AT A GLANCE
EASIER STUFFED SQUASH
Roasting a plain acorn squash takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour, never mind preparing a stuffing, filling the squash, then roasting the stuffed squash until it’s hot throughout. To speed up this lengthy process, we found the microwave to be an invaluable tool. And for the base of the stuffing, we turned to quick-cooking couscous instead of rice or barley.
1. Jump-start the cooking of the squash in the microwave: To simplify this recipe and speed up the cooking time, we cook the squash until tender in the microwave. Covering the squash while it microwaves is crucial; we like to use a large, overturned bowl. Make sure that the squash is cut side down on the plate so that any liquid released during cooking can drain away easily.
2. Make a faster stuffing with couscous: Stuffings for squash are usually made out of a hearty, long-cooked grain or rice. Looking for a substitute that was quicker yet just as substantial, we landed on couscous. Since couscous doesn’t require any actual cooking (just toss with boiling water and let rehydrate), it was easy to let it sit while prepping the other ingredients. Stirring raisins into the couscous as it rehydrates allows them to soften and plump up as well.
3. Boost the stuffing with sautéed aromatics: Though couscous is easy to make, it is a blank canvas in terms of flavor. To bring the stuffing to life, we added some sautéed aromatics (onion and garlic) along with a few other flavorful and colorful ingredients including spinach, pine nuts, and cheese. Ridding the spinach of excess moisture before combining it with the couscous is crucial or else the stuffing will be mushy and waterlogged. Luckily, this is easily done in the skillet alongside the sautéed aromatics.
4. Brown the stuffed squash under the broiler: The final assembly of this dish is a breeze given that both the squash and the filling are fully cooked and warm. Packing the filling into the squash is important so that everything holds together during the final minutes in the oven. Once stuffed, the squash needs only a quick run under the broiler to ensure that everything is hot and the cheese on top is melted and nicely browned.