Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash is super easy to make and a delicious vegetarian main course to serve. It turns out that stuffed summer squash is my favorite way to eat this abundant garden vegetable.
In the recipe card, I suggest a moderately sized (5 to 6 inches long) summer squash. But summer squash comes in all shapes and sizes, so don’t worry about finding the right-sized summer squash.
If you end up with a summer squash the size of a baseball bat doesn’t worry about it, just use all of the fillings for the one enormous vegetable.
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What you need to make Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash:
Produce:
- 4 squash halved
- 1 red onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 bell pepper chopped
Dairy:
- 1 egg
- 1 C shredded cheese (mexican mix)
Pantry:
- 1 15 oz can of black beans
- ¼ C pickled jalapenos diced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ C Panko breadcrumbs
Learn more about the amazingness of beans and lentils: Black Beans vs. Pinto Beans, Navy Beans vs. Great Northern Beans, What to do with leftover lentils (15+ ideas), What do Lentils Taste Like? and more Canned Black Bean Recipes.
How to make Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash
The Stuffing:
Sauté and salt (½ teaspoon) the finely chopped onions in a little bit of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium/low and add in the crushed garlic. Cook on low until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Place the cooked onions and garlic, blackbeans, bell peppers, and spices into a medium size bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs, shredded cheese, jalapenos, salt (1 teaspoon), and egg and set the mixture aside.
The Squash:
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.
Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise. Using a spoon to scoop out the seedy interior of the squash and discard. Place the squash cut side up on the cookie sheet.
Next, scoop the stuffing into the wells of the squash. You could use two spoons to do this, but the ceramic artist in me thinks it’s just easier to get your hands dirty.
Yes! I was surprised how well summer squash held up to freezing. Assemble the squash as described but just don’t cook it. Store it in a plastic bag or airtight container and carefully place it in the freezer making sure the squash is level until completely frozen. Serving tins work great for this since they come with tops and the squash can be thawed and cooked right in the tin.
When you’re ready to serve, the easiest thing to do is pull the squash out of the freezer the day before so it can thaw in the refrigerator. But if you decide to pull it out of the freezer at the last minute, put the container into a slightly warm water bath. You don’t want the squash directly in the water, just the container storing the squash.
Approximately 40 to 60 minutes. It depends on the size of the squash. After 40 minutes, take a fork and peirce the outside of the squash to check the texture. You want it to be soft and easy to cut through, but not mushy. If you are like me and you end up with completely different-sized squash, I end up pulling out the smaller ones earlier while I let the larger ones continue cooking.
These stuffed veggies are delicious as a side with grilled chicken or shrimp and they’re hearty enough to stand as the centerpiece of the meal. Try them with a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro and hot sauce!!
I love having these in the refrigerator for quick lunches when I just zap them in the microwave and eat them on their own.
I have enjoyed these up to a week later. Just make sure it’s in a tightly sealed plastic bag or Tupperware.
More Stuffed Vegetables
If you enjoyed a recipe for Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash there are many other similar dishes that you might also like. For example, lentil stuffed peppers are a vegetarian option that provides a similar texture and flavor profile. Polenta stuffed peppers offer a different twist, with a creamy and satisfying polenta filling. If you're looking for a southwestern flair, you might enjoy trying southwestern stuffed tomatoes. For a heartier meal, Italian sausage stuffed portabella mushrooms and Italian sausage stuffed summer squash are delicious options. Each of these recipes provides a unique twist on the classic stuffed pepper, and there's something for every taste preference.
If you’ve tried this Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash recipe or any other recipe on BalancingBowls, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.
More recipes featuring black beans:
- Black Bean Soup
- Best Canned Black Beans Recipe
- Southwestern Black Bean Stuffed Tomatoes
- Black Bean and Corn Salad with Honey and Line Dressing
- Mexican Chopped Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette
Recipe
Southwestern Stuffed Summer Squash
Ingredients
- 4 squash halved
- 1 red onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 C shredded cheese mexican mix
- 1 15 oz can of black beans
- ¼ C pickled jalapenos diced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ C Panko breadcrumbs Plain
Instructions
- Sauté and salt (½ teaspoon) the finely chopped onions in a little bit of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium/low and add in the crushed garlic. Cook on low until the onions are translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Place the cooked onions and garlic, blackbeans, bell peppers, and spices into a medium size bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs, shredded cheese, jalapenos, salt (1 teaspoon), and egg and set the mixture aside.
- Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Cut the squash down the middle lengthwise. Using a spoon to scoop out the seedy interior of the squash and discard. Place the squash cut side up on the cookie sheet.
- Scoop the sausage mixture in to the wells of the squash.
- Bake for approximately 40 to 60 minutes. It depends on the size of the squash.
Sam says
This turned out amazingly well! Thanks