Description

Mexican Roasted Corn and Quinoa Stuffed Squash: loaded with red quinoa, black beans, roasted corn, and cheddar cheese. High protein, high fiber, and just 275 calories.

Ingredients

Scale

3 small acorn squash
3/4 cup uncooked red quinoa
1 1/2 cups rinsed black beans
3/4 cup corn
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
sliced green onions for topping
Queso fresco and crema Mexicana for topping

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Instructions

For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face down in a baking pan, cover halfway with water, and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the squash is tender.
For the filling: Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Place the corn in a dry skillet over high heat and let the corn cook without stirring for 3-4 minutes. Stir once and repeat until the corn is browned and roasty. Add the cooked quinoa, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Stir for 4-5 minutes over high heat. Add the black beans and stir for another 4-5 minutes over high heat. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese.
Assembling the squash: Turn on the oven broiler (or just turn the temp to 400). Divide the filling evenly among the six cooked squash halves. Top each with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Top each squash piece with crumbled queso fresco, crema Mexicana, and green onions.

Notes

It’s not essential, but cooking the quinoa a day in advance makes it easier to work with in the skillet because it’s not so sticky. I used spicy homemade black beans that were made with garlic, onion, and lots of hot peppers. If you are using canned beans and you like your Mexican food to pack a punch, you might want to consider adding some sauteed diced onion, garlic, or jalapeño to the quinoa black bean mixture.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired

Keywords: stuffed squash, squash recipe, corn and quinoa