Za’atar-Spiked Stuffed Squash Enlivens Weeknight Meals
Every week, we spotlight a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Here, Lindsey Love of Dolly and Oatmeal puts a Middle Eastern spin on stuffed squash with help from za’atar and zesty lemon-spiked tahini.
Photo: Lindsey Love
Za'atar is an herby spice blend that can be found in most supermarkets in the herb and spice aisle. if you can’t find a store that carries it, you can easily make your own. I have a recipe here for za'atar — I love making a big batch of this to have when i want to throw it into a meal.
Stuffed Za’atar-Roasted Acorn Squash With Pepper-Lemon Tahini Sauce
Serves 6
3 acorn squash, washed and cut in half
2 tablespoons za'atar
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced
2 cups chickpeas, cooked (or a 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Salt, to taste
3 large kale leaves, destemmed and shredded
½ cup quinoa, cooked
Pepper, to taste
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Pepper-lemon tahini sauce (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place squash cut side up and brush with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt for each, and evenly sprinkle the za'atar spice. Place in oven and bake until fork-tender; roughly 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
While squash are cooking, heat a 8 to 10-inch skillet on medium. Once hot, add the olive oil and shallot; sauté shallot for a few minutes, until translucent and soft. Add the chickpeas, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and a couple pinches of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook until a bit wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed chickpeas and kale, with the quinoa. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Stuff each squash half with roughly a ½ cup quinoa mix (more or less depending on the size of your acorn squash). Serve warm with a few drizzles of the tahini sauce, and sesame seeds
enjoy!
Pepper Lemon Tahini Sauce
¼ cup tahini paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
sea salt
¼ to 1/3 water
in a small mixing bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, pepper, garlic, a few pinches of salt, and ¼ cup water. if consistency is too thick, add more water. taste and adjust. store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator until ready to use. (if the tahini sauce has thickened while refrigerated, add more water, a few teaspoons at a time, to thin it out.)
More delicious stuffed things:
Stuffed Jalapeño Recipe from ‘The Best Mexican Recipes’
Vegan Thyme-Stuffed Portobellos with Rosemary Gravy
Bacon and Cheese-Stuffed French Toast Recipe From ‘Two Red Bowls’
