This festive recipe for stuffed butternut squash with lentils and quinoa is a filling vegetarian main that’s as pretty as it is delish. Packed with plant protein and fiber, it’s layered with fun flavors and textures from tangy feta, pomegranate, fresh parsley and pecans. Sweet and savory notes make this a show-stopping meatless addition to any holiday table!
I love making my vegetarian stuffed acorn squash with tempeh “sausage” for holiday mains (or really anytime in the fall) but lately I’m craving Mediterranean flavored EVERYTHANG. Give me all the bright lemon and briny feta and parsley, please!
Beyond being ridiculously easy on the eyes, this recipe really nails the balance: ahem, healthy fats and protein to keep you full amidst the cozy carbs we all adore.
And I hear ya–prepping stuffed butternut squash can be laborious. That’s why we’re using canned lentils to simplify prep! Hangry for more shortcuts? Use pre-chopped kale and roast the squash a day ahead so the day of prep is a breeze. It looks impressive and I promise it’s worth it!
The low down on key ingredients
- Butternut squash: I developed this recipe with the goal of making stuffed squash both stunning and crave-worthy. Make sure your squash aren’t too small so that they can hold all the filling. While you can stuff a whole bunch of squashes, I find butternut to be the perfect sized vessel for a full meal vs side dish.
- Shallot, garlic and spices: My secret weapons for depth of flavor. I love how delicate shallot is here, but you can use onion in a pinch. Aleppo pepper is fruitier and more flavorful vs spicy which is perfect here.
- Lentils: I tested this recipe with dry green lentils cooked in the Instant pot and a can of brown lentils and the ease of canned makes them the clear winner. Chickpeas work great, too!
- Quinoa cooked in broth: A no brainer for building savory flavor. When I tested this recipe using water as the cooking liquid, the flavor fell flat. I use Better Than Bouillon.
- Kale: The vibrant green color adds the best contrast (and nutrient boost, thank you very much). Lacinato is less bitter than curly.
- Feta: Tangy, creamy and salty, good quality feta in brine makes this dish sing and adds moisture. Pre-crumbled did not bring the same wow factor in testing, trust me.
- Lemon and parsley: A punchy, bright dose of lemon plus the freshness of parsley are chef’s kiss for making stuffed squash that’s not boring.
- Pecans, dates and pomegranate: Final oooh and ahhh flavor and texture punches that elevate this from meh to YUM. Roasted, sweet, chewy and juicy. Don’t skip ’em!
Let’s make it!
Roast squash til nice and tender.
Cook shallots, garlic, and spices.
Add quinoa and broth. Cook then stir in kale to soften.
Stir in mix-ins!
Stuff, top with pomegranate and pecans, and devour!
Storing leftovers (and making ahead!)
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days and simply reheat in the microwave!
You can easily roast the squash and prep the filling a day or two ahead–then just stuff, bake, and dig in.
Don’t forget to holler in the comments if you make this and love it! Chatting with you is my favorite.
Print
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Mediterranean Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Butternut Squash
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Prep Time:
10 minutes -
Cook Time:
60 mins -
Total Time:
1 hour 10 minutes -
Yield:
4 servings 1x -
Category:
Main Meals -
Method:
Oven -
Cuisine:
Mediterranean-Inspired -
Diet:
Gluten Free
Description
This festive recipe for roasted stuffed butternut squash with [canned!] lentils and quinoa is a filling vegetarian main that’s as pretty as it is delish. Packed with plant protein and fiber, it’s layered with fun flavors and textures from tangy feta, pomegranate, parsley and pecans. Sweet and savory notes make this a show-stopping meatless addition to any holiday table.
Ingredients
Units
USM
Scale
1x2x3x
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and chop off ends. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds then place cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil over halves and spread it out evenly with your hands. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 45-55 minutes, or until fork tender in the thickest part. Remove from oven and lower temp to 400F.
- Warm remaining 2 tsp oil over medium heat in a large skillet or medium pot (this will hold all the filling). Once hot, add shallot and ½ tsp kosher salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic, Aleppo pepper flakes, and oregano and cook another minute. Stir in broth and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in kale. Cover and let steam for about 5 minutes until quinoa’s fluffy and kale is wilted.
- Stir in cooked lentils, lemon juice, parsley, dates, and feta. Taste and season with more salt and lemon if desired (I add at least ¼ tsp more salt).
- Scoop out some of the squash so there’s room to stuff it, leaving about ½ inch or so rim remaining on the sides and bottom. (I love eating the leftover squash mashed with butter or olive oil and salt, or freeze it!).
- Stuff about 1 ¼ cups filling into each half. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot. Sprinkle each half with 1 tbsp each pomegranate arils, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of olive oil. Fresh mint is an amazing garnish as well if you have it! Serve warm.
