Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffed butternut squash makes a stunning centerpiece for holiday gatherings and draws admiring looks at any Thanksgiving or Christmas table.

The tender roasted squash is filled with a hearty lentil filling, rich with earthy flavors that will satisfy everyone around your table.

Roasted alongside potatoes, fragrant herbs, and grapes, this dish delivers an elegant and protein–rich main dish.

Stuffed butternut squash is one of our favorite lentil recipes when we have people over for dinner. It’s a delicious plant-based recipe with seasonal ingredients during fall and winter.

This dish relies on lentils as a protein source, such as lentil loaf, zucchini boats, vegetarian lasagna, and mushroom Wellington.

It’s a satiating vegetarian dinner idea because it combines the sweet notes of the roasted butternut squash with the bold, rich lentil filling.

You can make the filling with canned or dried green or brown lentils you cooked in water until tender.

We recommend cooking this with roasted potatoes and grapes and serving it with mushroom gravy, roasted Brussels sprouts, and apple crumble for dessert.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Butternut squash

Get a whole, fresh butternut squash. Cut it 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 smaller, you can use both halves.

Stuffing

• Olive oil: substitute avocado oil.
• Onion: substitute leek.
• Garlic: fresh.
• Lentils: You can use canned or dry lentils that you previously cooked in water until tender. Here is more information about how to cook lentils.
• Walnuts: substitute almonds or rolled oats.
• Canned tomatoes: we use crushed tomatoes. Substitute fire-roasted tomatoes.
• Soy sauce: substitute tamari, balsamic vinegar, or coconut aminos.
• Dried oregano: substitute Italian herb mix.
• Salt and black pepper

Cheese

We recommend adding cheese or non-dairy cheese to 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)

This meal’s side dishes are Yukon gold, russet, or red potatoes. They cook at 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, but they are best if they are without seeds.

Also, baked grapes are delicious. They add a mild sweetness that is perfect for this dish.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

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.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add chopped onion and 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 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 to the squash and bake for a few more minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve this stuffed butternut squash as a vegetarian protein-rich meal for your Holiday dinners. We suggest a menu that contains:

• Egg-free cornbread or cornbread muffins.
• Sweet potato soup
• Mushroom gravy
• Roasted Brussels sprouts
• Sautèed green beans
• Vegetarian stuffing
• Vegan pumpkin pie or apple cake.

Adjust cooking time: Our recipe is just an indication. Roasting time will vary between 30 and 60 minutes based on the type of oven and the size of your veggies.

Keep an eye on them and use your judgment to know when they are ready.

Make ahead: roast the squash without filling the day before and store it in the fridge. You can make the lentil stuffing up to 3 days before and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Hollow out, stuff, and roast the squash for 20 minutes before serving it.

Refrigerator: stuffed butternut squash leftovers 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.

VEGETARIAN CENTERPIECES: Mushroom Wellington, lentil loaf, lentil patties, stuffed eggplant, stuffed bell peppers, zucchini boats, vegetable lasagna.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES: Butternut squash soup, butternut squash risotto, baked butternut squash, ravioli, pasta, lentil stew, chickpea winter squash salad.