Roasted Butternut Squash with Chickpeas, Herbs and Tahini
This colorful vegetarian dish, inspired by a recipe in “The Lebanese Kitchen” by Salma Hage, matches the sweetness of roasted butternut squash and shallots with a tangy, nutty lemon-tahini dressing. We toss the squash and shallots with tahini and oil before roasting—this helps the vegetables caramelize while deepening the sesame flavor of the tahini. A handful of toasted pumpkin seeds adds color and crunch
Serves 4
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons tahini, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 pound butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick half moons
4 medium shallots, quartered lengthwise
15 ½ ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
½ cup lightly packed fresh mint, roughly chopped
½ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of tahini, 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the squash and shallots, then drizzle with the tahini mixture and toss; reserve the bowl. Distribute the vegetables in an even layer, cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the chickpeas, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, the coriander, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. After the squash and shallots have roasted for 15 minutes, uncover and add the chickpeas, distributing them evenly. Roast, uncovered, until the vegetables are well browned and a skewer inserted into the thickest squash pieces meets no resistance, another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in the reserved bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons tahini, the remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon water; the mixture should be have the consistency of thin yogurt (if too thick, whisk in additional water 1 teaspoon at a time to thin).
When the squash and shallots are done, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Add the mint and parsley, then toss. Transfer to a serving platter anddrizzle with the tahini-lemon mixture
Make it your own
Don’t forget to cover the baking sheet with foil for the first 15 minutes of roasting. The foil seals in heat and helps the squash cook more quickly.