Stuffed butternut squash is the perfect choice if you are looking for a hearty, comforting, and delicious fall dish. This recipe transforms roasted butternut squash’s naturally sweet and earthy flavors by filling it with rich, savory stuffing.
Whether served as a main course or a side, stuffed butternut squash is an impressive, wholesome meal for cozy dinners or special gatherings.
Combining my love for cheese and French green lentils, I bring you a fantastic recipe to add to your squash recipes. Not only is it super easy to prepare—the oven does all the heavy lifting for you—but the flavors and earthy richness will make this dish your go-to by the end of dinner.
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Although you will have to cook green lentils a bit longer than usual, you will love the fact that they will not fall apart once cooked. Their thick skin prevents that.
In this Article
- Subscribe to Giangi's Kitchen!
- Why you will love this recipe
- Ingredients needed to make this recipe
- Equipment Needed
- Step by step on how to make this delicious butternut squash and lentil
- Pro Tips
- What dishes can you enjoy with this stuffed butternut squash?
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you enjoy this stuffed butternut squash recipe, you may want to try my other recipes.
- Stuffed Butternut Squash
My picky family and I say that with love, as they are used to French and Italian recipes coming out of my kitchen, enjoyed this dish. It was a change and a bit of a novelty for them. I report that they devoured it and were ready for seconds.
Why you will love this recipe
Easy – staple pantry ingredients and very little cooking on your part.
Vegetarian – This dish does not contain meat, making it great for your vegetarian friends and family members when they come to visit.
Great alternative to protein – The lentil contains a high amount of protein as well as fiber, which is fantastic for our bodies
Small gathering – this dish will be perfect for two as a whole meal or four with another delicious, easy recipe alongside
Butternut squash is healthy for you – a rich source of vitamin C and A, beta-carotene, and potassium.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Butternut Squash – medium size with no bruising. Slice it lengthwise and remove all the internal seeds.
Green lentils – have a thicker skin than regular lentils, which helps them keep their shape when cooked. The downside is that they take longer to cook. With this recipe, you will not have that issue, as you can prepare them while the butternut squash is roasting. Once cooked, you will love the texture. The flavor is fantastic and slightly peppery.
Shallots – I enjoy the softness of the shallots when they are cooked. Light in taste and not overpowering. If none is on hand, you can use a small yellow onion.
Olive oil – use a great quality olive oil to cook your shallots
Goat cheese – Have fun here. I used a Double Cream goat milk cheese from Vermont Creamery. I loved how it melts. Although it is not pretty to look at, I must admit the flavor was terrific. Regular goat cheese works beautifully, too.
Parsley – brings out the lentils flavors and it is a great compliment herb to the butternut squash.
Ground pepper and salt – your seasoning. Taste before adding as the butternut squash mixed with the lentils can be sweeter, but your goat cheese can bring a level of saltiness to your stuffing.
Equipment Needed
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Chef’s knife
Baking sheet
Saucepan
Skillet
Ovenproof serving plate
Step by step on how to make this delicious butternut squash and lentil
With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking.
This recipe is done in steps, worry not, one easier than the other.
Start with the butternut squash.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Slice in half with a very sharp chef’s knife and remove all the internal seeds and filaments. Place each half face down on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender to the touch. Large butternut squash will take longer to bake.
While the squash bakes, start cooking the lentils
- Start with cold water and add the lentils. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. The water will be dark; that is normal.
- Drain the lentils, place them in a large bowl, and season with salt.
Time to prepare the shallots
- Once your shallots are peeled and thinly sliced, please place them in a skillet and cook them over medium-low heat until soft.
- Add the lentils to the shallots, mix well, and stir in the parsley. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Final assembly
- Your squash should be done by now, fork tender. Remove part of the interior flesh to create a large hole. Add the removed interior flesh to the lentil mixture and mix well.
- Stuff your butternut with the lentil filling. Top with slices of goat cheese or the cheese of your choice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place your squash halves in an ovenproof serving dish and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes.
- As you can see, the cheese will not look pretty; however, what it may lack in beauty, it compensates for in fantastic flavor.
Pro Tips
- When you bake the butternut squash, use parchment paper on the sheet pan to prevent it from sticking and burning.
- Turning the butternut halves face down when roasting will allow them to cook faster as all the heat is under the thick crust.
- Adding the pulp of the roasted butternut to your lentil filling gives it a velvety, rich filling.
- I used a creamy goat cheese with the rind. Removing it before baking it will cause you to lose so much cheese; therefore, I left it, and it is good to eat, but you do not have to.
What dishes can you enjoy with this stuffed butternut squash?
We enjoyed it with a carrot salad, green Boston salad with a shallot vinaigrette, and just a simple vinaigrette, no shallots added.
The holidays are just around the corner and this side dish will work perfectly alongside your turkey, shiitake mushroom gravy, and roasted carrots with orange and brown butter.
Variations and Substitutions
The possibilities are endless with this side dish.
Variations:
- Add some Toscano kale to the shallots cooking to soften them out.
- Spinach added at the last minute with the filling.
- Cranberries, peeled and chopped apples add a sweet flavor to your butternut.
- Another way to add some crunch to your dish is to top your squash halves with chopped pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
Substitutions:
- I used a Double-Creme goat milk cheese; I love it. However, shaved parmesan cheese will work well. It has to melt, so grated works best. Goat cheese is another great substitute but beware that it may bring more of a salty texture to your dish.
- Yellow or Vidalia onions can be used instead of the shallots.
Storing and Reheating
This butternut squash will store well in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Bring it back to room temperature and then place it in a warm oven, 350F degrees, for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add more cheese over the top if you want.
I will not recommend freezing it as it will not maintain the same texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat the skin on a stuffed butternut squash?
It all depends on what kind of texture you enjoy and how you prepare your squash. I do not eat it as I find it tough, even though it will soften when baking, and with an unpleasant flavor.
Should I bake butternut squash cut side up or down?
By baking the butternut squash cut side down, you cfreate a chamber where the steam softens the flesh by retaining the moisture. I have tried both directions, face up and face down, and by far the face down cooked faster and in. my opinion was more flavorful.
Do you have to peel butternut squash before cooking?
No need to peel it if you are going to roast it. If making soups then it is suggested that you peel it to be able to cut it into chunks.
How do you know when butternut squash is done baking?
When you can see that it has lightly browned and can be easily pierced with a fork. The flesh should feel soft and buttery to the touch and easily be able to scoop it with a spoon.
If you enjoy this stuffed butternut squash recipe, you may want to try my other recipes.
Sausage Stuffed Butternut Squash
Green Acorn Squash With Honey Vinaigrette
Delicata Squash, Radicchio and Garbanzo Beans
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- ½ cup green lentils
- 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 5 ounces goat cheese
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F
- With a very sharp knife, slice the butternut squash in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop the seeds out of the squash. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, cut side face down on the paper and bake for 45 minutes.
- Place the lentils in a saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 20 minutes. Drain them and season them with salt.
- In a skillet or pan, add olive oil, and over medium heat, cook the shallots until they become translucent. Add the lentils and blend well. Add your parsley and remove from the heat.
- Once your butternut squash is baked, add some of the flesh to the lentil mixture. Season with salt and pepper the open butternut squash.
- Stuff your butternut with the lentil filling. Place the goat cheese cut into pieces over it. Season with pepper
- Place your butternut halves into an ovenproof serving dish and bake at 375F for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Dinners, Sunday Night Dinner, Vegetables
- Cuisine: American, French
- Occasion: Thanksgiving
- Season: Fall, Winter
- Type: Affordable Gourmet
Did you make this?
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