Filled with all the flavours of the festive season, this Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe is a completely delicious, fuss-free twist on the holiday roast.
Roasted butternut squash rounds filled with a lightly spiced chestnut, quinoa and lentil stuffing scattered with dried cranberries. This Christmas main is vegan, gluten-free and so wonderful.
This recipe was originally published December 3, 2017 and reposted on December 10, 2022 with new images, step-by-step instruction images and ingredients and substitutions.
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Why This Recipe Works
I am completely smitten with this stuffed butternut squash recipe. It's a little bit nut loaf without all the nuts, a little bit Christmas roast without the turkey and a little bit fancy without the fuss. The tinsel on the tree? This roast is -
Hello!
If you want a simple but awesome holiday recipe, this might just do the trick.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Butternut squash. As the recipe name implies we're stuffing a butternut squash but if you're lucky enough to be able to get acorn squash you could use that too. Cut the acorn squash in half and roast for 20-25 minutes before stuffing it and roasting it again for another 20-minutes or so.
Onion. Yellow if you can or French shallots would be lovely. You will 2 or 3 shallots depending on their size.
Garlic. Always.
Cooked quinoa. I use cooked quinoa in this recipe but you could use cooked brown rice or another gluten-free grain.
Lentils. Canned or cooked from scratch, it's up to us. I use brown lentils but you could use bulgur or Puy.
Spinach or any leafy green you like. You will have to cook greens like chard or kale for longer.
Dried cranberries or cherries add little pops of tartness to this savoury meal. You could also try chopped apricots like in my vegan wellington recipe.
Chestnuts provide a nutty sweetness to our stuffing but if you can't get them try chopped pecans or macadamias.
Nutmeg (not pictured). Adds warmth and a sweet nuttiness. You could substitute it for a tiny pinch of cinnamon.
Thyme works so beautifully here. I use fresh thyme but if you only have dried, add about a half teaspoon and taste. Dried herbs are always more potent that fresh. If you can't find thyme, you can try sage or rosemary.
Step-by-Step Guide
You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step 1.
To get your butternut squash read, lay each on its side and carefully cut 1½ inch thick slices. Using a small cookie cutter, cut a circle in the centre of each round to create a ring. Discard any seeds and cut the inside rounds in to cubes.
NB: If you don't have a cookie cutter, you can use a scoop to scoop out the flesh and simply chop the ends of the squash that you don't use into cubes.
Step 2.
Go ahead and place the squash rounds on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and pop them in the oven for 20 minutes.
Step 3.
OK, let's get on to the stuffing. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan over low heat and add the garlic, onion and fresh thyme leaves. Sweat them for around 7-minutes or until soft.
What is the difference between sautéing and sweating vegetables?
Sweating vegetables is a technique that uses a gentle heat to soften vegetables and gently draw out their flavour. The idea is to not caramelise the veggies, but instead, to allow the mellow flavours to mingle with the rest of the dish without overpowering it. Sautéing is done at a higher heat with less oil and the finished result is often browned or slightly caramelised vegetables
Step 4.
Add the chestnuts, dried cranberries, squash cubes and the butter and cook until the butter is melted before adding a pinch of nutmeg. Stir it up well.
Steps 5 & 6.
To finish the stuffing, add the cooked quinoa and your lentils and cook for a few minutes before stirring in the spinach. Season with sea salt and a good crack of black pepper and when the spinach has wilted remove the pan from the heat.
Step 7.
Keeping the oven on, take the partially cooked squash rings from the oven and place them on your kitchen counter or a board.
Step 8.
Carefully fill each ring with a good amount of stuffing, drizzle each with a small amount of olive oil before placing them back in the oven for a further 20 - 30 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
Remove from the oven and serve with a vegan gravy and sides.
Serving Suggestions
These lovely stuffed squash are full of vegetables, protein and flavour and will go well with most sides.
FAQs
You can. Well, sort of. You can par-roast the squash rounds and make the stuffing the night before or in the morning and then assemble them and finish roasting before serving.
Nope. You can use cooked brown rice or any gluten-free grain.
Substitute cooked chestnuts for chopped raw pecans or macadamias.
More Festive Recipes
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Make This Recipe
Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe
Equipment
- skillet
Ingredients
- 1 - 2 medium butternut squash pumpkin
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown (yellow) onion finely chopped, you could also use 2-3 French Shallots
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed and chopped
- 80 grams cooked chestnuts I use the vacuum sealed variety, roughly chopped, around a half cup (AUS) measured before chopping
- 120 grams cooked quinoa a scant cup (AUS)
- 400 grams cooked brown lentils drained and rinsed if suing using
- 20 grams dried cherries or cranberries roughly 2 tablespoons
- a pinch of nutmeg to taste
- 30 grams vegan butter around 2 tablespoon (AUS)
- 50 grams baby spinach 2 good handfuls
- a good pinch of sea salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C. To prepare the squash, lay each on its side and carefully cut 1½ inch thick slices. Using a small cookie cutter, cut a circle in the centre of each round to create a ring. It may take some grunt to push the cutter through and the rings may break; no matter. Discard any seeds and cut the inside rounds in to cubes. NB: If you don't have a cookie cutter, you can use a scoop to scoop out the flesh and simply chop the ends of the squash that you don't use into cubes.
- Place the squash rounds in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with sea salt and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or fry pan and add the garlic, onion and fresh thyme leaves. Sweat them for around 7-minutes or until soft.
- Add the chestnuts, cherries, squash cubes and the butter and cook until the butter is melted before adding a pinch of nutmeg. Stir well.
- Finally, add the cooked quinoa and the drained lentils and continue to cook for another five minutes before stirring in the baby spinach. Season with sea salt to taste and a good crack of black pepper and when the spinach has wilted remove the stuffing from the heat.
- Keeping the oven on, take the partially cooked squash rings from the oven and place them on your kitchen counter. Carefully, fill each ring with a good amount of stuffing, drizzle each with a small amount of olive oil before placing them back in the oven for a further 20 - 30 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and serve with a vegan gravy and sides.
Kat Varcoe-Cocks says
It looks amazing! I want to grab it right out of my screen. On the list for Christmas for sure.
Carol Haworth says
Can you use a different nut?
Amanda says
Hi Carol,
You can swap the chestnuts for chopped pecans or macadamias - they add texture and flavour. I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Helen Heron says
Can I make ahead, wrap and freeze? This looks delicious
Amanda says
Hi Helen!
Thanks so much, I think it's pretty delicious too.
To be honest I haven't tried to freeze. I've only made it and eaten it the same day. If I were going to freeze it - and maybe I will to check it out - I would make the stuffing, allow it to cool and freeze it. I would then made the squash rings and roast the lot together on the day you are going to eat it. I hope that's helpful.
Good luck!
Chris @thinlyspread says
What a lovely festive flavour combination and it looks so tasty I could just dive right in!
Amanda says
Thanks so much, Chris. I love the festive recipes - they make me so nostalgic.
Jax Cross says
Ah thanks, I can’t wait to try it
Jax Cross says
This looks so good. I’m going to have a trial run before I make it for Christmas Eve. Just a quick question- do you leave the middle of the ring to cook or do you add it to the other ingredients to sauté? Thanks
Amanda says
Jax! Thank you for pointing that out to me. What a goose I am. Yes, you saute the squash cubes before they go in to the oven. I have adjusted the recipe. Thanks again. I hope you enjoy it!
Choclette says
Oh yes please. Love squash, quinoa and lentils and these look perfect for a festive feast. It's always good to have new ideas.
Amanda says
This makes me so happy. I love this combination too! Thanks so much.
Natalie @The Tofu Diaries says
These look absolutely divine! I especially love the idea of including cherries in them. I totally understand where you're coming from about winding down a bit at Christmas - you don't need to be wed to the kitchen to have delicious food. Happy to have discovered your lovely blog for the first time, by the way!
Amanda says
Thanks Natalie! I always eat too much at Christmas and I am trying to avoid that this year. I am so glad you stopped by and am chuffed you like the blog. x
Nadia says
This is such a great Christmas vegan alternative! It looks hearty and filling, but at the same time not too heavy 🙂
Melissa Griffiths says
I love this simple, festive, seasonal dish. Looks delicious and I love the healthy spin!
Amanda says
Oh, thanks so much Melissa. I always eat too much at Christmas and I figured it didn't have to be so heavy this year. This way, there is more room for dessert. 🙂