If you find yourself with an abundance of summer "Cucuzza" squash, you're probably searching for a delicious recipe to make with it, and my Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew is the perfect plant-based, one-pot meal that is ready in under 30 minutes that the entire family will love!
Real Vegan Method™ Recipe
This recipe is part of the Real Vegan Method™...a simple step-by-step way to move beyond processed vegan foods and become a confident Real Food Vegan.
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love my Cucuzza Squash Stew Recipe!
My top 3 favorite reasons:
- An Easy One-Pot Dish Ready in About 30 Minutes: it's a fast one-pot weeknight dinner with minimal clean up and perfect for busy nights!
- 100% Gluten-Free + Vegan: no dairy or cheese and it's the perfect way to use this backyard summer squash in a flavorful Italian stew!
- Made with Clean, Real Food Ingredients: it's made with only 8 fresh veggies and spices and without any processed or faux vegan ingredients!
Karielyn
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The Method Behind All My Recipes
If you love clean, real food vegan recipes like this one, you'll love the method behind them.
The Real Vegan Method™ 14-Day Reset helps you:
- Move beyond processed vegan substitutes
- Cook with clean, real food ingredients
- Make plant-based eating simple + consistent
All my recipes - including this one- are based on the Real Vegan Method™.
This Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew is a family recipe handed down to me from my Italian father and the fresh Italian "cucuzza" squash I used came straight from his home garden.
Whether you grow cucuzza yourself, found it at a local farmers market or got it in a CSA box, this stew is the perfect way to enjoy this unique Italian squash variety.
You can feel good about making my cucuzza squash stew because it's a simple, nourishing, one-pot meal ready in less than 30 minutes, made with clean real food ingredients, perfect for Meatless Monday, and is plant-based, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and Medical Medium® Compliant.
"Feel good about what you eat..."
- Karielyn Tillman
Ingredients
Here are the clean, real food ingredients I used to make this recipe. Try to buy organic if possible.
Key Ingredients
- Italian Cucuzza Squash
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Tomato Sauce
- Avocado Oil
- Garlic
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Himalayan Pink Salt
That's it! My Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew is super easy to make!
Why This Recipe is Healthy
Here are "5 Fast Facts" of the primary ingredients in this recipe so:
- You know what is in the food you are eating
- You know that the ingredients are nutrient-dense and are nourishing your body
- You will feel good about what you eat
Squash
- excellent source of vitamin C, magnesium, and vitamin A
- full of antioxidants
- high fiber content
- contains 135 mg of beta-carotene
Tomatoes
- contains lycopene's which are cancer fighting agents
- high in beta-carotene
- excellent antioxidant
- high in vitamins A and K
- high in chromium which helps control blood sugar levels
Onions
- rich source of sulfur compounds
- excellent for cardiovascular health
- inhibits bone loss in women
- reduces blood pressure
- lowers blood cholesterol levels
Avocado Oil
- healthier cooking with smoke point of 500 degrees
- may help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome
- helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels
- provides protection from cardiovascular disease
- good source of Vitamin E
Garlic
- regulates blood sugar levels
- lowers high blood pressure
- contains anti-bacterial and analgesic properties
- anti-viral
- helps to lower cholesterol levels
Himalayan Pink Salt
- contains 84 minerals
- unrefined, unprocessed, raw
- promotes stable pH balance in cells
- controls water levels in the body
- aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption
Cucuzza Squash
This variety is very similar to yellow squash and is commonly grown in backyard gardens. One distinct feature is that it is HUGE! The squash below from my dad's garden was so big it broke into two pieces!
How to Make Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's how to make my cucuzza squash stew and I'll show you how easy it is with these step-by-step instructions below.
- Step 1: Prep the veggies. Begin with the cucuzza squash by cutting off the ends, peeling it, and slicing it down the middle vertically. Scoop out the center of the squash that contains the seeds. Then cut the peeled squash into small cube pieces, which will make them cook quicker. Next, cut the tomatoes and onions into small, diced pieces and set aside.
- Step 2: Combine ingredients. Combine all spices into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with mixture. Add the squash, onions, garlic and olive oil to a large skillet or Dutch oven and sauté on medium heat for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Next, add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir everything together.
- Step 3: Cook the stew. Cover and simmer for approximately 15 minutes, or until squash are soft and semi-translucent, stirring occasionally. If the stew is too thick, just add 1-2 tablespoons of filtered/purified water to thin it out to your preference.
- Step 4: Adjust seasonings. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference and serve as a main dish, over pasta, white rice, or spaghetti squash.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't have the Italian Cucuzza squash variety, you can still make the recipe with regular yellow squash or even zucchini.
This recipe is also very similar to my Eggplant, Tomato and Onion Stew which uses eggplant and would be another great alternative.
Even though this is a stew dish and is really good by itself, there are several options you could make to make the dish more filling.
For example, it can be served over pasta (my dad says angel hair pasta is the best!), quinoa, white rice, cauliflower rice, or even spaghetti squash.
Yes! The original recipe my dad gave me had real Italian sausage added to it (which I omitted to make it vegan), but you could always add vegan sausage or regular Italian sausage if you didn't need it to be vegan.
I usually don't buy vegan sausages because they are a processed food (and not gluten-free), but my dad insisted the recipe isn't the same without sausage. So, I used the Vegan Field Roast Italian Sausages (I bought them at Whole Foods) and not only did it give the dish extra flavor but even gave the sauce a little different consistency.
Here are the changes I made when I made a second batch adding vegan sausage which took the dish to another whole level of deliciousness:
Tip #1: I used (2) links of sliced Vegan Field Roast Italian Sausages and added them in the same step as the tomatoes and tomato sauce. If you didn't need the recipe to be vegan, you could use regular Italian sausage, although I don't know the preparation steps to cook it. I would think you would need to cook it first, separately, then add it at the same time as I did the vegan sausage.
Tip #2: In this batch, I used (3) cups of peeled/diced Cucuzza instead of (2) in the original recipe.
Tip #3: I used the original amount of red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon, but it was too hot for my boys so if you are feeding it to little ones or don't like spicy foods, you may want to reduce or eliminate the red pepper flakes.
Tip #4: This version will make approximately (4) servings.
I have another Cucuzza squash recipe my father gave me called Spicy Italian Cucuzza Squash Bake, but it is vegetarian and not vegan.
It also has two ingredients that are not "real food" ingredients such as vegan sausage and vegan shredded cheese.
You could use your favorite vegan cheese to make it 100% vegan.
Yes! Because Italian cucuzza squash is so large, freezing it is a great way to enjoy it year-round!
After peeling the cucuzza, removing center with the seeds, and cutting it into small, cubed pieces, blanche it for approximately (1) minute in filtered/purified water and then store in BPA-free freezer bags for up to 12 months.
Karielyn's Expert Tips
Here are my best tips to help you make this Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew recipe perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Peel cucuzza fully: the skin can be tough, especially on large squash.
- Dice small for faster cooking: smaller cubes will cook and soften more evenly.
- Use fresh tomatoes when possible: for the brightest and best flavor.
- Add water sparingly: cucuzza will release water naturally, so don't add extra water unless necessary.
- Boost plant-based protein: add lentils or chickpeas to make the meal more filling
Ingredient Substitutions
Italian "Cucuzza" Squash: If you don't have or can't find the "cucuzza" variety, you can substitute it with yellow squash, zucchini, or even eggplant. Whatever you use, peel the vegetable and cut it into small, diced pieces.
Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes will always taste fresh but it you're in a bind or don't have fresh tomatoes, you could substitute with strained organic canned diced tomatoes. Try to buy them in a BPA-free can if possible.
Onion: You could really use any variety of onion (with the exception of a sweet onion since this is a savory dish) but a white onion would be best.
Tomato Sauce: You can use 100% organic tomato sauce, or you could also substitute with organic marinara sauce if you don't have any.
Avocado Oil: This could be substituted with organic extra-virgin olive oil. If you need to make the recipe oil-free, you can sauté the veggies in veggie broth.
Garlic: Freshly crushed garlic will taste better than garlic powder, but it can be substituted with garlic powder or garlic granules.
Red Pepper Flakes: These will give the dish a little spicy flavor but if you don't like red pepper flakes or will be serving the dish to children, they can be omitted and add 1-2 pinches of organic black pepper instead.
Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, but feel free to use your favorite sea salt as a substitute.
Struggling To Eat Vegan Without Relying on Processed Ingredients?
If you rely on packaged vegan food and ingredients or feel overwhelmed trying to eat healthier, this recipe shows how easy real food vegan meals can be...without sacrificing flavor or comfort.
Ready to Learn How Easy It Is to Enjoy Real Food Vegan Meals?
My Real Vegan Method™ app gives you daily guidance, simple swaps, and step-by-step support to help you become a real food vegan...one small habit at a time!
Italian Cucuzza Squash Stew
Ingredients
- 2 cups Italian cucuzza squash peeled and cubed
- 2 cups organic tomatoes diced
- 1 cup organic onion diced
- ½ cup organic tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons organic avocado oil
- 2 cloves organic garlic freshly crushed
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- ½ teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies: peel and dice the squash into small pieces; dice the tomatoes and onions.
- Add the squash, onions, garlic, olive oil and Himalayan pink salt to a large skillet or dutch oven and sauté on medium heat for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until the onions become soft.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce (optional: add 2 links of vegan sausage) and simmer (covered) for approximately 15 minutes, or until the squash are soft and semi-translucent, stirring occasionally. If it gets too thick, just add a tablespoon of filtered/purified water until it thins out to your preference.
- Adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Serve as main dish or over angel hair pasta, white rice, baked potato or spaghetti squash.
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
Copyright Notice
The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.
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- or my Real Vegan Method™ 14-Day Meal Plan Program with 42 plant-based vegan + gluten-free recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!
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