Classic Stuffed Yellow Squash with Ground Turkey

If you ask me, stuffed squash is one of those meals that looks fancy but comes together without a fuss.

This recipe takes summer squash and fills it with seasoned ground turkey, a bit of tomato sauce, and peppers and onions. Everything gets topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese and a spoonful of salsa.

The turkey gets cooked with taco seasoning and smoked paprika, which gives it plenty of flavor without being complicated. Once the squash boats are stuffed, they just bake in the oven until everything is hot and bubbly.

It’s a lighter take on comfort food that works great for busy weeknights, and my family always goes back for seconds.

What Kind of Summer Squash Should I Use?

Yellow summer squash is the classic choice for this recipe, and you’ll want to look for medium-sized ones that are about 6-8 inches long. They should feel firm to the touch with smooth, unblemished skin – avoid any that feel soft or have wrinkled spots. Zucchini works just as well if that’s what you have on hand, and honestly, you can even mix and match the two for variety. When picking out your squash at the store, try to choose ones that are similar in size so they cook evenly in the oven.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is easy to adapt based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, lean ground beef, or even ground pork. If you want to go meatless, try crumbled tempeh or cooked lentils – just reduce the cooking time since they’re already tender.
• Summer squash: Zucchini works perfectly as a substitute and cooks the same way. You can also use larger zucchini boats if that’s what you have available.
• Taco seasoning: Make your own blend with cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder if you don’t have a packet on hand. Start with about 1 teaspoon of each and adjust to taste.
• Salsa: Diced tomatoes with green chilies or even plain diced tomatoes with a squeeze of lime work well here. You’ll get a similar flavor profile either way.
• Cheese: Any melting cheese works great – cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack for extra kick, or a Mexican blend. Even mozzarella will do in a pinch.
• Bell pepper and onion: Use whatever color bell pepper you prefer, or swap in poblano peppers for a mild heat. Shallots can replace the onion if needed.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking the squash during the initial boiling step will leave you with mushy boats that fall apart when you try to stuff them – stick to just one minute in boiling water so they stay firm enough to hold their shape in the oven.

A common error is not scooping out enough of the squash flesh, which leaves no room for the filling and can cause it to spill over the sides, so aim to hollow them out well while keeping the walls thick enough to maintain structure.

Don’t skip draining the ground turkey after browning, as excess grease will make your filling watery and prevent the flavors from concentrating properly during the simmering step.

Finally, removing the foil too early can dry out the cheese topping, so keep it covered for the full 35 minutes and only uncover during the last few minutes if you want a golden, bubbly top.

What to Serve With Stuffed Yellow Squash?

These stuffed squash boats are pretty filling on their own, but I love serving them with a side of Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice to round out the meal. A simple black bean salad with corn, diced tomatoes, and a squeeze of lime makes a great fresh side that complements the taco-seasoned turkey filling. If you want something lighter, a crisp romaine salad with avocado and a creamy chipotle dressing is perfect for balancing out the richness of the cheese-topped squash. You can also add some tortilla chips and guacamole on the side for extra crunch and to make it feel like a complete Mexican-inspired dinner.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your stuffed squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They make great meal prep for the week, and honestly taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to hang out together.

Freeze: These freeze really well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap each stuffed squash individually in foil before placing in a freezer bag. This way you can grab just one or two when you need them instead of thawing the whole batch.

Reheat: Warm them up in the oven at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes if refrigerated, or 25-30 minutes if frozen. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, though the oven keeps the squash from getting too mushy.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 60-70 g
• Fat: 28-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 35-45 g

Ingredients

For the squash boats:

• 4 summer squash (halved lengthwise and hollowed out to create a 1/4-inch shell)
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1.5 tbsp taco seasoning (I prefer McCormick Mild for the best spice balance)
• 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 cup bell pepper
• 4 oz tomato sauce (I use Hunt’s for the smoothest consistency)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 400 °F oven temperature

For the topping and garnish:

• 3/4 cup cheese (shredded Monterey Jack melts best for this dish)
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup scallions

Step 1: Prep the Squash and Preheat

• 4 summer squash
• 3/4 cup reserved squash flesh

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

While it heats, prepare your summer squash by halving them lengthwise and carefully scooping out the seeds and some flesh to create a sturdy 1/4-inch shell—reserve 3/4 cup of the scooped flesh for the filling.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and briefly blanch the hollowed squash halves for just 1 minute to soften them slightly, then drain and set aside.

This brief blanch makes them easier to fill and ensures they cook through evenly.

Step 2: Build the Turkey Filling

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1.5 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup reserved squash flesh from Step 1
• 4 oz tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks until it’s completely browned and no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the taco seasoning, diced onion, diced bell pepper, and the reserved squash flesh from Step 1, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and the seasonings are fragrant.

Pour in the tomato sauce and water, then stir in the smoked paprika for added depth.

I like to taste the mixture at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed—sometimes I add a pinch more salt or paprika depending on the brand of tomato sauce used.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld beautifully.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake

• blanched squash halves from Step 1
• turkey filling mixture from Step 2
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Spread the 1/2 cup salsa evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish (or similar size).

Arrange the blanched squash halves cut-side up in the dish, then generously fill each squash cavity with the cooked turkey mixture from Step 2.

Top each filled squash half with about 3 tablespoons of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided evenly among the 8 halves.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 400°F for 35 minutes until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the cheese is melted.

I find that covering with foil prevents the cheese from browning too much while allowing the squash to cook perfectly.

Step 4: Finish and Serve

• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
• extra salsa for serving

Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully peel back the foil.

Garnish each stuffed squash half with a pinch of fresh scallions for brightness and color.

Serve immediately while hot, with extra salsa on the side if desired.

Classic Stuffed Yellow Squash with Ground Turkey

Delicious Classic Stuffed Yellow Squash with Ground Turkey recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 700 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the squash boats::

• 4 summer squash (halved lengthwise and hollowed out to create a 1/4-inch shell)
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1.5 tbsp taco seasoning (I prefer McCormick Mild for the best spice balance)
• 1/2 small onion
• 1/2 cup bell pepper
• 4 oz tomato sauce (I use Hunt's for the smoothest consistency)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 400 °F oven temperature

For the topping and garnish::

• 3/4 cup cheese (shredded Monterey Jack melts best for this dish)
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup scallions

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 400°F. While it heats, prepare your summer squash by halving them lengthwise and carefully scooping out the seeds and some flesh to create a sturdy 1/4-inch shell—reserve 3/4 cup of the scooped flesh for the filling. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and briefly blanch the hollowed squash halves for just 1 minute to soften them slightly, then drain and set aside. This brief blanch makes them easier to fill and ensures they cook through evenly.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks until it's completely browned and no pink remains, about 5-7 minutes. Add the taco seasoning, diced onion, diced bell pepper, and the reserved squash flesh from Step 1, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly and the seasonings are fragrant. Pour in the tomato sauce and water, then stir in the smoked paprika for added depth. I like to taste the mixture at this point and adjust the seasoning if needed—sometimes I add a pinch more salt or paprika depending on the brand of tomato sauce used. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld beautifully.
• Spread the 1/2 cup salsa evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish (or similar size). Arrange the blanched squash halves cut-side up in the dish, then generously fill each squash cavity with the cooked turkey mixture from Step 2. Top each filled squash half with about 3 tablespoons of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided evenly among the 8 halves. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 400°F for 35 minutes until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the cheese is melted. I find that covering with foil prevents the cheese from browning too much while allowing the squash to cook perfectly.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully peel back the foil. Garnish each stuffed squash half with a pinch of fresh scallions for brightness and color. Serve immediately while hot, with extra salsa on the side if desired.