Stuffed Squash with Crab. Easy to make. Awesome to eat.

What’s not to love?

But I gotta admit, when I read the Facebook Creative Cooking Crew’s July Challenge “Stuff it!” I didn’t initially think Squash Stuffed with Crab.

Instead I wanted to stuff whole squid with spicy sausage and braise them in a tomatoes. But when I received my CSA basket and yellow squash peeked out from between the potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and onions, I knew I couldn’t resist.

Ready to cook? Squash Stuffed with Crab is simply irresistible.

That Squid Stuffed with Sausage recipe? Still on my bucket list. 

Squash Stuffed with Crab

Serves 4

Cook’s note: Squash can be made ahead and refrigerated up to twenty-four hours to save time, but mix crab and reheat just before serving.

• 2 acorn squash, or straight-neck yellow squash (six-eight inches long)
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 slices bacon 
• 1 pound lump crab meat, drained (sub any variety of crab)
• 2 teaspoon country mustard
• 4 tablespoons light mayo, plus more to keep moist
• 4 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, green only
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese, shredded

• Split acorn squash lengthwise in center, rub both sides w olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Place squash cut side down on foil lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven 15 minutes, turn and bake 10 more minutes. Squash will look opaque throughout and browned around edges. Let cool on baking sheet.
• Mince the garlic.
• Scoop out seeds from the center of the squash. Turn upside down to drain.
• Fry bacon on medium low heat until crispy and drain on a paper towel.
• Add the minced garlic to the hot bacon oil, and reduce heat to low, or turn off, if garlic starts to brown. Stir garlic in oil about one minute to release aroma and scrape up bacon fond in the process.
• In a medium bowl add garlic with bacon fond, crab, mustard, mayonnaise, Panko, and green onion. Stir careful not to break-up the lump crab.  
• Turn oven to broil. Fill squash with crab mix.
• Shred Parmesan cheese over the tops, enough to cover lightly.
• Place crab-stuffed squash under broiler for a five minutes, or until cheese and crab browns.
• Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to twenty-four hours.