Stuffed Butternut Squash with Beef & Kale

Overhead shot stuffed butternut squash with beef and kale on a baking sheet. There are drizzled with a brown sauce.

4.87 from 30 votes

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Beef & Kale

Stuffed butternut squash with beef, kale, and a cinnamon tahini sauce makes an easy and healthy flavor-packed meal. It comes together in 50 minutes with just 15 minutes of active cooking time. Full of protein, carbs, and healthy fats and paleo, gluten-free, and Whole30.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword ground beef butternut squash, Stuffed Butternut Squash, stuffed squash recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 518kcal

Author Kelly Nardo

Ingredients

Stuffed Butternut Squash

2 small butternut squashes, cut in half and deseeded
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion (60 grams)
1 pound ground beef (I used 90/10)
4 packed cups packed kale, chopped (140 grams)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Cinnamon Tahini Sauce

2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon water
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Prep your butternut squash. Using a sharp knife, cut your squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle the flesh with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast butternut squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place squash cut side down and roast for 40-45 minutes until soft and fork tender.
Make the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together. Add more water if needed. Set aside.
Make the beef mixture. When there are 10 minutes left on the squash, make the beef. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 1/2 tablespoon oil, and let it get hot. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add ground beef and salt and pepper and break it up with the back of a large spoon. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale and cook for another 2-3 minutes until it's wilted and the beef is cooked through and no pink remains. Add cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Stuff squash. Remove squash from oven, flip over to reveal the flesh, and let cool for a minute. Evenly distribute the ground beef mixture over squash halves. Top them with a drizzle of tahini sauce.
Enjoy!

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