Stuffed Butternut Squash A Festive Flavorful Centerpiece Recipe

The roasted butternut is filled with a rich, earthy, flavor-packed lentil filling, suitable for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. The squash is cooked with potatoes, herbs, and grapes; it’s festive, beautiful to look at, and delicious to eat. Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet. It’s low in cholesterol and saturated fat.Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!

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Like lentil loaf and mushroom Wellington, this dish looks spectacular, and you can serve it at the center of the table because it’s just gorgeous. You’ll love this recipe because it combines the sweet notes of the roasted butternut squash with the bold, rich lentil filling. You can make the filling with canned lentils or with dry green or brown lentils that you previously cooked in water until tender. To learn how to do this, check out our guide on how to cook lentils. We recommend cooking this with potato wedges and grapes for a visually stunning presentation and a delicious, flavor-packed meal.

Butternut squash

Get a whole, fresh butternut squash. Cut the squash in half and seed it, but keep the peel on as it provides structure to the dish. Also, the peel is edible once roasted, so feel free to eat it if you like. If your squash is large, you can make this recipe with one-half. If it’s a smaller one, you can use both halves.

Stuffing

Olive oil: substitute avocado oil. Onion: substitute leek. Garlic: fresh. Lentils: you can use canned lentils or dry lentils that you previously cooked in water until tender. To learn how to do that, have a look at our guide on how to cook lentils. Walnuts: substitute almonds or rolled oats. Canned tomatoes: we use crushed tomatoes. Substitute fire-roasted tomatoes. Soy sauce: substitute tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free. Dried oregano: substitute Italian herb mix. Salt and black pepper

Cheese or non-dairy cheese

We recommend adding some cheese or non-dairy cheese on top of the squash before serving it. The melted cheese adds that extra oomph that makes this dish extra festive. You can use grated parmesan cheese or any other cheese or non-dairy cheese that melts.

Potatoes (optional)

Yukon gold, russet, or red potatoes are the side dish of this meal. They cook in about the same time as the squash, so we think it’s a good idea to add them. They also taste delicious and look beautiful with the squash. We season the potatoes with olive oil, paprika, rosemary, garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Grapes (optional)

They look beautiful when roasted with the squash and the potatoes on the same tray. You can use both white and red grapes, best if without seeds. Also, baked grapes are delicious. They add a mild sweetness that is perfect for this dish.

Roast the squash and the potatoes

Preheat the oven to 380°F or 190°C. Wash and cut the potatoes into wedges and add them to a baking tray. Toss them with olive oil, paprika, rosemary, crushed garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper. Wash the butternut squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and place it in the center of the baking tray, pushing the potatoes on the sides. Season the squash with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Tip: if your squash is large, you can roast just one-half. Roast the squash and the potatoes at 380°F or 190°C for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the squash is knife tender. Don’t turn off the oven! Now, scoop out some of the squash’s flesh to make space for the lentil stuffing. Add the scooped-out flesh to the lentil stuffing below 👇 Tip: the butternut squash cooking time varies depending on its size.

Make the lentil stuffing

While the squash cooks, make the stuffing. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add chopped onion, minced or pressed garlic, and fry gently for 3 minutes. Add drained and rinsed canned lentils (or cooked lentils), chopped walnuts, crushed tomatoes, water, dried oregano, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat or until the mixture thickens and all water is gone. Add the flesh of the squash you previously scooped out and mash it with a fork. Stir to combine.

Stuff the butternut squash

Add the lentil stuffing to the hollowed butternut squash. Then add some grapes next to the potatoes. Bake for 15 more minutes. Tip: you can add quite a bit of stuffing as the squash is served as a main meal for 4 to 6 people. Finally, add the grated parmesan cheese (or non-dairy cheese) on top of the squash and bake for a few more minutes until the cheese melts.

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Mushroom Wellington

Mushroom Wellington is a gorgeous, meaty, fulfilling centerpiece for special occasions. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients like lentils, mushrooms, and walnuts. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, especially if served with our tasty mushroom gravy. Check out our mushroom Wellington recipe. Keep an eye on them and use your judgment to know when they are ready. Refrigerator: stuffed butternut squash leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freeze: we recommend freezing the stuffed squash right after stuffing it and before the second bake. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake for 20 to 30 minutes until heated through. Reheat: warm leftovers in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.