Grilled Eight Ball Squash With Seafood Stuffing {35 Minutes}

These amazing Grilled Stuffed Eight Ball Squash are perfect for a fun grilled seafood dish.  It is filled with crab meat and shrimp and held together with Panko. 

I found these eight ball squash at my local grocery store and was way too excited.  I love this time of the year when the fun squash starts to hit the shelves.  These are so mild, they are really kid-friendly.  It’s a gateway squash! Ha! 

🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

Impressive and Easy – Who doesn’t love this combination? These can be fancy enough for a nice cookout under the stars or you can whip them up for a Sunday BBQ with the family after a day of hiking.

Prep Early – Since you are using canned seafood this time (you can always substitute with fresh!) you can easily prep this one early for company or if you want to make something nice after a full day working in the yard.

Squash Versatility – If you can’t find the true Eight Ball variety, don’t fret. Substitute zucchini or acorn squash and just remove the seeds from the center.

Simple Ingredients – There is nothing too crazy here and you can probably grab a few of these items from the cupboard without thinking.

🦐 Ingredients

Eight Ball Squash – This is a distinctive looking squash that is uniquely round.  It is a little more firm than a traditional zucchini, with a very delicate skin. 

Seafood – We used cans of shrimp and crab meat.  Definitely consider using fresh seafood or a firm white fish flaked into the mix. The squash is extremely mild, which allows your seafood flavors to really shine through.

Shallots – This is a mild flavor that is critical for this recipe.  A strong flavored onion may overtake the seafood.

Panko – In a pinch, you can use breadcrumbs, but I have had the best results with Panko.  They don’t ever get soggy, which is nice.

🔥 Grilling Instructions 

Step One: Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the center.  There should only be a few seeds, so remove those and reserve the flesh.

Step Two: Heat the grill to 400 degrees. Brush the squash with a little olive oil and place face down on the grill for about ten minutes to soften slightly. Remove them from the grill.

Step Three: While the squash is searing, combine shallots with olive oil on the stove top over medium heat.  Cook until they are transparent. It should take about 3-4 minutes.  Add the reserved squash flesh and cook for about five minutes.  Then, add the garlic and cook for another minute. 

Step Four: Combine the Panko, Gruyere cheese, drained seafood, parsley and the shallot/squash/garlic mixture.  Mix it well. I like to reserve a little bit of the Gruyere cheese to sprinkle on top right before I take it off. 

Step Five: Fill each of the squash with the mixture.  Heap it slightly and press down to make sure it all sticks in place.

Step Six: Place the stuffed squash back on the grill and let them cook for another ten minutes, until they are heated through.

Step Seven: In the last few minutes, add the extra Gruyere cheese and chopped fresh parsley.  It will only take a minute to melt and helps to bind the recipe together.

🍴 Substitutions

Replace the seafood mixture with fresh crab, scallops, shrimp or a firm white fish.  I have even used grilled salmon which was out of this world. This is also a great time to use leftover fish or a fun mixed seafood package from the grocery store. 

If you want to skip the seafood mixture, go with your favorite sausage mixture or even a “stuffed pepper” mixture. 

If you can’t find Eight Ball Squash, use an acorn, zucchini or yellow squash.  The acorn squash will require a bit longer to grill as it is larger. I find the mild flavors of the zucchini to be a better fit for the filling. 

📌 Expert Tips

You can eat the skin of the 8 ball squash just like zucchini and yellow squash. The skin is a similar texture and maybe a little bit more firm than a zucchini.  After grilling, it is tender and easy to cut with a fork.

Sprinkle on some extra Gruyere and parsley on during the last few minutes of the grill to give it a chance to melt.

These squash are perfect for refrigerating for lunches throughout the week.  Just heat them up in the microwave for a delicious lunch.

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