Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice & Feta

• 150 gfeta cheese, crumbled
• 200 gdry basmati and wild rice blend (85% basmati, 15% wild rice)
• 2medium butternut squashes, halved lengthways, seeds scooped
• 1red onion, finely diced
• 2cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 2 tspground cumin
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 30 gsweetened dried cranberries
• 50 gpine nuts, toasted
• 1lemon, zested and juiced
• 15 gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsptahini
• 15 gmint leaves, roughly torn
• Fine salt and black pepper
• 200 gchopped tomato, cucumber and lettuce salad, dressed with 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 180°C fan. Brush the squash halves all over with 2 tbsp olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Put them cut-side down on two shallow roasting trays with space around each half.
2. 2Roast for 50–60 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until a knife slides easily into the thickest flesh. Start checking at 45 minutes if the squash are small; large halves may need another 10–15 minutes. Tender flesh matters more than the clock, because the final bake mainly heats the filling.
3. 3Meanwhile, cook the wild rice blend following its packet timing, then drain well. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the red onion for 5–6 minutes until softened, then add the garlic for 30 seconds. If the pine nuts are not already toasted, toast them in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes first, shaking frequently, then tip onto a plate.
4. 4Add the cinnamon and cumin and cook for 1 minute, until the spices smell warm and toasted. Stir in the cooked rice, dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice and half the parsley. Season well and taste.
5. 5Flip the squash halves cut-side up. Press the flesh down gently with the back of a spoon to make a deeper cavity, then fill each half generously with the rice stuffing, mounding it up.
6. 6Return the filled squash to the oven for 10–12 minutes until the filling is piping hot and a few rice grains are golden at the edges.
7. 7Scatter over the crumbled feta and the remaining parsley. Loosen the tahini with a little water and drizzle it over, finish with torn mint. The lemon zest and juice are already in the filling. Serve the optional salad if using.

Per serving

kcal

790

protein

18.9g

fibre

14.8g

carbs

117.9g

fat

32.7g