Butternut Squash Stuffed with Roasted Chickpeas, Cauliflower Crumble, and Oats
Butternut squash, my dear friends, is a magical, wonderful vegetable.
Why?
First of all, even though it's orange like a sweet potato and can easily be confused with one after cooking, butternut squash contains significantly fewer carbohydrates and calories.
Like the sweet potato, it also contains a wealth of important minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
I love to roast the butternut squash whole. Just like that.
Place it in the oven on a baking tray and let it cook in its own juices.
Believe me, you don't need anything: no oil, no salt.
Just an oven, high heat, and time. That's it.
In this recipe, I've upgraded the squash slightly and stuffed it with crunchy roasted chickpeas, plus a cauliflower and oat crumble.
I added a few extras like crushed tomatoes with garlic and a small cilantro and kale salad on top, to make it a celebration for the eyes and the heart.
A little bit of investment and you have a beautiful, interesting appetizer or main course for the holiday table, Friday night dinner, or when you just want to treat someone you love.
A bit about stuffed butternut squash
This recipe is based on a whole roasted butternut squash. You can swap it for acorn squash or, if you managed to find another type of pumpkin, go for it.
Between the roasted chickpeas and the squash, I added a bit of crushed tomatoes with garlic to add some juiciness to the dish. (The same style of tomatoes used for Jachnun).
Don't like tomatoes?
No problem: swap them for eggplant salad, crushed zucchini with garlic, or even green tahini. Go with the flow. The main thing is to create juiciness.
The chickpeas I used are canned; you can happily use frozen chickpeas or even those you've cooked yourself.
Don't like chickpeas? You can replace them with canned red beans, lupin beans, green peas, or tofu cubes (I could go on, but I think you get the picture).
The cauliflower and oat crumble is a festive option that provides crunchiness and a fun flavor boost.
I added oats so they would absorb the sauce's flavors along with the cauliflower. Want to save 25 kcal per serving? Leave them out.
The cilantro and kale salad at the top of the tower is the cherry on top, giving freshness to the whole dish.
Don't want kale or cilantro? Make a salad out of whatever you like.
Nutritional values for stuffed butternut squash by nutritionist Noam Bechar:
\nOne serving (half a squash with 100g chickpeas, total weight 400g) contains:
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- 410 kcal \n
- 12g protein \n
- 43g carbohydrates \n
- 22g fat (of which 3g saturated fat) \n
Want another festive recipe for Shavuot? Click here
\n![\"Butternut](\"https://yfgbdfvmzsosjicbvyjp.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/wp/c2fcc83be035dc53.jpg\")
Butternut Squash Stuffed with Chickpeas and Cauliflower Crumble
\n\tA festive, beautiful, and exceptionally healthy dish
\tIngredients
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- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twhole medium-sized butternut squash\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3/4\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcan\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcooked chickpeas\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t200g\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttsp\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcumin\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttsp\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tturmeric\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttsp\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tchili flakes\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpinch of salt\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tjuice of a whole lemon\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttbsp\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tolive oil\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgrated tomatoes\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tgrated on a grater\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tminced garlic cloves\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3-4\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tcauliflower florets\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t50g\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ttbsp\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tinstant oats\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t33g\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpinch\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tchopped cilantro\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
- \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpinch\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tchopped kale\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\ul>\n\t\t
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 220°C.
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Place the butternut squash whole, as it is without cutting it, on a baking tray and roast for about an hour until it softens. The skin will char completely; this is normal.
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While the squash is in the oven, add one teaspoon of cumin, one teaspoon of turmeric, one teaspoon of chili flakes, a little salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a bowl and mix well.
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Add the chickpeas and mix well.
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Transfer the chickpeas to a baking tray and spread them out with a spoon.
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Roast in the oven for about half an hour until the chickpeas are crispy.
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Transfer the fresh cauliflower florets to a food processor and pulse until you get a rice-like texture. Don't over-process, or you'll get a puree (unless you want a puree).
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In a bowl, mix the cauliflower with the oats, a teaspoon of cumin, juice from half a lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a little salt.
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Grate the tomatoes and add 2 minced garlic cloves.
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Assembling the Butternut Squash:
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Cut the roasted squash in half lengthways on the baking tray.
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Use a spoon to remove the seeds.
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Fill the cavity of the squash with the crushed tomatoes, followed by the roasted chickpeas, and top with the cauliflower crumble.
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Return the squash to the oven for another 15 minutes of roasting until the crumble is golden brown.
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Before serving, top with a bit of chopped cilantro, kale, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
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