Farro Stuffed Winter Squash
This healthy, hearty side dish adds a great change of pace to midweek meals as well as a holiday spread. Feel free to add more cheese if you have avid blue cheese fans around your table.
Equipment
- Large rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 small winter squash, such as Delicata or Honey Nut
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 medium onion chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
Farro Filling
- 3-1/2 cups cooked farro see NOTE
- 2 cups shredded kale leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a 15 by 10-inch (or larger) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut each squash in half through the stem end. (You may need to carefully rock the chefs knife back and forth.) Scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on prepared baking pan and lightly brush flesh with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Season cut surface of squash with salt and pepper. Turn squash over so cut sides are on parchment and bake in the center of the preheated oven until tender but still holding their shape, 25 to 35 minutes depending on size.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes; reduce heat if necessary to avoid over browning. Add cooked farro, kale and thyme leaves and cook, stirring, until kale is wilted, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup blue cheese, the pecans and pomegranate seeds (arils). Season with salt and pepper as desired. Reserve.
- When squash is tender, remove from oven and turn cut side up. Divide farro filling evenly among baked squash. Sprinkle remaining blue cheese on filling and return to the oven. Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Make 6-8 side dish servings.
Notes
NOTE: You can use either quick-cooking or regular farro. Simmer farro according to package directions in a medium pot of water until tender, but chewy to yield 3-1/2 cups cooked. I like to use quick-cooking farro and start with 1-1/2 cups dry farro and about 4 cups water which takes 10-15 minutes to cook. Drain off any excess liquid as you do when cooking pasta. If your farro is not quick cooking (precooked), plan on 25-40 minutes to cook until tender.