I absolutely love to pair the gentle sweetness of winter squash with savory, spicy, and tangy accompaniments. Plus, many types of winter squash turn into their own serving vessel. It’s pretty much an ideal food. In the past I’ve shared chili-stuffed acorn squash and pizza-stuffed spaghetti squash. Today I’m rounding out this blog’s stuffed squash trio with Cajun red bean stuffed delicata squash. (The word ‘stuffed’ is already starting to sound weird in my head…)
Have you gotten to try delicata squash before? It’s a squash of minimal prep work and great returns. You can eat the entire skin (and it crisps up deliciously), so there’s no need to peel it. The flavor isn’t a lot different from other winter squash, so you’ll like it if you like butternut! It also seems to grow prolifically, at least if our CSA is any indication. At one of our recent pickups we received 1 acorn squash, 1 spaghetti squash, and 6 delicata squashes (is that a word?).
As an aside, sorry for the slightly wonky pictures on the blog the past couple of weeks! I am still a total amateur at photography and the reduced daylight time is totally throwing me for a loop. I think I am starting to get a hang of the lighting, though, so hopefully these are the last weird pictures for a while… 🙂
For the longest time, I’ve had my eye on this vegan red beans and rice recipe from Budget Bytes. It’s a labor of love, but completely worthwhile. SO much flavor. I made a few tweaks to make the beans even more savory, so that they’d stand up beautifully against the roasted delicata squash. Since we were making that pairing, we forwent the rice altogether. We were left with a satisfying meal that happens to be grain-free, for anyone who’s on that wavelength. I love grains, but this dish doesn’t need ’em. =]
Cajun Red Bean-Stuffed Delicata Squash
Savory vegan Cajun red beans are simmered to perfection, then baked inside a delicata squash for a fall-inspired twist on red beans and rice.
Ingredients
For the vegan Cajun red beans (makes enough to stuff about 5 squash)
- 1 lb dry kidney beans soaked overnight
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow or white onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce if sensitive to heat)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 7 drops liquid smoke (optional)
For the Cajun red bean stuffed delicata squash:
- 5 delicata squash halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- vegan Cajun red beans (recipe above)
- green onions for serving
Instructions
For the vegan Cajun red beans:
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Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
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Drain and rinse the beans. Add them to the pot along with the vegetable broth, and seasoning (dried thyme through liquid smoke).
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Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 2 hours, keeping covered and stirring occasionally, until beans are completely soft. Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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For a thicker texture, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot.
For the Cajun red bean stuffed delicata squash:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. (You may need two baking sheets if your squash are on the larger side).
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Rub the squash halves with a very light coating of oil and place on the baking sheet.
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Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh is tender and the skin is slightly crisp.
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Add a scoop (approximately 1/2 cup) of vegan Cajun red beans to the inside of each squash half that you plan to eat now. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the beans are warm through. Store leftover squash and beans separately from each other.
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Serve with sliced green onions, and hot sauce (if desired).
Red beans gently adapted from Budget Bytes. Happy Monday!
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
violet says
I made your red beans to put in stuffed zucchini and they were wonderful!
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth says
Hi Shannon: What a wonderful combination! I love anything Cajun and pairing it with a winter squash sounds yummy and comforting!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you! Yes, I’m all about comfort food right now 🙂
Mihl says
I don’t think I can get this kind of squash here in Germany, but I agree with you. Squashes stuffed with savoury fillings are so tasty! I bet this goes great with all kids of squashes.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you, Mihl! I’m sure it would go nicely with any squash!
Katie @ Produce On Parade says
I adore delicata squash! They are my favorite. Loading them with chili is so smart! I’ve never seen anyone come up with that, what an awesome idea. I feel for you with regards to lighting. With the time set back an hour, when I get off work it is now dark..at 5pm 🙁 It’s hard to fumble with artificial lighting if you’re new to it (like me!!) Todd has given me some pointers though. Put the lamp a little higher than the table, pointing straight and then angle it a bit. It gives a really lovely shadow/highlight elements. I did it (although a bit extreme) with my burger recipe below. Maybe you’ll find it helpful! Let me know your tips too 🙂 http://www.produceonparade.com/produce-on-parade/chipotle-maple-sweet-potato-burgers
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
The darkness makes it feel like the day is over as soon as I get home from work! Haha, I am a wimp. Thanks so much for the advice! I am definitely saving that tip. I loved the look of the pictures of your veggie burgers. These were (surprisingly, considering how much they suck) actually taken with natural light… but late in the day. I should have used plates that were less reflect-y. The light I ordered is supposed to arrive soon, I’m excited to cook whenever I want! Haha! I’ll let you know if I figure out any good tips, although I doubt there is anything I can teach you about photography, yours is amazing!
Laura @ the gluten-free treadmill says
This is why I love the fall (okay, another reason) – squash! I can’t wait to try this!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
There are so many reasons to love fall but squash is definitely up there :). Hope you enjoy!
Cheryl says
Mmmmm.. it’s only 10 a.m. but when I opened this in my email I felt a literal hunger pang! I’ve got to try some vegan red beans.. sounds *so* good. And I’ve never had delicata squash! I love that it’s a lot less high-maintenance than butternut, too!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Oh, peeling butternut squash is such a pet peeve of mine. Haha! You really should try these beans! Budget Bytes recipes are so reliably delicious.
P.S. I got your latest email, I promise I haven’t forgotten about it! Busy times with work at the moment :'(