Twice Baked Butternut Squash is outstanding, it has all the goodness of baked butternut squash but is then elevated by adding ricotta, sour cream, butter, nutmeg, sage, and parmesan cheese.
Butternut squash is a type of winter squash that is known for its sweet, nutty flavor and creamy texture. It belongs to the gourd family and is often used in a variety of culinary applications.
Butternut squash is as versatile as an ingredient can be, it is great for roasting, soups, stews, purees, salads, risottos, pastas, and desserts.
To make this Twice Baked Butternut Squash recipe, start by heating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oven is getting up to temp, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Lightly, oil and season the entire surface with salt and pepper. Place the butternut squash cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until the squash is very tender.
Remove the butternut squash from the oven and let cool off until it can be handled.
While the butternut squash is cooling, melt your butter in a sauté pan and cook your onions, over medium heat, until they brown and caramelize. The longer you are able to cook these onions, the more depth of flavor and sweetness you will get from them. Add sage, nutmeg, and small pinch of red pepper flake to the pan and cook for an additional two minutes over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat.
Scoop out the insides of the squash halves, be sure to leave about 1/4″ of the squash edge in tact so that it holds up and doesn’t collapse.
Add the insides of the squash to a mixing bowl with ricotta, half of the parmesan, sour cream, and onion mixture and then fold and press until all of the ingredients are mashed together.
Place the mashed squash back into the squash skins and gently smooth it out. Add the rest of the parmesan to the top of the squash halves and place back in the oven for 20 minutes to allow the tops to brown. This will go a bit faster if you broil the twice baked butternut squash. Remove from the oven and let rest ten minutes before cutting and serving.
Typically, two halves worth of mashed squash can fill one half. The extra squash half can be used in soups, and salads.
Enjoy your Twice Baked Butternut Squash recipe! This is an excellent side in the fall and winter months that goes great with fish and poultry.
Twice Baked Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 Small Butternut Squash
- 1 tbsp Salted Butter
- ½ Diced Yellow Onion
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flake
- 1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 2 oz Sour Cream
- 2 oz Parmesan Cheese
- 4 Chopped Sage Leaves
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Lightly oil and season the squash and place it, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until the squash is very tender.
- Let the squash cool until it can be handled.
- While the squash is cooling, melt your butter in a sauté pan and caramelize your onions. Add sage, nutmeg, and a very small pinch of red pepper flake to the pan and cook for an additional two minutes over low heat.
- Scoop out the insides of the squash halves, be sure to leave about ¼” of squash along the skin to keep it sturdy so as able to hold the filling without collapsing.
- Add squash, ricotta, half of the parmesan, sour cream, and onion and sage mixture to a mixing bowl and fold until all ingredients are mashed together.
- Place the mixture back into the squash skins. Add the rest of the parmesan to the top and throw it back in the oven for 20 minutes, allowing the tops to brown.
- Tip: Typically, two halves worth of squash will fill one half. The extra empty squash half can be saved for another dish, such as a salad or a soup.