Here’s another of our Veganuary dinners which got a lot of you talking on Twitter and Facebook – Roasted Butternut Squash filled with Spicy Lentil Dhal. It is spicy, filling, and couldn’t be easier to make, so here goes:
Vegan 
Roasted Butternut Squash filled with Spicy Lentil Dhal
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder or garam masala or curry paste - whatever you have to hand
- 200 g dried red lentils or a combination of colours - I used 100g red, 50g puy and 50g green
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 200 ml passata or chopped tomatoes
- 1 green chilli finely sliced with seeds removed
- Handful fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Halve the squash, scoop the seeds out of the centre and brush the flesh with a little sunflower oil. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until soft and beginning to brown around the edges.
- Meanwhile, gently fry the onion and curry powder in the sunflower oil over a low to medium heat for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the lentils, then the tomatoes/passata and 200ml water. Add the stock cube and chilli and bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are soft. Keep an eye on it during this time - you may need to add more water during cooking to stop it catching on the bottom of the pan. Taste, and season generously with salt if needed.
- Scoop most of the flesh from the cooled butternut squash (leaving about a centimetre around the skin to keep its shape), and mash into the lentil mixture.
- Fill each squash half with dhal, then return them to the oven for 10 minutes to ensure it is piping hot throughout. Serve sprinkled with the chopped coriander and rice. (I served it with Tilda's delicious new British Curry Rice - well worth a try!).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Deena Kakaya says
Lovely; sweet, deep and spicy x
Woody says
Just made this and it’s lovely! Will definitely be making it again! Thank you for the recipe! ☺
thevegspace says
Great to hear that – glad you enjoyed it! Kate x
Laura says
This looks so tasty Kate! Also pretty good for WeightWatchers as butternut squash is free. I’ve pinned this for a try soon.
thevegspace says
That’s good to know re Weight Watchers, thanks Laura! x