VEGAN

Baked Butternut Squash with Quinoa

Main Dishes | World cuisine

⏳ Time

1 hour

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Baked Butternut Squash with Quinoa

Ingredients

Butternut Squash - 1 piece
Quinoa - ¾ cup
Tahini - 3 tablespoons
Olive Oil - to taste
Salt - to taste
Paprika - to taste
Chili Flakes - to taste
Pine nuts - 1.4 oz
Pumpkin Seeds - 1.4 oz
Cilantro - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 356°F (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Carefully cut the butternut squash in half, place it in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 1 hour. The exact baking time depends on the size of the squash: the larger it is, the longer it will need to bake.

Step 2

After 30 minutes, remove the squash from the oven and use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds; by this time, the squash will have softened and will be easy to clean. Then drizzle the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, chili flakes, add salt, and return it to the oven. Bake until fully cooked, checking the softness and doneness with a knife.

Step 3

While the squash is baking, prepare the quinoa. Rinse it and add it to a saucepan with boiling water in a 1:2 ratio. Add salt and herbs de Provence, and cook for 10–15 minutes or until the quinoa has fully absorbed the water. Then add 2 tablespoons of tahini and mix well.

Step 4

Toast the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, for about 3–4 minutes.

Step 5

When the squash is ready, fill each half with quinoa, garnish with pine nuts and pumpkin seeds, and optionally drizzle with additional tahini or olive oil, garnish with fresh herbs, and serve at the festive table.