This roasted stuffed butternut squash with cous cous is a fun vegetarian main dish, perfect for Sunday dinner or special occasions. Served with a side-salad it can be a meal as it is with the melted mozzarella and tahini making it more filling, but it also works well as a side dish if you cut into smaller pieces.
Stuffed vegetables always feel like a fun meal. You may like to also see my quinoa stuffed zucchini and quinoa stuffed squash for more tasty vegetarian meals!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Vegetarian main dish - there's always something fun about stuffed vegetables, and this makes for a hearty main meal.
- Fall flavours - makes the most of fall squash!
- Healthy - lots of nutritious vegetables and herbs to enjoy.
Ingredients
The main ingredients you will need are:
- Butternut squash - choose one that looks fresh without any bruising or wrinkles to the skin.
- Cous cous - a very easy grain to use, it works perfectly in the squash.
- Onion, bell pepper and zucchini - the fresh veg to stuff the squash with.
- Tahini - adds a lovely creaminess.
- Mozzarella - for that melted cheese that is so good.
- Dried basil - for flavour.
Variations on the recipe
To make this recipe vegan, you can omit the cheese or use a vegan substitute.
Step by step instructions
Making this stuffed butternut squash is quite easy, and the oven does most of the work.
Step 1: Slice the butternut squash in half length-wise, place on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on the size of the squash).
Step 2: While the squash is cooking, slice and dice the onion, red bell peppers and courgette (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.
Step 3: Make the cous cous by adding it to a large 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.
Step 4: Remove the squash from the oven and slice around the edges leaving about ½ inch 'lip'. Remove the seeds and scoop out the flesh of the squash, being careful not to pierce the bottom of the squash.
Step 5: Add the vegetables and half the scooped out squash to the bowl with the cous cous. Add the mozzarella and tahini and stir very throughly. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Add the cous cous and vegetable mixture to the squash and return to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes until the mozzarella has started to melt.
More main dishes to enjoy
Easy family dinner ideas perfect for busy weeknight meals:
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Recipe
Stuffed butternut squash with couscous
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash medium to large in size
- ½ white onion sliced and diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ courgette / zucchini diced
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 ball of mozzarella cubed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar optional
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- pink himalayan salt
- fresh mint
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the butternut squash in half length-wise, place on the baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 50-60 minutes (depending on the size of the squash).
- While the squash is cooking, slice and dice the onion, red bell peppers and courgette (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 large 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'. Remove the seeds and 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 cous cous. Add the mozzarella and tahini and stir very throughly. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Add the cous cous and vegetable mixture to the squash and return to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes until the mozzarella has started to melt.
- Garnish with chopped mint and serve immediately.
Notes
- tahini - sesame seeds score a '1';
- apple cider vinegar scores a '1'.
- cous cous - wheat scores a '1' and has a ? as a liberator - you can change up for quinoa for a change!
Laavs says
Is Cous cous Löw on Histaminse?
throughthefibrofog says
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!