Spaghetti squash is such a fun vegetable to work with! Most of you know that it is a squash that when cooked, can be pulled apart with a fork to resemble spaghetti. This has led to many recipes using spaghetti squash instead of pasta. I also love lentils and often keep plain cooked lentils in my fridge as a base for many recipes or just a simple addition to a lunch salad. So today, I am sharing a completely different recipe that combines lentils and squash – Lentil Stuffed Spaghetti Squash. There are a few steps involved here but each step is fairly simple and the results are outstanding!

The Spaghetti Squash

• Start with a medium sized squash. One squash will serve two people so plan accordingly.
• Half the squash by cutting it down the middle, lengthwise.
• Scoop out the seeds to create two large ‘cups’.
• Place cut side down in a sheet pan with olive oil and freshly ground pepper and roast till tender (400F, 30-40 minutes). Set aside.

My usual test is to just poke the skin and if I have enough of a dent, I know it is soft enough and therefore cooked! Here’s a more detailed article on How to Cook Spaghetti Squash.

The Lentils

Ingredients

• Brown lentils (about a cup, dry). You will have extra filling and that’s ok – makes a great lentil soup for another day!
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tomatoes, cubed
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Soak and cook the lentils using your preferred method. I like to use a pressure cooker since it is so fast! You may choose an Insta-pot or just the stovetop. Regardless, cook up the lentils and set aside.
• Sauté the shallots, ginger, garlic, and jalapeños until the shallots just start to brown.
• Add the carrots and cook covered for about 5 minutes.
• Then add the tomatoes and baby spinach and let all the vegetables cook till soft.
• Add the cooked lentils to the vegetables along with just enough water to make a thick soupy consistency. Let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes till you see it all come together. You do not want it to be too runny because this is the filling for the squash.
• Spice it up to your taste – cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili powder, cinnamon are all great complements to lentils.

You can cook the lentils ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a couple of days. This is the most involved part of the dish!

Put It Together

So at this point, you have the roasted squash and the lentil filling ready to go. All you need to do is put it all together.

• Fill the lentils into the hollows of the cooked squash.
• Since there is no salt in anything so far, you could sprinkle a pinch on top of the lentils.
• Top each squash half with shredded cheese of your choice. I used a low-sodium mozzarella.
• Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted.

This Lentil Stuffed Spaghetti Squash is a hearty low-sodium and gluten-free dish that can be eaten by itself as a meal. Skip the cheese (or use a vegan alternative) and it becomes vegan-friendly too. Looks impressive, tastes amazing and it’s so good for you!