I can’t wait to share my Stuffed Butternut Squash filled with spinach, crisp bacon, and melting cheese that marries the squash’s natural sweetness to a creamy, savory filling for holiday menus and quick weeknights.
I love how Stuffed Butternut Squash sounds fancy but really isn’t. I make this when I want something that feels special without pretending to be difficult.
The sweet roasted squash and smoky bacon surprise every time, and the fresh spinach tucked inside gives it a bright lift you didn’t expect. People always poke it warily at first then come back for seconds, which never gets old.
I keep coming back to it for holiday tables or a quick weeknight flex, and it sits right alongside my favorite Roasted Vegetable Recipes. Try it once, and you’ll start filing it under must-make.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash: sweet, creamy flesh packed with fiber, vitamin A, adds richness.
- Bacon: salty, smoky, adds meaty protein and fat, makes filling savory and craveable.
- Spinach: bright, leafy greens; low calorie, packed with iron, vitamin C, and calcium.
- Gruyere or sharp cheddar: melty cheese, gives nutty tang, protein and calcium, salty.
- Cream cheese: silky binder, adds creaminess and richness, boosts fat and mouthfeel.
- Parmesan: sharp, salty umami lift, little goes far, adds savory depth, salt.
- Egg: helps bind the filling, adds protein, keeps mixture together while baking.
- Maple syrup or honey: optional glaze, adds subtle sweetness, balances salty bacon, caramel.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 medium butternut squashes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs each), halved lengthwise and seeded
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz fresh spinach (about 6 packed cups), roughly chopped
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 50 g)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere or sharp cheddar, whichever you prefer
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten (helps bind the filling)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, optional for glazing the squash
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Rub the cut sides of the halved, seeded butternut squashes with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and if you want brush a little maple syrup or honey over the flesh for a glaze. Place squash cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 35 to 45 minutes, or until a fork slides in easily.
2. While the squash roasts, cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and reserve most of the bacon fat in the pan for flavor.
3. Add the finely diced onion to the hot skillet with the bacon fat (add a splash of the extra olive oil if the pan looks dry). Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the roughly chopped spinach in batches, stirring to wilt each batch before adding more. Cook until the spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, then transfer the spinach mix to a bowl and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands or a clean towel so the filling wont be watery.
5. In a mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, 1 cup shredded Gruyere or cheddar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and the lightly beaten egg. Stir in the cooked bacon, spinach mixture, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme. Taste and season with salt and pepper; if the filling seems too thick add a splash more cream.
6. When the squash is tender, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes so you can handle them. Use a spoon to loosen the flesh and create a slightly larger cavity for the filling; you can scoop a little of the roasted flesh into the filling for extra creaminess if you want.
7. Divide the filling evenly among the squash halves, mounding it up. Sprinkle a little extra Gruyere or Parmesan on top and drizzle a touch of olive oil over the surface for shine.
8. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a browned top, switch the oven to broil for 1 to 3 minutes but watch it closely so it doesnt burn.
9. Remove from the oven, let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with the remaining chopped parsley or thyme and an optional light drizzle of maple syrup or honey for a sweet contrast. Serve warm.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (set to 400°F / 200°C)
2. Rimmed baking sheet (for roasting the squash)
3. Sharp chef knife (for halving, seeding and chopping)
4. Sturdy cutting board
5. Large skillet or frying pan (for bacon, onions and spinach)
6. Mixing bowls (one big one small for filling and mixing)
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for stirring and scraping
9. Slotted spoon or tongs (to remove bacon)
10. Oven mitts and a clean towel for squeezing out spinach liquid and handling hot squash
FAQ
Stuffed Butternut Squash With Spinach, Bacon, And Cheese Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Bacon: swap with pancetta or smoked turkey bacon, pancetta gives the same porky flavor and crisps up just like bacon, turkey bacon is leaner if you want less fat.
- Spinach: use chopped kale or Swiss chard instead, they take a bit longer to wilt but hold texture and stand up to the cheese filling.
- Cream cheese: try ricotta or mascarpone, ricotta lightens it up, mascarpone keeps things ultra creamy.
- Gruyere or cheddar: replace with fontina or smoked gouda, both melt great and add a nutty or smoky note.
Pro Tips
1. Roast smart: start cut side down so it steams and softens, then flip the squash for the last 8 to 12 minutes to get some caramelized edges and more flavor. Brush the maple or honey only near the end so it wont burn into a bitter mess.
2. Get the spinach dry or your filling will be soggy. Wilt it fully, squeeze in a clean kitchen towel or press in a fine mesh strainer, and even let it sit for a minute to make sure most liquid is gone before mixing with the cheeses.
3. Treat the bacon like a topping not a grease dump. Cook it extra crisp so it keeps texture in the filling, reserve just a tablespoon of fat for flavor if you want, but drain most so the filling doesnt turn oily. Save some bacon as a final garnish for crunch.
4. Control texture and baking time: scoop a little of the roasted flesh into the filling for creaminess, but dont overfill the squash cavities or the top wont brown. If the mixture seems loose add a bit more cheese, a splash more egg, or a spoon of panko; broil only 1 to 2 minutes at the end and watch it or itll go from golden to burnt fast.
Stuffed Butternut Squash With Spinach, Bacon, And Cheese Recipe
I can't wait to share my Stuffed Butternut Squash filled with spinach, crisp bacon, and melting cheese that marries the squash's natural sweetness to a creamy, savory filling for holiday menus and quick weeknights.
8
servings
520
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 400°F / 200°C)
2. Rimmed baking sheet (for roasting the squash)
3. Sharp chef knife (for halving, seeding and chopping)
4. Sturdy cutting board
5. Large skillet or frying pan (for bacon, onions and spinach)
6. Mixing bowls (one big one small for filling and mixing)
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for stirring and scraping
9. Slotted spoon or tongs (to remove bacon)
10. Oven mitts and a clean towel for squeezing out spinach liquid and handling hot squash
Ingredients
2 medium butternut squashes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs each), halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz fresh spinach (about 6 packed cups), roughly chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 50 g)
1 cup shredded Gruyere or sharp cheddar, whichever you prefer
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten (helps bind the filling)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme leaves
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey, optional for glazing the squash
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Rub the cut sides of the halved, seeded butternut squashes with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and if you want brush a little maple syrup or honey over the flesh for a glaze. Place squash cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 35 to 45 minutes, or until a fork slides in easily.
- While the squash roasts, cook the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and reserve most of the bacon fat in the pan for flavor.
- Add the finely diced onion to the hot skillet with the bacon fat (add a splash of the extra olive oil if the pan looks dry). Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the roughly chopped spinach in batches, stirring to wilt each batch before adding more. Cook until the spinach is wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, then transfer the spinach mix to a bowl and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands or a clean towel so the filling wont be watery.
- In a mixing bowl combine the softened cream cheese, grated Parmesan, 1 cup shredded Gruyere or cheddar, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and the lightly beaten egg. Stir in the cooked bacon, spinach mixture, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or thyme. Taste and season with salt and pepper; if the filling seems too thick add a splash more cream.
- When the squash is tender, remove from oven and let cool a few minutes so you can handle them. Use a spoon to loosen the flesh and create a slightly larger cavity for the filling; you can scoop a little of the roasted flesh into the filling for extra creaminess if you want.
- Divide the filling evenly among the squash halves, mounding it up. Sprinkle a little extra Gruyere or Parmesan on top and drizzle a touch of olive oil over the surface for shine.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. For a browned top, switch the oven to broil for 1 to 3 minutes but watch it closely so it doesnt burn.
- Remove from the oven, let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with the remaining chopped parsley or thyme and an optional light drizzle of maple syrup or honey for a sweet contrast. Serve warm.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 325g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 520kcal
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 4g
- Monounsaturated: 17g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
- Sodium: 560mg
- Potassium: 900mg
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 6g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 20g
- Vitamin A: 8200IU
- Vitamin C: 25mg
- Calcium: 300mg
- Iron: 2.5mg
