Thanksgiving Day dinner made easy! Your Thanksgiving Day staples - turkey, squash, rice, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and festive herbs and spices, combine to create a holiday dish, that is wrapped up in the prettiest of packages! My Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe hits all the right notes - it’s creamy, crunchy, flavourful, savoury, sweet, a tad tart and oh so satisfying! If you’re looking for a dish to get you into the holiday spirt, then you’ve come to the right place!
My Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe starts with the star of the show - delicata squash. This winter squash is smaller relative to its counterparts, oblong in shape and striped. But, what really sets this squash apart is the consistency and texture of the skin. Unlike other varieties, the skin of the delicata squash is edible and soft when cooked. The squash are roasted until fork tender and serve as the perfect vessel for a stuffing-like mixture. Ground turkey is cooked until browned and crispy and combines with fresh kale and sweet yet tart cranberries for some festive flair. Impeccably cooked wild rice, courtesy of the ever magical Instant Pot, is added to the mix and brings all the flavours together to create a filling that perfectly compliments the delicate flavours of the delicata squash. It wouldn’t be a Thanksgiving dish without the addition of fragrant herbs, such as sage, rosemary and thyme, and warming spices, including nutmeg and cinnamon. All the ingredients combine to create a delicious and holiday worthy bite!
This dish makes for the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving, Christmas or holiday celebrations and works equally well as a weeknight or weekend meal during the Fall and Winter seasons! My Stuffed Delicata Squash recipe couldn’t be easier to make, utilizes simple and seasonal ingredients and comes together in under 60 minutes. Serve it as a main or enjoy it as a side dish, you really can’t go wrong! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For more Thanksgiving and holiday recipes, check out my Perfectly Roasted Turkey, Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes, Homemade Garlic Bread, Baked Brie with Honey, Festive Goat Cheese Balls and Apple Crisp recipes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 - 40 minutes
Total Time: 45 - 55 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
Delicata Squash
4 delicata squash, approx. 1 lb each
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Stuffing
1 lb ground turkey (See Notes below)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus an additional 1/2 tsp as garnish
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 cups curly kale, thinly sliced (approx. 3 large leaves, ribs removed)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, plus an additional 3 Tbsp as garnish
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup uncooked wild rice blend, such as Lundberg’s Wild Blend (See Notes below)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (optional), as garnish (See Notes below)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 11” x 17” baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preparing the Delicata Squash: Slice the squash in half lengthwise and cut off the stem. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds.
Transfer the squash to the parchment lined baking sheet, cut side up. Brush with 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Flip the squash over, cut side down, and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until softened and fork tender.
Cooking the Rice: While the squash are baking, cook the wild rice in accordance with package instructions, using chicken broth (for extra flavour) in the place of water.
Creating the Stuffing: Set a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, shallot, sage, rosemary and thyme and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the ground turkey and season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 8 minutes or until the turkey is browned and cooked through.
Toss in the kale, dried cranberries, nutmeg and cinnamon and deglaze the pan with white wine. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the kale has wilted and the wine has reduced by half.
Turn off the heat, toss in the cooked wild rice and mix until fully incorporated.
Assembling the Stuffed Delicata Squash: Using tongs, turn over the delicata squash, so they are positioned cut-side up. Spoon the turkey and rice mixture into the cavity of the delicata squash. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and additional cranberries and thyme leaves. Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Ground Turkey: While you are preparing all your ingredients, remove the ground turkey from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 20 minutes. This will enable the ground turkey to brown during the searing process, creating incremental depth of flavour. Adding cold ground turkey to a hot skillet will inhibit caramelization and result in steamed meat.
Instant Pot to the Rescue: Cooking wild rice over the stovetop can take in excess of 45 minutes. But, it doesn’t have to! With the help of a 6-Quart Instant Pot, you’ll have perfectly cooked wild rice in just 20 minutes. Given that Instant Pot models, and other pressure cooker brands, vary by type and size, be sure to follow the preparation, cooking, natural release and venting instructions, enclosed with your machine. Simply add 1 cup of wild rice to the Instant Pot alongside 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, secure and lock it in place. Ensure that the steam release handle or knob is set or turned to the “Sealing” position. Press the “Pressure Cooking” program button, set "Pressure Level" to “HIGH” with a cook time of 20 minutes. Once the rice has finished cooking, press “Cancel” to end the cooking process, and prevent the machine from entering the “Keep Warm” program. Let the Instant Pot sit undisturbed for approximately 5 minutes, to naturally release some of the pressure. Then, using a silicone oven mitt or a long handled wooden spoon, carefully turn the steam release handle to “Venting” to allow the remaining steam to release. Carefully remove the lid, and voila, perfectly cooked wild rice in a fraction of the time!
Pumpkin Seeds: You can simply use raw pumpkin seeds as a garnish for this squash dish. But, if you have a few extra minutes, toasting the pumpkin seeds adds a ton of flavour and a nuttier profile. To a small skillet set over medium heat, add the pumpkin seeds. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently throughout. To halt the cooking process, immediately transfer the pumpkin seeds to a small bowl and set aside to cool.