Beef-Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

Here’s an impressive centerpiece idea for any Paleo table: savory-sweet roasted butternut squash stuffed with a delicious mixture of beef, bacon, and vegetables, all topped off with caramelized onions for extra flavor.

If you’re getting a little bit bored of basic roasted squash, this is one way to pep it up a little without doing a lot of extra work (after all, you were going to need some protein anyway).

This recipe would work better with a larger squash – remember that it has to be big enough to hold a pound of beef plus a bunch of vegetables – but if you can’t find a butternut that’s big enough, you could also go with a pie pumpkin or any other type of squash, or just use two smaller butternuts instead.

Alternatively, just reserve part of the beef mixture and serve it on the side instead of stuffing it into the squash.

This recipe serves two very hungry adults; if you’re not that ravenous or you’re feeding kids, it could probably go further. If you have any leftovers, it would also be a good one to pack for lunch (assuming you have some way to reheat it): it’s almost like the Paleo version of leftover casserole or lasagna.

Beef-Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

SERVES: 2 PREP: 15 min COOK: 1 h

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeded;
• 1 lb. ground beef;
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled;
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced;
• 2 carrots, diced;
• 3 red onions, sliced;
• 1 stalk celery, diced;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• ½ tbsp. cinnamon;
• Cooking fat;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Season the squash with salt and pepper to taste and place in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
3. Melt some cooking fat in a skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add one of the sliced onions, the garlic, the celery, and the carrots.
5. Cook until celery is soft, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the beef, sprinkle with the cinnamon, season to taste, and cook until the meat is browned.
7. Add the sliced mushrooms, continue cooking until vegetables are soft, and remove from heat.
8. Once the squash is cooked, scrape out some of the flesh from the squash, and mix it with the beef and vegetables.
9. Stuff the squash with the beef mixture and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes.
10. Caramelize the remaining onions in a skillet over medium heat in some cooking fat (this takes about 10 minutes).
11. Serve the squash topped with bacon and caramelized onions.

📖 Recipe

Beef-Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe

Stuff a roasted butternut squash with beef, vegetables, and just a little bit of bacon for a Fall-themed Paleo feast.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Calories 894 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 butternut squash cut in half and seeded
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
• 8 oz. mushrooms sliced
• 2 carrots diced
• 3 red onions sliced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ½ tbsp. cinnamon
• Cooking fat
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• Season the squash with salt and pepper to taste and place in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
  Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 butternut squash
• Melt some cooking fat in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  Cooking fat
• Add one of the sliced onions, the garlic, the celery, and the carrots.
  3 red onions, 1 stalk celery, 2 garlic cloves, 2 carrots
• Cook until celery is soft, about 5 minutes.
  1 stalk celery
• Add the beef, sprinkle with the cinnamon, season to taste, and cook until the meat is browned.
  ½ tbsp. cinnamon, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 lb. ground beef
• Add the sliced mushrooms, continue cooking until vegetables are soft, and remove from heat.
  8 oz. mushrooms
• Once the squash is cooked, scrape out some of the flesh from the squash, and mix with the beef and vegetables.
• Stuff the squash with the beef mixture and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes.
• Caramelize the remaining onions in a skillet over medium heat in some cooking fat (this takes about 10 minutes).
• Serve the squash topped with bacon and caramelized onions.
  6 slices of bacon

Nutrition

Calories: 894kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 48gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 238mgPotassium: 2680mgFiber: 14gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 41254IUVitamin C: 92mgCalcium: 317mgIron: 21mg

Keyword Beef, butternut, squash

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