Delicious manicotti pasta stuffed with rich creamy maple flavored butternut squash and topped with a warm garlicky tomato sauce. Slightly sweet, a little bit garlicky, and very cheesy, this is a recipe you’ll want to make over and over again.
Ingredients
1 medium sized butternut squash
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons heavy whipped cream (optional)
½ box of manicotti pasta
1 jar of tomato sauce
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
½ of an onion, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)
Directions:
Wash the butternut squash, and slice it in half. Use a spoon or a knife to carve out the fibrous center and the seeds. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup to each cavity of the butternut squash. Spread the maple syrup around so that it coats the entire cavity wall.
Place both halves of the butternut squashes into a baking pan lined with foil. Pour in about 1 cup of water so that the baking pan is covered with water. Cover the pan with foil and roast the squash for 1½ - 2 hours at 350F until the squash has softened and appears puree like.
While the butternut squash is roasting, prepare the tomato sauce and the pasta.
In a medium sized skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat. Add in garlic and cook until they turn golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. Add in sliced onions and mushrooms. Cook them until they have softened. Pour in the tomato sauce and stir to evenly incorporate the ingredients. Set aside for now
In a medium sized pot, cook about 7-8 manicotti pasta according to the directions on the box. Cook until the pasta has softened to preference, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run through cold water to prevent it from continuing to cook and from sticking to each other.
Remove the squash from the oven and allow it to cool down enough to handle. Scrape the squash from the outer skin into a medium sized bowl. For a creamier texture, mix in the heavy whipping cream.
Use a small spoon to stuff the butternut squash into the manicotti. The filling does not have to be very thick.
Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with foil. Lightly grease with cooking oil spray.
Place the filled manicotti pasta onto the baking pan.
Pour the tomato sauce over the manicotti pasta. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the oven at 350F for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and plate the pasta.
Serve warm.
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.
Recipe by Cooking with a Wallflower at https://cookingwithawallflower.com/2014/04/13/baked-butternut-squash-stuffed-manicotti/