Twice-Baked Butternut Squash with Parmesan and Greek Yogurt Recipe
This Twice Baked Butternut Squash is a delicious and creamy dish made by roasting butternut squash halves, mixing the tender flesh with Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese, then baking again to achieve a golden, flavorful topping. It’s a comforting and elegant side perfect for autumn or holiday meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Squash
- 1 medium sized butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds removed
- 1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Filling
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup high quality grated parmesan cheese, divided (1/2 cup for filling, 1/4 cup for topping)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it is hot and ready for baking the squash.
- Prepare the squash: Place the butternut squash halves cut side up in a baking dish that can hold them comfortably. Drizzle with avocado or olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then rub the seasoning evenly over the flesh.
- First bake: Bake the squash for 35-45 minutes until it is just fork tender, meaning a fork can easily pierce the flesh but it still holds some shape.
- Cool and scoop: Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool enough to handle safely. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out most of the soft flesh into a large bowl, leaving about a 1/4 inch border of squash flesh intact in the skin to maintain its structure.
- Mix the filling: Add the Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper to the scooped-out squash flesh. Mash and mix thoroughly with a fork until creamy and well combined.
- Refill the squash skins: Spoon the creamy squash mixture back into the hollowed butternut skins and level it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan cheese over the top.
- Second bake and broil: Return the filled squash halves to the oven and bake for 10 minutes to heat through. Then switch to broil for a couple of minutes to brown and create a golden crust on top. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve immediately while warm and delicious.
Notes
- Be gentle when scooping out the flesh to avoid breaking the squash skins.
- Use high quality parmesan cheese for best flavor.
- If desired, swap Greek yogurt with sour cream for a richer taste.
- Monitor the broil step closely, as it can brown quickly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
Keywords: twice baked butternut squash, roasted squash recipe, creamy squash, vegetarian side dish, parmesan squash, Greek yogurt squash
