Description
This Creamy Lentil Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe features roasted butternut squash halves filled with a savory, herb-infused creamy lentil mixture, topped with a luscious butternut-tahini sauce. It’s a comforting, nutrient-packed vegetarian main course perfect for cozy dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Butternut Squash
- 3 medium butternut squash
- Olive oil or avocado oil for roasting
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Creamy Lentil Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir, Shiraz/Syrah, or Malbec)
- 1 cup green or brown lentils
- 2 2/3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 3 teaspoons good-quality balsamic vinegar
Butternut-Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash flesh (from scooped out halves)
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons water or vegetable broth, more as needed to thin the sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Roast the Squash: Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on a baking sheet, rub with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes until the flesh is fork tender and lightly browned.
- Prepare the Lentil Filling: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onions with a pinch of salt and sauté for 9 minutes until browned. Add garlic, sage, and rosemary; cook for 2 minutes stirring frequently to avoid burning. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Lower heat to medium and pour in red wine to deglaze the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until the liquid evaporates and alcohol smell dissipates. Add vegetable broth, lentils, bay leaf, and paprika; bring to boil, then simmer rapidly for 30 minutes until lentils are tender and most liquid is absorbed.
- Finish Lentil Mixture: Reduce heat to low, stir in tahini, miso paste, and balsamic vinegar. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Scoop Squash Flesh: Once roasted squash halves are cool enough, scoop out flesh leaving a ½ to ¾-inch border around edges and bottom. Reserve 1 cup of the flesh for sauce and set aside the rest for other recipes.
- Prepare Oven and Stuff Squash: Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Fill each squash half cavity with the lentil filling. Place stuffed halves on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until warmed through.
- Make Butternut-Tahini Sauce: In a food processor, blend the reserved 1 cup squash flesh with tahini, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stream in water or vegetable broth gradually until a thick, pourable sauce forms.
- Serve: Drizzle the butternut-tahini sauce over the stuffed baked squash and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Use avocado oil instead of olive oil for a different flavor and higher smoke point during roasting.
- Leftover squash flesh can be used in risotto, pasta, oatmeal, or smoothies for added flavor and nutrition.
- If you prefer, substitute red wine with additional vegetable broth or grape juice for a non-alcoholic option.
- Mix up herbs by adding thyme or oregano depending on preference.
- If tahini is not available, you can substitute with almond butter or sunflower seed butter but it will alter the flavor.
- Make sure not to over-stir onions while sautéing to allow them to caramelize for richer flavor.
- This dish can be prepared a day ahead; store stuffed squash and sauce separately and reheat before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed butternut squash half
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 14 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
