roasted honeynut squash to satisfy your vegetarian foodie craving

Now you can indulge in a restaurant-worthy vegetarian meal at home without the hefty bill. Sweet roasted honeynut squash stuffed with a flavorful and nourishing vegetarian filling. It's incredibly satisfying. Perfect for a plant-forward or plant-based holiday meal or everyday fare.

What inspired the black lentils and caramelized onion filling? A Middle Eastern dish called mujadara (like this Lebanese mujadara and Armenian mujadara).

Sweet roasted grapes are an added surprise with each bite. I hope this will become one of your go-to stuffed honeynut squash recipes.

You can also pair this with a colorful roasted persimmon and brussels sprouts dish.

jump to:

• 🥘 main ingredients
• 🎥 cooking video
• 💭 what is honeynut squash
• 🔪 how to prepare
• 🍽 cooking equipment and pantry items used
• 📖 ingredient substitutions
• 💭 how to store leftovers
• 💭 what to serve on the side
• roasted honeynut squash with black lentils, caramelized onions, and roasted grapes

🥘 main ingredients

ingredient notes

• honeynut squash - you can now find them at farmers markets and certain grocery stores. It's sometimes available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, some Costcos, etc. You can also look for the 898 squash. It tastes the same and works as an equal substitute.
• I use beluga lentils, which are also called black lentils. They hold their shape well after cooking and their deep black color adds a stark contrast to the squash. French lentils will work too. IMPORTANT NOTE: old lentils may not cook, so keep that in mind if yours have been sitting in the pantry for years. You may want to pick some up at the store.
• Maitake mushrooms (hen-of-the-woods or 舞茸菇) have a different texture than other mushrooms. It adds a nice bite to the dish and they taste amazing when seared in a hot pan until you get crispy golden edges. If you can’t find maitake, you can use oyster mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms.

🎥 cooking video

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💭 what is honeynut squash

It looks like a mini butternut squash but with a lot more flavor. Michael Mazourek, Cornell plant breeder, created the honeynut squash.

It's super easy to prepare and made to impress even by itself. I look forward to the season every year ever since it started to show up in farmers markets.

The skin is thin and edible. Sometimes on lazy days, I’ll cut them in half and roast them in the oven to eat whole, with seeds and all.

🔪 how to prepare

honeynut squash prep

First, preheat your oven to 450°F.

Cut the ends off and then cut in half vertically (photos 1-4 above). Using a small spoon, scrape out the seeds (though, usually you can roast the entire honeynut squash and eat the seeds too!).

Place the prepared squash on a quarter sheet pan (9 in. by 13 in.) cut side up (photo 6). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

roasted grapes

Wash the seedless grapes and dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Place the grapes on another quarter sheet pan and toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Roast in the oven along with the squash for 10-15 minutes until caramelized.

It's okay if they get slightly charred, but keep an eye on them since the sugar burns easily. 

Prepare the other filling ingredients while the squash and grapes are roasting.

lentils

Sort through the lentils and pick out any small stones/pebbles or debris.

pro tip: This is the easiest and fastest way to sort through lentils (photos above). Pour the lentils onto one side of a small sheet pan. Then slide them to the other side with your fingers as you look through each section. You'll be able to easily pick out pebbles by looking for anything that's different in shape or color this way.

In a small saucepan, add the black lentils, 1 cup of low sodium vegetable stock, 1 pinch of ground black pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, then cover and simmer on low heat for 23 minutes.

mushroom prep

Slice the maitake mushrooms into 8 pieces through the stem as shown below.

Heat a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons olive oil and sear the maitake mushrooms. Flip each slice with a spatula until both sides start to brown.

Once the mushrooms have browned, season with 1 pinch of salt and then remove from the pan. Add diced button mushrooms to the same pan with ½ teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of ground white pepper.

Sauté until golden brown while stirring occasionally. Season with a pinch of salt (⅛ teaspoon), add in the minced garlic, stir and deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons sherry.

how to make caramelized onions

Peel and thinly slice a small onion (photo 1 below).

In a medium sauté pan (10- to 12-inch works well), add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and the sliced onions. Cook over medium-low heat while stirring every few minutes. Add 1 pinch of salt (⅛ teaspoon). Spread out the onions in an even layer each time you stir so they can caramelize evenly. Cook until onions are golden brown, about 25 minutes.

For a deeper flavor, you can cook the onions for an extra 30 minutes until dark brown (like the color of dark brown sugar). You'll need to stir more frequently near the end. This will increase the flavor exponentially and is worth the wait if you're in for a relaxing day of cooking.

pro tip: You'll know to stir when the bottom of the onions start to brown and slightly stick to the pan. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pan when you see browned bits on the bottom. Using the liquid, scrape the pan with a wooden spatula. This will keep the onions from drying out and burning.

putting it all together

In a medium bowl, combine the caramelized onions, roasted grapes, cooked lentils, and sautéed button mushrooms. Stir until evenly mixed. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the filling into the cavity of each honeynut squash.

Top each stuffed squash with a 1 tablespoon of yogurt, a piece of maitake mushroom, and a sprig of fresh dill. Sprinkle with a pinch of ground black pepper if you like right before serving.

🍽 cooking equipment and pantry items used

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📖 ingredient substitutions

• If needed, substitute black lentils with French lentils. It’ll work equally well since it has the same texture when cooked.
• For a vegan dish, replace regular greek yogurt with your vegan yogurt of choice.
• Can’t find maitake mushrooms? You can sauté oyster mushrooms or thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms instead. Or, omit this topping if you like.
• What if honeynut squash is nowhere to be found? That’s a bummer since it’s the star of this recipe! I don’t want this disappointment to weigh you down though. Good news is, the filling works really well as a hearty salad! You can add any roasted squash (butternut and delicata squash are top choices) and enjoy with all the same toppings. Eat it with plain basmati or jasmine rice for a larger meal. Trust me, it’ll taste delicious.

💭 how to store leftovers

Store roasted squash and the mixed filling in separate airtight containers for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat the squash in a toaster oven at 350°F for 5 minutes. The filling can be reheated in a microwave before scooping into each squash.

Add the yogurt, maitake, and dill toppings right before serving. 

💭 what to serve on the side

I sometimes serve this dish as a complete meal for simple lunches or dinners. It’s filled with plant-based protein (lentils), fruits, and vegetables, so I’m satisfied after eating two. 

You can make this quick and easy stir-fried morning glory (water spinach) to up your fresh vegetables. Or this sweet and savory green beans with basil dish is super popular!

Making this for a plant-based Thanksgiving or holiday meal? Roasted persimmons with brussels sprouts is the perfect visual and flavor pairing. You can finish with a simple Korean pumpkin porridge with sweet rice balls to make it a dinner your family and guests will rave about.

Happy cooking! 

~ Cin

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