut sides with oil, sprinkle salt and pepper everywhere.
2. Roast the Squash (30-35 minutes) Flip those halves face-down on your baking sheet. Stick in oven for 30-35 minutes until you can poke the flesh with a fork easily. Don’t overcook or it gets mushy.
3. Prepare the Filling (10 minutes) While squash cooks, heat oil in your pan. Toss in garlic, cook for like 30 seconds until it smells amazing. Add all that spinach – it looks like way too much but it shrinks fast. Cook until wilted, maybe 3 minutes. Let it cool down.
4. Make the Cheese Mixture Mix ricotta, half the mozzarella (save the rest), Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and that little bit of nutmeg in a bowl. Squeeze the water out of your cooked spinach – seriously, squeeze it hard with paper towels or it’ll make everything soggy. Mix spinach into cheese stuff.
5. Scoop and Stuff (5 minutes) When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out some flesh from each half. Leave about half an inch around the edges. Chop up what you scooped and mix it into your cheese mixture. Pile this filling into both squash halves.
6. Final Bake (15-20 minutes) Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top. Back in the oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese gets golden and bubbly.
Expert Tips
Ina always says season everything as you go – don’t just dump salt at the end.
Martha’s trick is letting hot stuff cool before handling it. Seems obvious but saves your fingers.
You Must Know
Get the water out of that spinach or your filling turns into soup. Squeeze it in paper towels, squeeze it again, then squeeze some more. I’m serious about this.
Personal Secret: Here’s what nobody tells you – scratch up the flesh in a crosshatch before roasting. Way easier to scoop later and cooks more evenly.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Pick a squash that sits flat when you set it down – makes cutting safer
- Cook the squash ahead if you want, keeps in the fridge for days
- Hot spinach makes ricotta watery, let it cool first
- One big squash feeds 4 people dinner or 6-8 as a side
- Fork goes in easy when it’s done, but shouldn’t be falling apart
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Mediterranean thing: Add sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, fresh basil
More filling: Mix in cooked sausage, ground turkey, or white beans
Fall spices: Throw in cinnamon and sage
Vegan: Use cashew cream instead of regular cheese, skip the egg
Holiday version: Dried cranberries and toasted pecans
Make-Ahead Options
Cook the squash 2 days early, stick it in the fridge covered. You can assemble the whole thing a day ahead too – just don’t bake it yet. Cover with foil, refrigerate, then bake when ready. Might need extra 5-10 minutes since it’s cold.
Freeze the stuffed ones for up to 3 months if you want. Thaw overnight before baking.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Your squash halves don’t need to match perfectly, rustic looks good
- Cover with foil if the top browns too fast
- Room temp ingredients mix better, take stuff out 30 minutes early
- 5 cups raw spinach becomes maybe half a cup cooked
Serving Suggestions
This looks fancy enough to be the main attraction. Serve with simple salad and crusty bread for soaking up escaped cheese. Green beans or Brussels sprouts work for holidays. White wine pairs nice – Pinot Grigio or light Chardonnay.
I sprinkle fresh parsley on top and drizzle good olive oil. Sometimes toasted nuts or seeds for crunch.
Hope this becomes your new go-to like it did for us. Nothing beats pulling something this gorgeous out of the oven when everyone’s hungry. Happy cooking from my chaotic kitchen to yours!
How to Store Your Stuffed Butternut Squash
Fridge: Leftovers keep 4 days covered
Freezer: Wrap pieces in plastic wrap, then freezer bags, good for 3 months
Reheating: Oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or microwave 2-3 minutes. Oven keeps texture better.
Allergy Information
Has dairy (all those cheeses) and eggs.
No dairy? Use cashew ricotta, dairy-free mozzarella shreds, nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
No eggs? Skip it, add extra ricotta to make up for it.
Gluten-free? Yep, naturally.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I use frozen spinach?
Sure, about 10 oz frozen, thawed. Squeeze out ALL the water or it’s soup city.
How do I pick a good butternut squash?
Heavy for its size, matte skin not shiny, sounds hollow when you tap it. Stem should be dry.
Make ahead for company?
Totally. Assemble everything day before, cover, refrigerate. Bake when guests arrive, add few extra minutes.
Squash too hard to cut?
Microwave whole thing 2-3 minutes to soften slightly.
Can I add meat?
Cooked sausage, ground turkey, leftover chicken all work great mixed in.
💬 Made this? Tell me how it went! Drop a comment and let me know what you changed or if your kids actually ate vegetables!
