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    Home » Comfort Food Recipes

    Vegan Lentil, Apple & Pecan Stuffed Butternut Squash

    Published: Feb 12, 2021 by Richa 36 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil & Apple filling is a hearty and satisfying plant-based main course for any winter dinner and makes for a showstopping holiday meal! Easy to make ahead of time!

    two stuffed butternut squash halves filled with apple and lentil stuffing

    Even though it’s February already I am still craving all things squash and pumpkin! And trust me, you too will love this easy Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe all fall and winter long. It’s a tasty vegan and vegetarian main dish with a flavorful stuffing made of lentils, apples, onions and pecans. It’s seasoned with plenty of spices and herbs and baked inside a halved butternut squash making for a beautiful presentation.

    Obviously this is a great healthy vegan meal for Christmas, Thanksgiving but really any dinner that calls for an eye-catching main.

    close-up of a lentil and apple stuffed baked butternut squash half in a white casserole dish

    I love me a hearty and meaty main dish that is meat-free (obviously). And this lentil stuffed butternut squash is a great way to show your family and friends that plant-based recipes can be incredibly satisfying. Nobody’s gonna leave the table hungry here and we don’t compromise on flavor either.

    lentil and apple stuffed butternut squash halves in a white casserole dish

    The apple, pecan and lentil filling is wonderfully savory and packed with such incredible flavor thanks to fennel seeds, sage, thyme and rosemary. Thanks to the brown lentils, the filling honestly tastes and feels a bit meaty, and sausagey which is crazy because there’s not even any meat substitute in it.

    More Vegan Butternut Squash recipes:

    • Vegan Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
    • Butternut Squash Carbonara
    • Squash & Red Lentil Curry 

    More Vegan Fall & Winter recipes:

    • Jalapeño Cornbread chili Casserole 
    • Pumpkin Mac and cheese Bake 
    • Vegan Pumpkin Sage Biscuits
    • Easy Pumpkin Cornbread
    • Pumpkin Sage pasta with Crisp Sage

    Recipe Card

    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil Apple Filling

    Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil & Apple filling is a hearty and satisfying plant-based main course for any winter dinner and makes for a showstopping holiday meal! Easy to make ahead of time!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time50 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: apple and lentil stuffing, stuffed butternut squash, vegan Thanksgiving recipe
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 298kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 1 large Butternut Squash or two small butternut squashes
    • 2 tsp oil
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • generous dash of black pepper

    For the Filling:

    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1/4 tsp fennel seeds preferably crushed
    • 1/4 tsp dried sage or 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
    • 1/4 cup (40 g) of finely chopped red onion
    • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 15 oz can of lentils drained, or 1.5 cups cooked lentils
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp onion powder
    • 1/8 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 of an apple chopped small
    • 1/4 cup (27.25 g) chopped pecans omit for Nutfree

    Instructions

    • Slice the butternut squash into half. Remove the seed box, then drizzle, brush all over with oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper.
    • Bake at 400 degrees F (205 C) for 45-50 minutes, or until cooked completely in the middle.
    • Meanwhile, make your lentil filling. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add oil, then add in your fennel seeds, and herbs, sage, thyme, rosemary, and mix in.
    • Add in the onion, garlic, and mix in, and cook until the onion is golden.
    • Add in your lentils, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and mix in, then add in the apples, pecans, and mix in, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through. Taste and adjust flavor.
    • Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Scoop out the middle portion of the butternut squash, leaving about half an inch in the squash.
    • Mash the butternut squash that you removed and lightly mix into the lentils. You dont want to completely mix it in, there should  be some blobs of butternut squash in the lentil mixture. Also if you handle the mixture too much, the lentils would start to break down.
    • Spoon the lentil mixture into the scooped out butternut squash. sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, or broil for 1-2 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and serve as is, or serve with a drizzle of lemon juice, or a side of gravy . To make this without nuts, just omit the pecans.

    Notes

    • If you don't find any butternut, use acorn squash.
    • Instead of apples, you could easily use pears - make sure they are still a bit hard or they will turn into mush while baking.
    • Walnuts or hazelnuts make a great substitution for pecans.
    • I used a mix of thyme, rosemary, and sage in this recipe, but you can use any combination of sturdy herbs, including oregano.
    • This is delicious as is but you could also drizzle it with some tahini or vegan sour cream.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil Apple Filling
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 298 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Sodium 447mg19%
    Potassium 1125mg32%
    Carbohydrates 48g16%
    Fiber 14g58%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 12g24%
    Vitamin A 19959IU399%
    Vitamin C 43mg52%
    Calcium 126mg13%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Ingredients for Stuffed Butternut Squash:

    • The filling is enough for 1 big butternut squash, or two small butternut squashes.
    • For the filling we use traditional fall and winter-centric stuffing:  apples, red onions, lentils as a meat substitute and pecans for crunch
    • We up the flavor of the filling with traditional stuffing seasonings like fennel seeds, sage, thyme and rosemary as well as onion powder for some umami
    • garlic is a must for me but you can add some garlic powder instead
    • salt and pepper – always!

    Tips & Substitutions:

    • If you don’t find any butternut, use acorn squash.
    • Instead of apples, you could easily use pears – make sure they are still a bit hard or they will turn into mush while baking.
    • Walnuts or hazelnuts make a great substitution for pecans.
    • I used a mix of thyme, rosemary, and sage in this recipe, but you can use any combination of sturdy herbs, including oregano.
    • This is delicious as is but you could also drizzle it with some tahini or vegan sour cream.

    ingredients for making vegan stuffed butternut squash on a marble countertop

    How to make Vegan Stuffed Butternut Squash:

    2 butternut squash halves on a baking sheet drizzled with oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper

    Slice the butternut squash into half. Remove the seeds, then drizzle, brush all over with oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper.


    two baked halves of vegan butternut squash ready for stuffing
    Bake at 400 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, or until cooked completely in the middle.

    chopped onion being sauteed in a pan

    Make your lentil filling. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add oil, then add in your fennel seeds, and herbs, sage, thyme, rosemary, and mix in. Add in the onion, garlic, and mix in, and cook until the onion is golden.

    lentil onion stuffing mixture and spices sauteeing in a frying pan

    Add in your lentils, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and mix in, then add in the apples, pecans, and mix in, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is heated through. Taste and adjust flavor.

    apples and chopped nuts being added to vegan lentil stuffing in a frying pan

    apple lentil stuffing in a frying pan

    Remove the butternut squash from the oven. Scoop out the middle portion of the butternut squash, leaving about half an inch in the squash. Mash the butternut squash that you removed and lightly mix into the lentils. You don’t want to completely mix it in, there should be some blobs of butternut squash in the lentil mixture. Also if you handle the mixture too much, the lentils would start to break down.

    side view of two stuffed butternut squash halves in a casserole dish

    Spoon the lentil mixture into the scooped out butternut squash. sprinkle a little bit of salt and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, or broil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve as is, or serve with a drizzle of lemon juice, or a side of gravy. To make this without nuts, just omit the pecans.

    Make-Ahead Instructions:

    Make the lentil filling a day or two in advance, and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
    Roast the squash halves a day or two in advance, and store tightly covered or in an airtight container in the fridge.  On the day of serving, stuff the squash and bake in the oven for 15 minutes !

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Margaret Formosa

      February 25, 2023 at 4:14 am

      5 stars
      Soooo delicious!! Will definitely be making this again 😊

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        April 03, 2023 at 8:42 pm

        yay!

        Reply
    2. Teri

      February 17, 2023 at 7:06 pm

      5 stars
      I forgot the sage (oops!), used 2 small apples, and a small yellow onion. Added 1.5 Tbsp capers – gives a pop of saltiness here and there. I will add parsley to the stuffing next time, and there will definitely be a next time!

      Reply
    3. VN

      December 05, 2022 at 6:07 am

      5 stars
      This was so yummy and hardy! I can’t wait to try it as leftovers!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 07, 2022 at 11:23 am

        I’m so glad to hear!

        Reply
    4. Cheryl

      December 03, 2022 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      I used acorn squash and chickpeas because that’s what I had. So easy and delicious! I will definitely be making this again. I’ll try it with lentils. Thank you Richa you saved dinner again. 😎

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 05, 2022 at 10:48 pm

        I’m so glad to hear, Cheryl!

        Reply
    5. Su

      November 23, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe! It was delish! 😀 I used walnuts because I didn’t have any pecans. I highly recommend this one.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 23, 2022 at 11:30 pm

        Wonderful!

        Reply
    6. Penny Roche

      November 08, 2022 at 11:02 am

      I’m new to lentils – which color did you use in this recipe for stuffed butternut squash?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 10, 2022 at 10:27 pm

        I use brown lentils in this recipe.

        Reply
    7. Keren Paquette

      October 11, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight. This recipe is so delicious and easy to pull together. Will definitely be making it again!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        October 11, 2022 at 7:53 pm

        Thank you Keren.

        Reply
    8. Lani S

      February 27, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      absolutely scrumptious.,would be great for Tgiving as well..I was very generous with spices and added two apples but oh was this good.

      Reply
    9. Lani S

      February 27, 2022 at 6:47 am

      5 stars
      Just made and so delicious. I used heaping teaspoon of everything and added 2 apples to make it sweeter. Definitely a repeater and perfect for Thanksgiving. Thank you as always..

      Reply
      • Richa

        February 27, 2022 at 7:15 am

        Awesome!!

        Reply
    10. Carol K

      January 19, 2022 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! Tonight’s dinner was a delight. My new-food-skeptic DH loved it, as did I. I had the ingredients on hand and it came together easily in the morning, heated up beautifully when I got home from work. Company-worthy in flavor and presentation, it was such a pleasant surprise for middle of the week. (No changes made).

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        January 21, 2022 at 11:42 am

        wow! checks all the boxes

        Reply
    11. PamelaB

      October 12, 2021 at 10:11 am

      Just look at the nutrition daily values on this! I really love it when everything comes together in such a wonderful way.
      Tasty & flavorful. Easy to make. Beautiful to look at. Seasonal eating. So healthy for our bodies & minds.
      Can’t wait to eat this!

      Reply
    12. Aimee Rohrer-Kraemer

      October 03, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      This dish looks like it would be so complicated- it’s not! I made it while helping my daughter with homework and in between folding laundry. It is phenomenally delicious and hearty. It tastes like fall. I can’t wait to show this off for company

      Reply
      • Richa

        October 03, 2021 at 7:04 pm

        Awesome!!!

        Reply
      • Kerri Mcnaughton

        October 07, 2021 at 5:50 am

        Does this freeze well? I am thinking of premaking some for the holidays

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          October 07, 2021 at 10:47 am

          yes, actually, squash freezes well – cooked or raw. just keep the stuffing separate

          Reply
    13. Kristýna Hájková

      April 03, 2021 at 4:47 am

      5 stars
      Just cooked it (with pears) for lunch, thank you for great recipe again!

      Reply
    14. Maneesha

      February 19, 2021 at 5:20 am

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe! I loved the addition of apple, pecan, and fennel seeds! I drizzled some tahini on top, and it was perfect!

      Reply
      • Richa

        February 19, 2021 at 9:22 am

        Awesome!!

        Reply
        • Shalina

          April 12, 2023 at 1:03 pm

          5 stars
          This is also a very baby friendly recipe! Minus the salt. My 15 month old twins love this and has been on monthly dinner rotation in our house for months now! We are not a vegan family but man is this delicious.

          Reply
          • Vegan Richa Support

            April 13, 2023 at 7:33 pm

            that’s so wonderful to learn, i’m glad they love it as much as you!

            Reply
    15. The Bollywood Bites

      February 18, 2021 at 4:31 am

      Thanks for this great recipe!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        February 18, 2021 at 7:16 pm

        thanks for stopping by

        Reply
    16. Jackie

      February 14, 2021 at 4:55 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! Came out perfectly!

      Reply
      • Richa

        February 14, 2021 at 11:49 am

        Awesome! Thanks!

        Reply
    17. Emily

      February 13, 2021 at 11:29 pm

      5 stars
      This was just the right dinner for our Valentine’s Day night in! So delicious!

      Reply
      • Richa

        February 16, 2021 at 12:38 pm

        Awesome

        Reply
    18. Louise M Harmon

      February 13, 2021 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      I was cleaning out my pantry & refrigerator, so I used a larger amount of red onion (3/4 cup) and lentils (2-1/2 cups). I doubled the amount of Fennel, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme to compensate. It came out SO GOOD! Will definitely make this for our holiday feast in November!

      Reply
      • Richa

        February 13, 2021 at 11:27 pm

        Yay!

        Reply

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