Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew

Oh the trials of cooking 🤪, but it’s all fun right? I saw a recipe idea for a Moroccan butternut squash and lentil stew which just sounded so good. And it was good, but it could be better . . . Lentils were a little undercooked, and too much “cinnamony” taste, and not enough robust flavor. So, back to the cutting board again, and the next time it was perfect and good enough to share.

I made this on a night after having a big thick juicy steak so a meatless meal really hit the spot. There was plenty of protein in these lentils for me after that steak dinner! If you do some preparation in the morning, this meal comes together quite easily at mealtime. I cubed the butternut squash, diced up the garlic, onion, and carrot, took some homemade broth out of the freezer, then placed them all in the refrigerator for the day. You can relax the rest of the day knowing mealtime will be simple. This would be a great dinner to follow all of the heavy holiday cooking and get ready to lighten up for the new year.

I’m excited to share this, it is so much fun to play with a recipe and be successful! Trust me, I know how it feels when it doesn’t work also! 🤪

INGREDIENTS -

1 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
3/4 cup carrot, diced
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1/4 cup white wine (optional for de-glazing, stock could be used as substitute)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne (or to taste, this was plenty for me!)
3 - 4 cups vegetable stock
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 - 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 cup lentils
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper

In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, heat the avocado oil to medium. Add the onion and stir frequently to soften it and release the flavors. After about 5 minutes add the turmeric, cumin, carrot, and minced garlic. Stir frying these spices in the oil pulls their flavors out and they seem to permeate the vegetables better, this is a good trick for many dishes. Continue stirring the vegetables and spices together for another 7-8 minutes, most of the oil will be absorbed by then. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, or you could substitute with some vegetable stock.

After you have scraped off all of the goodness from the pan, add about 3 cups of vegetable stock, reserving a little in case your liquid to vegetable ratio isn’t right at the end. Stir in the allspice, ginger, paprika, cinnamon, and cayenne. Give your stock a taste test at this point and determine if you would like to add salt and pepper. My homemade stock usually needs salt and pepper added, but if you are using store bought stock it may be enough. Bring the stock to a simmer.

Add the cup of lentils and allow this to all simmer together for 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes and butternut squash and simmer for another 20 minutes. Stir in the tablespoon of lemon juice and again test to see if more salt and pepper are needed.

When you are ready to serve, top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro. This stayed great in the refrigerator for days, and I’m guessing it would be a good meal to reserve in the freezer also. Enjoy!