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Home » Recipes » Dinner

Couscous Stuffed Butternut Squash

Published: Jun 24, 2019 · Modified: Sep 19, 2022 by Claire · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 2 Comments

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This couscous stuffed butternut squash is a warming and cozy vegan dinner idea, or side dish. Easy to make with mostly pantry staples and so delicious!

couscous stuffed butternut squash on a baking tray next to a bowl of tahini.

Hearty vegetarian (or vegan!) dinner ideas are always a go-to in my home when we are eating a little lighter and want to get all our veggies! If you're the same you may like to see my quinoa stuffed zucchini boats and my baked fennel risotto. Both so tasty and fun!

These roasted butternut squash stuffed with couscous are the ultimate comfort food dinner idea, or can be sliced and served as a side dish too. Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner I think! Delicious and very filling!

Jump to:
  • ⭐ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🍠 Ingredients
  • 📖 Swaps and variations
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 💭 Recipe tips and notes
  • 🍽 More tasty main dishes
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

⭐ Why you'll love this recipe

  • Vegetarian main dish - there's always something fun about stuffed vegetables, and this couscous stuffed butternut squash makes for a hearty main meal.
  • Fall flavours - makes the most of fall squash!
  • Nutritious - lots of tasty veggies and herbs to enjoy, with a tasty and creamy tahini drizzle.

🍠 Ingredients

labelled ingredients to make couscous stuffed butternut squash.

All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.

Some pointers on a few of them:

  • Butternut squash - as with all fresh produce, choose one without any bruising or wrinkles to the skin.
  • Couscous - a very easy grain to use, it works perfectly in the squash as a stuffing.
  • Tahini - adds a lovely creaminess. I suggest using light tahini for a lighter flavour.

📖 Swaps and variations

Use wholegrain couscous. If you prefer, this form of couscous can also be used instead of the more refined couscous.

Swap out the vegetables. I suggest keeping the onion for flavour, but choose bell peppers of another colour, or other vegetables such as finely diced carrots or fennel.

Add garlic. If you a garlic lover, a clove or two can be included along with the onion and vegetables.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Making this couscous stuffed butternut squash is quite easy, and the oven does most of the work. Just a few steps:

butternut squash halves on a lined baking tray labelled number one.
diced bell pepper, onion and zucchini on a wooden board labelled number two.

Step 1

Slice the butternut squash in half lengthways and use a spoon to remove the seeds, place on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil (image 1). Bake for 45-60 minutes (cook time will vary depending on the size of the squash).

Step 2

While the squash is cooking, dice the onion, red bell peppers and zucchini (image 2).

Recipe tip: use a pastry brush to coat the squash in the olive oil.

diced vegetables in a light grey skillet labelled number three.
couscous in a glass bowl labelled number four.

Step 3

In a little olive oil first fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until softened, and then add the other vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes until they have also softened (image 3).

Step 4

Make the couscous by adding it to a small bowl with the dried basil and apple cider vinegar (if using) and pouring over boiling water. Cover with a plate. Leave for about 5 minutes and once cooked fluff up with a fork (image 4).

scooped out butternut squash on a lined baking tray labelled number five.
couscous stuffed butternut squash on a lined baking tray labelled number six.

Step 5

Remove the squash from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, slice around the edges leaving about ½ inch 'lip'. Scoop out the flesh of the squash, being careful not to pierce the bottom of the squash (image 5).

Step 6

Add the vegetables and half the scooped out squash to a bowl with the couscous. Pour in the tahini and stir very throughly. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Add the mixture to the squash and return to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes until cooked through and softened (image 6).

If you wish, make a quick tahini dressing and drizzle over the squash to serve, along with some fresh parsley or herb of choice.

💭 Recipe tips and notes

  • Adjust the amount of vegetables and couscous used slightly depending upon the size of your butternut squash. This recipe is for a medium sized squash.
  • Be careful not to pierce through the skin when scooping out the flesh. Using a small teaspoon tends to be a good idea!
  • Make sure to fully soften the vegetables in the skillet. We aren't baking them for too long once in the stuffing, so they need to be cooked through beforehand.
couscous stuffed butternut squash on a baking tray with a bowl of tahini.

🍽 More tasty main dishes

Easy family dinner ideas perfect for busy weeknight meals are always needed I think. Why not try my fun sweet potato fritters or my pan fried panko chicken! Some more ideas:

  • mascarpone pesto pasta on a white plate next to basil leaves.
    Mascarpone Pesto Pasta
  • cottage cheese stuffed chicken breast with asparagus and mashed potatoes on a plate.
    Cottage Cheese Stuffed Chicken
  • air fryer chicken and vegetables on a plate garnished with fresh parsley.
    Air Fryer Chicken and Vegetables
  • creamy pesto gnocchi in a white bowl with a spoon next to fresh basil leaves.
    Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes. And please do leave a star rating ⭐ if you've tried the recipe!

📖 Recipe

couscous stuffed butternut squash drizzled with tahini and herbs on a lined baking tray.

Couscous Stuffed Butternut Squash

Claire
Perfect as a meal by itself or a side-dish, this butternut squash stuffed with tahini cous cous is a tasty comfort food dish suitable for a vegan diet. Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side dish.
5 from 1 vote
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine American, British
Servings 2 servings
Calories 491 kcal

Equipment

  • Skillet
  • Parchment paper
  • Small bowl

Ingredients
  

  • 1 butternut squash medium size
  • ½ white onion sliced and diced
  • ½ red bell pepper diced
  • ½ zucchini diced
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • ¼ cup couscous
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • salt
  • fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C / 360F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Slice the butternut squash in half lengthways and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Place on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Use a pastry brush to brush the oil over the surface of the squash. Bake for 45-60 minutes (depending on the size of the squash).
  • While the squash is cooking, slice and dice the onion, red bell peppers and zucchini.
  • In a little olive oil first fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until softened, and then add the other vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes until they have also softened.
  • Make the cous cous by adding it to a small bowl with the dried basil and apple cider vinegar (if using) and pouring over boiling water. Cover with a plate. Leave for about 5 minutes and once cooked fluff up with a fork.
  • Remove the squash from the oven and slice around the edges leaving about ½ inch 'lip'. Scoop out the flesh of the squash, being careful not to pierce the bottom of the squash.
  • Add the vegetables and half the scooped out squash to the bowl with the couscous. Pour in the tahini and stir very throughly. Season with salt to taste. Add the couscous mixture to the squash and return to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes.
  • If you wish, make a simple tahini drizzle by combing 2 tablespoon of tahini with 5 tablespoon of water and stirring until it becomes creamy. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Use a pastry brush to coat the squash in olive oil before roasting in the oven.
  • Be careful not to pierce through the skin of the butternut squash when removing the flesh. Using a teaspoon is best in my experience.
  • Adjust the quantity of the couscous and vegetables slightly depending upon the size of the squash.
  • Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
 
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI), food compatibility list 
All ingredients in this recipe score a '0' on the SIGHI scale, with the exception of:
  • tahini - sesame seeds score a '1';
  • apple cider vinegar scores a '1'.
  • couscous - wheat scores a '1' and has a ? as a liberator - you can change up for quinoa for a change!

Nutrition

Calories: 491kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 10gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 29mgPotassium: 1671mgFiber: 11gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 40906IUVitamin C: 128mgCalcium: 234mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @lowhistaminekitchen or tag #lowhistaminekitchen!
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Comments

  1. Laavs says

    January 27, 2020 at 10:51 am

    Is Cous cous Löw on Histaminse?

    Reply
    • throughthefibrofog says

      January 27, 2020 at 11:31 am

      So cous cous is made of wheat, which scores 0 on the SIGHI food list for histamine. I would consider this to be low histamine, but some people prefer to stick to foods scoring 0 depending upon their symptoms and sensitivities. If you prefer to be wheat-free then you could cook up some quinoa and use that in the recipe instead. Hope it works out for you!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Claire. After a diagnosis of MCAS I began to follow a low histamine diet, which has helped me manage my symptoms. Here I hope to show that a restrictive diet can still be full of flavourful meals, and help you enjoy being creative in the kitchen.

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