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A roasted butternut squash half stuffed with a lentil mixture, topped with melted cheese, herbs, and bits of sun-dried tomato, resting on parchment paper.

Cheesy Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipe with Lentils

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  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 65
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This ridiculously flavor-packed cheesy stuffed butternut squash recipe is the epitome of comfort in a dish. With garlicky herbed lentils and mushrooms stuffed and roasted with dairy free cheese and dates that caramelize in the oven, this stuffed butternut squash recipe is hearty and delicious- the perfect side dish or main meal for any holiday or weeknight dinner! And the best part- it’s entirely plant-based, and you’d never know. No dairy and 100% vegan (and vegetarian!) friendly!

Ingredients

Scale

Roasted Butternut Squash:

  • 2 large butternut squash, sliced in half, seeds removed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Lentil Mushroom Stuffing:

  • 1 cup uncooked lentils
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
  • 2 cups vegan mozzarella, divided
  • 8 medjool dates, chopped

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash the outside of the butternut squash, then carefully slice it in half with a large kitchen knife on a cutting board. You can either keep the squash as halves or slice them into quarters for smaller portions (suitable for holidays with lots of other dishes!). Repeat for the second butternut squash.
  2. Finish prepping the butternut squash: Use a fork and spoon to scoop out the seeds. Then place the butternut squash halves and/or quarters onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, and sea salt. Then flip the butternut squash to seasoned-side face down to roast.
  3. Roast: Place the baking sheet into the oven to roast for 45 minutes at first.
  4. Cook the lentils: While the butternut squash is roasting, prepare the lentils according to the packaging instructions, cooking in the vegetable broth While the lentils are cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms in the next step.
  5. Steam or sauté the mushrooms: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Then add in the garlic and sauté again until lightly browned and fragrant. Pour in the rice vinegar and add in the mushrooms and sea salt. Saute the mushrooms on medium heat until they begin to soften, covering and reducing the heat to low to allow the mushrooms to keep cooking, about 5 minutes. Once cooked, add in the miso paste and chopped sage, sautéing until the sage wilts down and is fragrant.
  6. Stir in the lentils: By this time, the lentils should have finished cooking. Drain the vegetable broth from the lentils and pour them into the mushroom mixture. Bring the heat up to medium heat, and sauté the lentils into the mushroom mixture for about 3-5 minutes.
  7. Stuff the squash: Remove the roasted butternut squash from the oven (keeping the oven on!), and using oven mitts, carefully scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash, leaving about 1/2″ thick of butternut squash still in the squash. Place the extra butternut squash into the lentil stuffing mixture, along with 5 of the chopped dates and 1/4 cup of vegan mozzarella. Toss to combine. Then fill the cavity of the butternut squash with the lentil stuffing, being generous with each squash half and/or quarter.
  8. Top: Top the butternut squash halves with the remaining vegan mozzarella, along with the remaining chopped dates. Drizzle with an additional tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkling of chopped sage.
  9. Bake again: Place the butternut squash back into the oven to bake at 400F for another 20 minutes. Then turn the oven onto broil and broil the butternut squash for 2-5 minutes to caramelize the dates and brown the vegan cheese.
  10. Serve and enjoy! Remove the roasted butternut squash from the oven and carefully plate. Serve and enjoy!
  11. Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes.

Notes

See blog post for all tips and tricks!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 of 1 half stuffed butternut squash
  • Calories: 358
  • Sugar: 16.8 g
  • Sodium: 205.1 mg
  • Fat: 9.5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 67.3 g
  • Fiber: 9 g
  • Protein: 9.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Find it online: https://thebananadiaries.com/lentil-stuffed-butternut-squash-recipe/