Oh heyyy delicious comfort food! There are so many good things going on in this Moroccan Lamb Stuffed Butternut Squash that I don’t even know where to begin.
And yes, I realise that name is a bit of a mouthful but I couldn’t find a shorter way to adequately describe this dreamy roasted squash dish.
So, let’s talk ingredients:
- perfectly roasted butternut squash that’s juuust starting to brown and caramelise on the edges
- a Moroccan inspired stuffing filled with lamb, veg and loads of flavour
- crumbled feta and a sprinkling of pine nuts for a salty, nutty finish
This is like all my autumn dreams come true. Although, seriously, autumn is looong gone in Edinburgh.
We currently have only one working radiatior in our entire flat. So that’s fun. I am all about the warming food right now (plus hot chocolate. All the hot chocolate…)
Anyway, I love how hearty this dish feels without being super stodgy. That said, if you fancy bulking it up a bit more, some cous cous mixed into the lamb would work really well.
Feel free to add whatever extras you like, too. I’ve kept things fairly simple but some black olives or sun dried tomatoes would make a great addition.
Although the Moroccan spiced lamb is rich and aromatic, the squash is what really brings it all together. This is one of those recipes that makes you wonder at how something so simple can taste SO good. Butternut squash + olive oil + salt + roasting = ultimate comfort food base.
I’m basically gonna be adding roasted squash to everything I can think of after this and I am perfectly happy about it!
Ingredients
- 2 whole butternut squash, halved and deseeded
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 1 green pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 500g lamb mince
- 3 tbsp harissa paste
- 100g feta
- 50g pine nuts
- handful coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180°c. Brush the butternut squash with olive oil and season with salt. Place each half cut side down on a baking tray. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the flesh is soft.
- Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Dice the onion and pepper, then add to the pan and fry for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon and stir to coat.
- Add the lamb mince and brown. Stir in the harissa paste and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is cooked through.
- Once the squash is cooked, remove from the oven. Scoop a little of the flesh out to make room for the lamb filling. Add this to the lamb mixture and stir to combine.
- Spoon the lamb mixture into the squash, dividing evenly between the 4 halves. Crumble the feta over the top and sprinkle with pine nuts. Return to the oven for a few minutes until the feta starts to colour.
- Remove and garnish with chopped coriander to serve.
This was delicious, thank you very much! Stumbled across your blog by accident but I’ll definitely be coming back!
You’re welcome – thanks for the lovely comment and so glad you enjoyed it!
My daughter and I just made this and enjoyed every mouthful. You have converted her to liking Butternut squash !! Thank you so much.
You’re welcome, so glad you both liked it!
Hi – I just made this for my Mum with cubed lamb instead of mince, I added some fresh chili and served with a pot of yoghurt, mint and cucumber on the side. Great recipe thank you! 🙂
Sounds great – glad you enjoyed it!
I’ve passed this on to several eole and they all love it as a autumn comfort meal which is satisfying and delicious. I’ve made it so often I now have made, a little pot of the moroccan mixed spices.
A delicious meal on a chilly day, whether autumn, winter or a day of perpetual rain in July, like today!!