Stuffed squash with minced meat and dill sauce
Fiber-rich, healthy lunch
Stuffed squash with dill sauce is a real summer treat. The recipe was inspired by food blogger Zsófi Mautner’s recipe for stuffed summer squash with dill sauce. However, I used buckwheat instead of rice. I think this fiber-rich side dish is best with minced meat and lots of garlic. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t quite get it right. But in this filling, buckwheat came to life. Stuffed squash with buckwheat and minced meat combined with dill sauce combines traditional Hungarian flavors with the health consciousness of modern cuisine. The rich, spicy filling and the fresh, refreshing dill sauce create a perfect harmony in a truly satisfying and delicious dish. Don’t wait, try this fiber-rich, healthy dish this summer!
Squash: Young squash is best for this recipe. At the end of summer, I had an old squash, which I didn’t peel. It looks better in the photo this way. I didn’t eat it, I cut it up because it was quite hard. If you choose a young squash, you can even leave the skin on.
Buckwheat: Buckwheat is very healthy due to its fiber and vitamin content, but it has a strange taste. So far, I’ve found it works best in this minced meat recipe. It’s worth noting that buckwheat goes well with various types of onions. And it seems that roasted minced meat goes well with it too.
What is buckwheat good for?
- Buckwheat is high in fiber, which aids digestion and improves bowel function. Fiber also contributes to feelings of fullness, which can help with weight control.
- It contains zinc, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium.
- It contains significant amounts of antioxidants, such as rutin, which can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
- It helps prevent fatty liver disease.
- It has a beneficial effect on cholesterol levels.
Stuffed squash with minced meat and dill sauce
Ingredients
- 1000 g squash
- 100 g buckwheat (steamed)
- 500 g minced pork (with 7% fat content)
- 100 ml water
- 80 g cheese
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt
- ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 2 teaspoons sweet red paprika powder (Hungarian)
For the dill sauce:
- the rest of the squash inside
- 1 bunch dill
- 20 g butter
- 250 ml milk
- 20 g oat flour
- salt
- 2 teaspoons white rice vinegar (10% food vinegar is also fine)
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Wash the buckwheat. Drain the water and place it in a pot. Add enough water to cover it generously. Add about a teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook until completely soft. Keep an eye on it, as it can easily boil over. It is worth stirring it several times.
- When the buckwheat is cooked until soft, drain the water and let it drip off. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (374°F). Top and bottom heat with fan.
- Wash the squash. If the skin is not damaged, you can leave it on, but it's okay to cut it off. Be sure to cut off any damaged parts and both ends. You won't need this. Cut the remaining squash into discs about two fingers thick. I got 6 discs, which made 6 servings.
- Hollow out the edges of the discs with a melon baller or small spoon. Set aside what you scoop out, but only the part that does not contain seeds. This will be used for the dill sauce. The point of scooping out the flesh is to create a small rim where you can put the filling. Leave the bottom intact, i.e. do not pierce the disc, otherwise the filling will leak out.
- Place the prepared squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Salt both sides of the squash, then drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.
- Place in a preheated oven at 190°C (374°F) and bake for approx. 40-60 minutes. It depends on how tender the squash is. If it is tender, 40 minutes will be enough. Pierce it with a fork to check.
- For the minced meat filling, finely chop the onion and sauté in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced meat. Season with salt and pepper and fry, stirring frequently.
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of sweet red paprika powder on top and stir. Pour in a deciliter of water and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked buckwheat. Sprinkle with marjoram. Grate in two large cloves of crushed garlic. It's worth tasting at this point. It should have a garlicky, spicy flavor. When ready, set aside.
- When the squash is soft, remove it from the oven and fill it with the minced meat filling. Sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
Preparation of dill sauce:
- Heat 250 ml of milk. Set aside.
- Chop up the scooped-out squash flesh so that there are no large pieces left. Fry it in a little butter in a saucepan with a handle. Add salt. Be careful not to let the butter burn.
- Sprinkle with two tablespoons of flour. Stir immediately and let the flour cook for a while.
- Pour in the hot milk. Stir until thickened.
- Add the dill. Stir, then remove from the heat.
- Add the vinegar and honey. Stir.
- Pour it over the stuffed squash while it is still lukewarm, because it thickens as it cools.
Calories and macros
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