My dad brought home a couple of butternut squash and asked me to cook them on Father’s Day. Naturally, I couldn’t refuse. This is a simple, Korean-inspired and vegetarian recipe. Can’t find butternut squash? You can use a small regular as well. Ssamjang paste is a Korean chili miso paste that’s easy to find in Korean and Asian grocery stores.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 peeled butternut squash, cut into 2 pieces (one is the round bottom part, one is the long slender part)
8 shitake mushrooms, cut into quarters (stems removed)
2 tbsps onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsps Ssamjang paste
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 stalks of green onion chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Slice the the long slender portions of the squash into small cubes.
  2. Slice the round portion of the squash in half and remove the seeds to form 4 “cups.”
  3. Season both the squash cubes and the cups with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast in a 200 degree C oven. Cook the cubes for 15 minutes and the cups for 30.
  4. In a sauce pan, cook the mushrooms and squash cubes in the remaining oil. Add in onions and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.
  5. Add in the ssamjang and mix well, about 2 minutes.
  6. Stuff each squash cup with the mushroom and squash cube mixture.
  7. Garnish with green onion.