I served up some Grilled Stuffed Delicata Squash for a work event we attended a few nights ago. It was a huge hit, and tasted so good. I almost didn’t take it (more for us!) My wife told me that really wasn’t in keeping with the holiday spirit, so I begrudgingly took them. No worries, I’ll be making more very shortly!
I stuffed these with a wild rice, sausage, spinach, apple mix. The spicy sausage complemented the sweetness of the apples just perfectly.
What is a Delicata Squash?
Delicata Squash is a winter squash that is usually bright yellow with highlights of green, brown or orange. It is typically found in the fall in local grocery stores and is known as “delicata” because the skin is so delicate.
It has the mild squash flavor of butternut or acorn, but is much easier to cut and serve. I prefer using it as I don’t have to worry about cutting off the skin, or scooping out the flesh. I love saving the time!
Can you Eat the Skin
The skin is 100% edible and is thick enough to hold together while cooking, but soft enough to cut with a fork. It isn’t tough at all and keeps that great yellow color throughout the cooking process.
The squash is shaped like a zucchini and the skin is similar texture, but the inside is delicious squash through and through.
How to Make Grilled Stuffed Delicata Squash
This was a fun recipe to grill. There are a few key steps, and the end result is out of this world!
Prepare the rice ahead of time. I made the wild rice the day before in the Instant Pot, and then refrigerated it until I needed it.
In a medium skillet, add olive oil and saute the onion. In the last few minutes, add the chopped garlic. Remove from skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, brown the sausage. Use a flavor of your liking. I chose a medium spice sausage, knowing the apples will sweeten the dish later.
Add the onion and garlic back in along with the herbs and spinach. The spinach will cook down pretty quickly.
Chop half of an apple into small pieces and add to the sausage mix.
Grilling the Squash
Start your grill and bring it up to 350 degrees. I used my Big Green Egg and installed the plate setter for an indirect heat.
Once the grill is up to temperature, cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds using a metal spoon.
Brush a little bit of olive oil on the squash and place them cut-side down on the grill. You want these to cook for about 15-20 minutes. They should be fork-tender when you take them off. If they are too hard, give them a few more minutes.
Stuffing the Squash
Bring the squash back inside and lay them in a grill-safe pan. I used a medium sized cast iron skillet. Using a large spoon, fill each squash with the sausage mixture. Have them heap a bit – you’ll love it!
Grill the Stuffed Delicata Squash
Set the cast iron skillet on the grill with the stuffed squash and let it cook for another 20 minutes. If you like a smoky flavor, add some smoking chips. The squash, sausage, and rice love the smoke! If you have never tried this version before but want to give it a try, test out one or two on the grill first as the smoke can be intense for those that aren’t used to it. A little goes a long way.
Remove squash from the grill, let sit for five minutes, and serve. (Or, have your wife force you to give them away at the office potluck!) Sheesh!
Do these Freeze and Reheat Well?
I made a second batch later (when my wife wasn’t around!) and froze them for my work lunches. I wrapped them individually in Cling Wrap and then put them in a gallon sized freezer bag.
They reheated extremely well. One to two minutes in the microwave, and it was well-heated. If anything, the squash became a little bit softer, but it didn’t slow me down at all.
If you like this grilled vegetable recipe, rest assured, I have grilled other veggies you might like!
Grilled Wild Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Wild Rice cooked
- 2 Delicata Squash medium
- 1 lb Pork Sausage
- 1 Onion large
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 Apple cored and chopped
- 2 cups Spinach torn with hands
- 1 tbsp Rosemary chopped
- 1 tbsp Thyme chopped
Instructions
Make the Filling
-
In a medium skillet, add olive oil and saute the onion. In the last few minutes, add the chopped garlic. Remove from skillet and set aside.
-
In the same skillet, brown the sausage. Use a flavor of your liking. I chose a medium spice sausage, knowing the apples will sweeten the dish later.
-
Add the onion and garlic back in along with the herbs and spinach. The spinach will cook down pretty quickly.
-
Chop half of an apple into small pieces and add to the sausage mix. Set aside.
Grilling Instructions
-
Start your grill and bring it up to 350 degrees. I used my Big Green Egg and installed the plate setter for an indirect heat.
-
Once the grill is up to temperature, cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds using a metal spoon.
-
Brush a little bit of olive oil on the squash and place them cut-side down on the grill. You want these to cook for about 15-20 minutes. They should be fork-tender when you take them off. If they are too hard, give them a few more minutes.
-
Bring the squash back inside and lay them in a grill-safe pan. I used a medium sized cast iron skillet. Using a large spoon, fill each squash with the sausage mixture. Have them heap a bit – you’ll love it!
-
Set the cast iron skillet on the grill with the stuffed squash and let it cook for another 20 minutes. If you like a smoky flavor, add some smoking chips. The squash, sausage, and rice love the smoke! If you have never tried this version before but want to give it a try, test out one or two on the grill first as the smoke can be intense for those that aren’t used to it. A little goes a long way.
-
Remove squash from the grill, let sit for five minutes, and serve.
Nutrition
