Mushrooms Stuffed with Butternut Squash

Mushrooms stuffed with sweet creamy butternut squash and topped with Italian bread crumbs for an extra crunch, perfect with a salad or as a side.

I love mushrooms, as you can probably tell from all my previous recipes. It works well with so many things that oftentimes I just add them in a recipe without thinking. This time, I decided that I wanted to try stuffing mushrooms with butternut squash. Why? I had a butternut squash sitting around for awhile, and I wanted to try something different. It turned out really well. Butternut squash is healthy and filling. It’s filled with Vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, which are all important for our health. What’s even better is that butternut squash is low in fat.

I really recommend trying this recipe.

The first thing you should do is cut the butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Like all squash, it will be difficult to cut. Make sure you have a good sharp knife. Place the squash on a solid surface where you won’t slip. Watch your fingers as you make the cut.

For this recipe, you’ll only need half of a butternut squash. Use a spoon to scoop out all the seeds from the center. Make sure to clean out the entire cavity. If you don’t, it’ll taste a little stringy and fibrous.

Preheat the oven to 350^oF. While the oven is warming up, place a tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of maple syrup into the now empty cavity. I moved the butternut squash back and forth so that the maple syrup would coat the entire cavity. That way more surfaces of the butternut squash will be covered with the delicious maple syrup.

Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with foil and put in about 2/3 cup of water. Place the butternut squash into the baking pan and cover with foil. The foil will prevent the butternut squash from drying out. Bake in the oven for 2 hours until the butternut squash becomes soft.

While the butternut squash is slowly roasting in the baking pan, wash the mushrooms and remove the stems.

After the butternut squash is completely cooked and has softened, carefully remove the foil to let the heat escape. Make sure not to burn yourself from the heat. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes or until the squash is cool enough to handle. Pour the maple syrup out into a small bowl. Use a spoon to carve out the butternut squash from the skin and place into a medium size bowl. This will be very easy to do. Use a whisk to mash up the butternut squash, making it as smooth as possible. Pour the maple syrup back into the butternut squash, add basil, and mix with the whisk.

Stuff the mushrooms with the mashed butternut squash. Place the mushrooms onto a foil lined baking sheet that is already sprayed with cooking oil. Sprinkle the top with Italian style bread crumbs. The bread crumbs will give the mushrooms extra flavor and crunch.

Bake the mushrooms in the oven at 350^oF for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have softened and the bread crumbs have turned a golden brown.

This recipe yields a various amount of mushrooms depending on how big the butternut squash is. I recommend making about a dozen to two dozen mushrooms. If there is leftover mashed butternut squash, you can eat it as is. The butternut squash will be sweet and creamy.

I placed mushrooms on top of a bed of arugula and grape tomato salad with no dressing because I loved the taste of the stuffed mushrooms with the plain salad. However, you can add your favorite dressing to the salad or use the citrus dressing found in this recipe.

A serving is about 5-6 mushrooms  depending on the size of the mushrooms. But definitely give this recipe a try. It’s sweet and creamy due to the butternut squash and slightly salty and crunchy from the Italian bread crumbs. Serve the mushrooms warm. Enjoy!

Mushrooms Stuffed with Butternut Squash

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

2 hours 10 mins

Total time

2 hours 20 mins

 

Mushrooms stuffed with sweet creamy butternut squash and topped with Italian bread crumbs for an extra crunch, perfect with a salad or as a side.

Author: Andrea Giang

Recipe type: Appetizer

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• ½ of a butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
• 12 -24 large mushrooms
• ⅓ cup Italian style bread crumbs
• 2-4 cups arugula
• 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, sliced

Directions:

1. Slice a butternut squash open, lengthwise. You will only need half a butternut squash. Wrap the other half in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for another time. Carve out the seeds and fibers from the cavity of the squash using a spoon.
2. Preheat the oven to 350oF. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, then pour ⅔ cups water into it. Put butter and maple syrup into the hollow part of the squash. Move the maple syrup around so it covers more surfaces of the squash. Place the butternut squash into the pan with the cut side facing upwards. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for about 2 hours until the squash softens.
3. While the squash is cooking in the oven, wash the mushrooms and remove the stems. A serving is about 6 stuffed mushrooms. For two servings, make 12 stuffed mushrooms. For four servings, make 24.
4. After the butternut squash is cooked, carefully remove the foil to let heat escape. Allow the squash to sit for 5-10 minutes until it is cool enough to handle. Pour the maple syrup into a small bowl. Then use a spoon to carve the butternut squash from its skin into a medium bowl. Pour the maple syrup back into the butternut squash and add the chopped basil. Mix and mash with a whisk until the squash becomes smooth.
5. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking oil. Stuff the mushrooms with the butternut squash, and top with Italian style bread crumbs. Place the mushrooms onto the baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350oF until the mushrooms soften and the bread crumbs turn a golden brown.
6. Serve the stuffed mushrooms warm with arugula (one cup per serving) and sliced grape tomato salad. Drizzle your favorite dressing on the salad or eat plain with the mushrooms.

Notes

*You can make the butternut squash puree ahead of time and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days to save time.

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