Arugula Risotto Stuffed Kabocha Squash Recipe

I went snooping around the internet looking at stuffed squash recipes and noticed that most of them involve rice. I have never made nor eaten a squash stuffed with rice, so this was news to me! Shows how much I know. Anyhow, this is what I came up with when I decided to try a rice stuffed winter squash.





Arugula Risotto Stuffed Kabocha Squash

2 Small Kabocha Squash
Olive Oil
1/2 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Cup Arborio Rice
Chicken or Veggie Broth, up to 5 cups (I used about 4 this time)
1/2 Cup White Wine
One Bunch Arugula (About 2 Cups Coarsely Chopped)
1/2 Cup (Or more) Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 Cup Grated Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 375

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Rub the cut sides with olive oil and place cut side down in a baking dish. Bake until it can be easily pierced with a fork or wooden skewer.

Dice and saute the onions in olive oil until very soft. Add the crushed or minced garlic, then the rice. Cook until the rice is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the wine and stir, once the wine has evaporated, add about 1/2 cup of broth. Let simmer until the broth has nearly evaporated, and keep adding broth in this fashion until the rice is tender. This can take anywhere from 25-35 minutes. When the rice is cooked, stir in the arugula, then the parmesan cheese.

Remove the squash from the oven and turn cut side up. Stuff the squash halves with the rice, you might not need all of the rice. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top and return to the oven until heated through and browned on top. I ended up putting them under the broiler for a few minutes to get the tops browned.