Lentil Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Lentil Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 cup lentils, 2 medium carrots, 1 Handful of Fresh Spinach, 1 shallot ,2 cloves garlic, 1 medium spaghetti squash, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper to taste, Shredded Cheese of your choice. I used a sharp cheddar, Spice Pack (cumin, smoked paprika)
Directions
Squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Cut spaghetti squash in half the long way and scoop out the seeds to make a bowl for the eventual stuffing. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast skin side down on a baking sheet for 30-40 minutes until you can easily poke into the squash with a fork. Lentils: While squash is roasting, cook your lentils however you normally prep them. Look to the “notes” for how I prepped mine, and then set them aside Continued on next card
Stuffing: Cut carrots into circles about 1/2 inch thick. Mince the garlic cloves and cut shallots into small slices and sautee them in olive oil until just beginning to brown. Add carrots to the pan and cook covered for about 5 minutes Add cooked lentils, a handful of spinach, contents of the spice pack and just enough water to make a thick soupy texture (I used about 1/2 cup of water) You don’t want it to be too watery or the stuffing will be runny. Let simmer on low for for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally to blend all of the stuffing ingredients together. Put it all together: Place your stuffing into the little bowls you made in your cooked spaghetti squash Top with shredded cheese of choice (I used a sharp cheddar) Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until all of the cheese is melted ENJOY! With a fork you can scrape the sides of the squash to create spaghetti like noodles to pair perfectly with your stuffing!
Notes: Combine water and lentils in a medium pot. I usually cover the lentils with about twice the depth of water. I bring them to a boil then cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes until tender. I then strain them and set them aside for the stuffing.
This is a LOT of steps! All of these individual steps make delicious things. You can just make the spaghetti squash and turn it into noodles to eat with a tomato sauce or butter sauce, you can just make the lentil filling as a tasty side dish, or add some broth instead of water to make a hearty lentil soup. I had a LOT of stuffing leftover because I used a smaller squash, and it is delicious on its own and has been a quick snack all week long.
