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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes

    Recipe | Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Quinoa and Fresh Corn

    Published: Jul 30, 2012 · by Nicole · Updated: Mar 4, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Quinoa & Fresh Corn
    Last month, my husband's parents visited us for a few days. We decided to stop by the state farmers market in Raleigh before going to Chapel Hill for the afternoon--the farmers market is HUGE and full of fun local products like muscadine grape slushies and sweet potato syrup. Oh, and there's the produce too--lots of produce!

    Pattypan Squash
    As we were strolling through the produce section, my mother-in-law pointed to the pattypan squash and asked what they were.

    "They're pattypan squash! They taste like zucchini."

    "What do you do with them?"

    "You can stuff them..."

    …and that was all I had. You can stuff them. That's pretty much the extent of my pattypan squash repertoire. Of course, there are other things you can do with pattypan squash, the rounder, squatter, UFO-looking cousin to zucchini. In fact, you can really use it in any dish where you'd use zucchini. Cut into rounds, it's perfect for grilling. You can also cut out the stem and flower ends, cut the squash in half, and then cut each half into slices. I did this with a pattypan squash I got from the garden this weekend and I sauteed the slices with long beans and corn (also from the garden!). Summer veggie saute, y'all!

    Pattypan Squash Saute with Long Beans & Corn
    So yes, you can do lots of things with pattypan squash. But it's still best for stuffing. It's the perfect shape and the perfect size. Somehow it feels like a wasted opportunity to do anything with a pattypan squash other than stuffing it. Oh sure, it was good in that saute, but it could have been stuffed!

    Because the flavor of pattypan squash is so similar to zucchini, you can use just about any zucchini stuffing for pattypan squash too (perhaps Parmesan panko, artichoke hearts, and sun-dried tomatoes?). This particular stuffed pattypan squash recipe has a protein-packed filling consisting of quinoa, fresh corn, and queso fresco. There's a little bit of chipotle in there too to add some smokiness and heat.

    This is what you do with pattypan squash.

    Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Quinoa & Fresh Corn Recipe

    Stuffed Pattypan Squash with Quinoa and Fresh Corn

    Pattypan squash stuffed with a spicy, smoky quinoa and corn filling. If you can't find pattypan squash, use zucchini, 8-ball, or yellow squash instead.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: pattypan squash recipe, Stuffed Pattypan Squash
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 396kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • cooking spray or oil mister
    • 6-8 pattypan squash 6 if they're large, 8 if they're smaller
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 2 tsp. ground cumin
    • ½ tsp. dried oregano
    • 1 small tomato diced
    • 2 ears of corn kernels removed
    • ½ c. vegetable broth
    • 1 ½ c. cooked quinoa which is about ½ c. uncooked
    • 1 chipotle pepper the canned kind, seeds removed and chopped + 1-2 tsp. adobo sauce from can
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • ¾ c. crumbled queso fresco divided
    • ¼ c. coarsely chopped cilantro
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 11 baking dish with an oil mister or cooking spray.
    • First, hollow out your pattypan squash. Slice off the stem end, then scoop out most of the insides. You want about a quarter-inch shell remaining. Discard as many of the seeds as you can, but reserve ½ cup of chopped squash insides. Place the pattypan squash in the baking dish.
    • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and oregano and cook 1 minute more. Add reserved squash insides, tomato, and corn and saute for 3 minutes, then stir in broth, quinoa, chipotle pepper, and adobo sauce (1 teaspoon for a milder filling, 2 teaspoons or more if you want it spicier). Continue to cook on medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup of queso fresco and salt and pepper to taste.
    • Divide filling into pattypan squash. Pour ¼ cup of water into bottom of baking dish, then cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Top with cilantro and remaining queso fresco before serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 396kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 18gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 482mgPotassium: 1040mgFiber: 9gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 2359IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 369mgIron: 5mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Baked Beans
    Garlicky Oven Fries with Harissa Ketchup »

    Vegetarian Recipes corn, gluten-free, main dishes, quinoa, summer, summer squash

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

      July 30, 2012 at 7:48 am

      I've never tried it before, and honestly, I've never heard of it but I sure like your recipe idea for it. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:22 am

        They are all over the farmers market in Raleigh! I very rarely see them at the grocery store, though.

        Reply
    2. Natalie says

      July 30, 2012 at 8:43 am

      I've never tried pattypan squash before but I'm very curious now! I've had a similar recipe bookmarked for a while for a baked tomato stuffed with quinoa, corn, and chiles, but I think I'd like stuffed squash even better!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:20 am

        You should! They taste just like zucchini, but I like the novelty of them because they come in different colors and shapes. 🙂

        Reply
    3. EA-The Spicy RD says

      July 30, 2012 at 11:50 am

      Gorgeus, delicious dish! I love the pretty colors of the purple beans and yellow squash. Can't think of the last time I picked up a pattypan squash, but I'll be making this soon!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:13 am

        Thank you! Pattypan squash is the same price as zucchini at the farmers market & since I'm a big fan of novelty, I find myself buying them instead of the more boring squash. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Jackie @ Domestic Fits says

      July 30, 2012 at 12:54 pm

      Is it weird that I think that this squash is Adorable?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:10 am

        It is TOTALLY adorable.

        Reply
    5. [email protected]'s Recipes says

      July 30, 2012 at 1:04 pm

      These pattypan squashes are so adorable. I am so happy to see those purple red long beans again.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:10 am

        See, I told you the long beans would make another appearance! 😉

        Reply
    6. Emily says

      July 30, 2012 at 8:09 pm

      Well, this looks delicious. I always thought you were just supposed to "look" at these, not actually eat them!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:07 am

        Ha! No, you can eat them and they are tasty. 😀

        Reply
    7. Heidi @ Food Doodles says

      July 30, 2012 at 8:23 pm

      Cute! I love pattypan squashes 😀 I have yet to try stuffing them though - I love the idea!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        July 31, 2012 at 8:02 am

        That's so funny, because I had no idea what to do with them other than stuffing them. 😉

        Reply
    8. April Decheine says

      July 31, 2012 at 9:06 am

      My Pattypan is flowering and then the next day the flower is on the ground, getting annoyed!! Looks really good, will have to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 01, 2012 at 8:00 pm

        That's happening to mine too! This was the only squash I got from about 20 flowers. I wonder if it's the heat?

        Reply
    9. Brenda Williams says

      July 31, 2012 at 11:30 pm

      This made me laugh....loved this post and the recipe too!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 01, 2012 at 7:24 pm

        Thank you! And it's spicy, so you'd like it! 😀

        Reply
    10. Genevieve says

      August 01, 2012 at 7:44 pm

      I tried my first pattypan squash last summer - the main reason I bought it was because its just so darn cute! But I also like to have different options from zucchini in the summer. I love the sounds of the stuffing you made - great use of summer veggies!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 01, 2012 at 7:53 pm

        They are SO cute! I love all the different colors they come in too. Even though I think they taste exactly like zucchini. 😉

        Reply
    11. Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says

      August 01, 2012 at 10:35 pm

      I've never heard of pattypan squash before today. I love zucchini but wouldn't have thought to stuff them either. I need to try this to change up our squash dishes!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2012 at 4:27 pm

        If you have a farmers market nearby, I bet they have lots of pattypan squash right now! At ours, it's the same price as zucchini and yellow squash.

        Reply
    12. BusyWorkingMama says

      August 02, 2012 at 1:20 pm

      What a cute squash! Your recipe looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 03, 2012 at 4:19 pm

        Thank you! And yes, they're darling little squashes, right? 🙂

        Reply
    13. Shirley says

      August 06, 2012 at 10:45 pm

      I've used them in a saute before, but they're firmer than I'd like so I usually opt for zucchini when sauteeing. But now I want to try them stuffed!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 08, 2012 at 10:51 am

        They are made for stuffing! 😀 They're the perfect size and shape. And just about any stuffing for zucchini will work in a pattypan.

        Reply
    14. fruitbowlk says

      September 12, 2012 at 7:24 am

      I have two of them and didn't know what to do with it thanks for giving me something to do with ingredients I already have in my house.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        September 12, 2012 at 3:26 pm

        I'm glad I could help--I hope you like it! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Diana says

      September 25, 2012 at 9:54 am

      I just printed this and it is going to be on the dinner table tonight.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        September 26, 2012 at 9:56 am

        I hope you enjoyed it! 😀

        Reply
    16. Penny says

      October 08, 2012 at 10:48 pm

      Hi!

      I just tried making the recipe and WOW is it hot. I relooked at the recipe and realize you wrote "1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded and chopped + 1-2 tsp. adobo sauce from can" and in my speed reading I thought that meant 1 can of chipolte peppers, not one pepper. Tasting it now I think you must have meant just one pepper. Perhaps you could clarify this in your yummy recipe!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 09, 2012 at 4:18 pm

        I'm sorry about that! A whole can of peppers would definitely be spicy! Yes, by 1 canned chipotle pepper, I meant a single pepper. I'll go in and reword that to say "1 chipotle pepper, from a can."

        Reply
    17. Nancy says

      August 25, 2013 at 8:31 pm

      This is just what I've been looking for. I call these "sunburst" squash which I believe is the other name they go by. I can hardly wait to try it. I will make one substitution and use the diced, canned Ortega chilis. They are not hot and I love the flavor. I have stuffed zucchini many times and it was just OK. I think these extra spices will zip it up a notch. It is interesting that all the other recipes I looked at say to bake the squash first. I have never done that and I don't see any reason to, which is why I like your recipe. Tomorrow or Tuesday. I already made zucchini-cheddar muffins that turned out great! There is most likely one out in my garden waiting to be made into a boat! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 26, 2013 at 8:13 pm

        Some people like their squash to be softer and either bake or boil it first (my mom always boiled it--it was so mushy and watery!). But for me, I like it a little more firm. 🙂

        Reply
        • Nancy says

          August 27, 2013 at 1:18 am

          Smack! Smack! I can hardly wait. I'm going to make these tomorrow. Since I have too many big ones, I will stuff them, cook them, and freeze them. I know that will make them mushy, but that's OK. I refuse to throw them out! Thanks for the reply.

          Reply
    18. Rosana Meza says

      August 04, 2014 at 12:57 am

      Just made this tonight and my hubbie and I loved it! The chipotle pepper gives it a wonderful smoky filling-just wish I had bought more squash at the farmer's market!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        August 05, 2014 at 12:30 pm

        Thanks for your comment - I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

        Reply
    19. Kim says

      August 13, 2014 at 7:25 pm

      Made this tonight. Very good! Don't skimp on the spices as they fire it up. We used red quinoa and the last of last years frozen corn and some liquid smoke as we were out of chipotle peppers. Filling, delicious and one squash was plenty for each of us. Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        August 17, 2014 at 8:22 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe - thanks for your comment! 🙂

        Reply
    20. Marian says

      July 05, 2019 at 11:59 am

      It seems like this recipe has been up here for a number of years but I just made if for a family Fourth of July celebration and had to leave a comment. I have a pair of vegan nephews and always try to make things they can enjoy. I made this stuffed patty pan squash recipe and realized I didn't have anywhere near enough patty pans and ended up using two zucchinis as well. I split them, hollowed them out, used their insides in the stuffing, stuffed them, and cooked them right along side the smaller squash in the pan. The non-vegans at the get together were eating so much I had to put away some so the vegans could get some! Really, really delicious, and easy to make. I did make two substitutes for things I didn't have: thyme instead of oregano and Italian roasted peppers instead of chipotle. I used this recipe for vegan queso fresco: https://www.thecuriouschickpea.com/easy-homemade-vegan-queso-fresco/ it was easy to make (just make it at least 6 hours before you need it). It melted beautifully and has a nice nutty flavor. Thanks for this!

      Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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