Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Feta

Stuffed butternut squash is one of my favourite autumnal vegetarian meals. It can be easily adapted as a vegan meal too. As the nights are beginning to close in, and the evenings have more of a chill in the air, the satisfying smell of roasted squash wafting through the house makes my tastebuds jangle with impatient anticipation.

Stuffed butternut squash is eye-catching enough to grace a dinner party table, but is super simple to prepare. I have used butternut squash in this recipe, but don’t be restricted by my choice. There is such a large variety of squashes available in our supermarkets, so go with whatever takes your fancy.

I have used sage in this recipe, but it works equally well with coriander, tarragon, parsley or rosemary.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Serves 4 as a main course

2 large butternut squashes

1 tbsp coconut oil

4 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved

4 handfuls fresh spinach leaves

4 spring onions, chopped

Small bunch of sage leaves

Zest of one lemon

1 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Vegetarian option: 200g feta cheese

Vegan option: 4 tbsp nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

How to prepare Stuffed Butternut Squash

Prehead the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

Melt the coconut oil in a large baking tray, add the paprika and balsamic vinegar and then wipe over the halved butternut squashes. Leave the seeds in as it is easier to remove them once the squashes have cooked.

Roast for approximately one hour until the flesh is soft when pierced with a knife.

Scoop out the seeds and with a sharp knife, carefully remove the flesh of each squash half, leaving about 1 cm of flesh next to the skin. It might help you to wear a rubber glove to hold the roasted butternut squash while you trim away the flesh with the other hand.

Mash the squash in a bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, spinach leaves, sage, spring onions, feta and lemon zest and combine well. Divide between the 4 squash halves and roast in the oven for a further 20 minutes until the filling turns golden on top.

For a vegan option, omit the feta cheese and sprinkle with nutritional yeast just before serving up.