Lentil & Mushroom-Stuffed Butternut Squash
I’ve been working on getting this recipe up for about a month now, but I suppose better late than never! We are still in squash season, so there is plenty of time left to enjoy this recipe if you choose to make it at home. I think it would be a great one for the Thanksgiving table!
This recipe featured my single garden butternut squash from this year. Last year I couldn’t give away enough, but for whatever reason this year pickings were slim. That’s how gardening goes sometimes! Luckily my farmers kept me in good supply, as usual, so I am never without these seasonal gems. I can’t say I cook them like this often, but you can never go wrong with a stuffed squash for a nice meal.
I do adore fresh fennel, as well. Onions are great and all, but fennel adds that rich anise flavor, especially when you toss in fennel seeds for good measure. This recipe is allium-friendly for anyone who can’t enjoy the savory note that onions and garlic impart on so many recipes, but it still has plenty of flavor despite the absence of those cooking staples. If you don’t have enough of the fronds to use for the stuffing, dill would make a nice substitution. The butternut squash seed oil was from Olea Oliva! , and I very much enjoyed using little drizzles here and there this season. Though you can always omit if you prefer not to use oils, but I would add some healthy fat like seeds or nuts on top as a finisher to help absorb the fat-soluble nutrients in this dish otherwise. As always, many other subs could be made to use whatever ingredients you have at home–different mushrooms or leafy greens, perhaps an acorn squash instead of butternut. Cooking is always a good place to exert your creativity!
Lentil & Mushroom-Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, cut in half & seeds removed
- 1 cup dry brown lentils, rinsed & drained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bulb fennel, chopped (reserve the fronds to add in the mixture later)
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped I used oyster, but you could sub other varities
- 1/4 cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/8 tsp salt & pepper
- 2-3 cups dark leafy greens, chopped I used broccoli greens, kale or chard would be great subs
- 1 tbsp butternut squash seed oil to drizzle, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the halved butternut squash on a lined baking sheet, cut side down. Roast for 45-50 minutes, or until soft. It may take more or less time depending upon how large your squash is, but you want to be able to scoop out the flesh without losing the shape of the squash when you stuff it.
- While your squash is roasting, prepare the filling. Place the lentils in a saucepan with the bay leaf and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until just starting to soften. Drain, remove the bay leaf and set aside once done.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel and celery and sauté for 10 minutes, or until starting to soften and lightly brown. Next add in the chopped mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Finally, mix in the fennel fronds, rosemary and seeds, along with the leafy greens and cook for a few minutes to just wilt the greens. Turn off the heat, then stir in the cooked lentils and set aside.
- Once the squash is cooked, let cool slightly and scoop out the flesh, leaving about a half an inch inside the skin to support the structure. Mix the scooped out squash into the lentil and mushroom stuffing, then add to fill each half of the squash. You may have extra, so just save that for leftovers.
- Bring the temperature down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and return the stuffed squash back into the oven for about 20 minutes to warm through. Before serving, drizzle a bit of butternut squash seed oil over top for a nutty addition to the final product, or omit if you are oil-free.
We used the extra stuffing in tortillas for a little twist on the leftovers. I am never mad to have even more leftovers to spread throughout the week’s meals! Especially this time of year, meal prep is king in helping stay on course with good health and keep the stress of having to cook every night at bay. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a few treats during the holidays here and there, but I know I feel so much better with good food like this in me in between!
To all who celebrate, happy Thanksgiving and all the holidays coming up ahead! I am feeling very grateful for many things this year, and I hope the same is true for anyone reading this right now.
