Stuffed Carnival Squash

Carnival squash, is a fairly recent (1991) hybrid of sweet dumpling squash and the Green Table Queen variety of acorn squash, both descendants of squashes native to Mexico. Cream colored with orange spots or pale green with dark green spots in vertical stripes, carnival squash have hard, thick skins, so you eat only the flesh. It is sometimes labeled as a type of acorn squash, which you could certainly substitute in this recipe. The yellow flesh tastes like sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

You can serve this as an alternative main dish, or as a side dish. If you use gluten-free bread, the dish will be suitable for anyone with sensitivities to gluten.

2 medium or 4 small carnival squash, halved and seeded
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried savory
½ teaspoon ground sage
2 cups cooked black rice, wild rice, or brown rice
2 cups cubed bread
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Season the squash halves with salt and place them in a lightly oiled shallow baking pan, cut side down.
3. Add 1/4-inch of water to the pan and cover tightly.
4. Bake for 30 minutes to soften.
5. While the squash is baking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until soft, about 7 minutes.
6. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the tamari, thyme, savory, and sage, then transfer to a large bowl.
8. Add the rice, cubed bread, and parsley.
9. Mix thoroughly to combine well, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. If additional moisture is needed, add a little water or vegetable stock to moisten.
11. Turn the squash halves over, cut side up, and fill the squash cavities with the stuffing.
12. Cover and bake until the stuffing is hot and the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.
13. Uncover for last 10 minutes of cooking time to brown the stuffing on top.

Servings: 4

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (13.4 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. One of the recipe’s ingredients was not linked. This ingredient is not included in the recipe nutrition data.

Amount Per Serving