Veggie Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Tomato Basil Coulis
A wonderful vegetarian dish to serve for Easter and Passover…plus it’s gluten-free! Or make ahead on the weekend to reheat during the week. Add a big salad and dinner will be on the table in 20 minutes.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Prepare Tomato-Basil Coulis
Filling
- 4 medium pattypan squashes about 4” wide
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 1 cup cooked brown rice couscous or quinoa
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Additional chopped Italian parsley and crumbled goat cheese for garnish
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
Prepare Tomato-Basil Coulis.
Prepare Squash:
- Fill a medium stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Boil squash for 5 minutes; drain well.
- With a sharp paring knife, carefully cut off the tops of each squash; set aside.
- Slice around the inside of each squash, leaving about 1/4- inch of the rim intact. With a spoon, hollow out the flesh of each squash, being careful not to cut through the sides or bottoms. Reserve the flesh.
Veggie Stuffing:
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, onions, peppers, carrots and reserved squash for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Stir in the brown rice couscous (or quinoa), pine nuts, parsley, spinach salt and pepper, cooking just until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese.
Assembly and Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a medium casserole dish with olive oil spray; place the squashes upright in the dish.
- With a teaspoon, stuff each squash with the veggie-couscous filling, mounding slightly.
- Sprinkle the remaining stuffing around the squashes.
- Place reserved “lids” on top of each squash. Cover loosely with foil.
- Bake the squashes for about 20 minutes or until hot.
- Spoon the coulis onto 4 dinner plates, spreading out toward the edges.
- Place a squash on each plate. Garnish with chopped parsley and goat cheese.
- Serve with a large salad made from every color of the rainbow.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: this dish can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator. Reheat at 300 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until hot. Tomato Basil Coulis can be made up to 3 days ahead. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Pattypans squashes are usually found in spring and summer at local farmers' markets and natural food stores like Whole Foods. They are typically identified by their "squatty" shape with scalloped edges
They are available in beautiful hues of yellows and greens often laced with stripes and splotches. Sometimes they also may be found in shades of creamy white. You can read more about pattypans here.
If pattypan squashes are not available, zucchini or yellow squash will be equally delicious. Stuffed eggplant would be delicious as well.
