1 hour 15 Minuten
Is there any dish that says fall more than a hearty stuffed Hokkaido squash? I remember the childhood version with ground meat and cheese - these days, I love making a vegan version. My filling of lentils, leek, and vegan feta may seem a little surprising at first, but it tastes like it came straight from Grandma’s kitchen. To me, stuffed oven-baked squash is simply the ultimate fall comfort food. Since this recipe takes a little time, it’s perfect for a cozy Saturday afternoon or Sunday evening.
Stuffed Hokkaido squash, oven on, and just like that, it feels like fall!
Nährwerte pro Portion
Zubereitung
Wash the squash and poke a few holes in it with a wooden skewer. Place it in an ovenproof pot with 200 ml water, cover with the lid, and par-bake for 30 minutes at 180 °C convection.
Meanwhile, wash the lentils and cook until tender without salt (this is important so they cook evenly).
Cut the leek into half rings and wash it thoroughly. Finely chop the onion, garlic, and parsley - and if you’re using mushrooms, clean and slice those too. Cut the vegan feta into cubes.
After 30 minutes, briefly remove the Hokkaido squash from the oven and cut off the top. It’s easiest to cut at an angle from above, so you can put it back on later as a decoration. Remove the seeds and bake the Hokkaido squash with the pot lid on for another 30 minutes at 180 degrees top heat. If the bottom of your squash is already very soft or mushy, you can pour off the water now and lightly brush the outside of the squash with oil.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions (and mushrooms, if using) until lightly browned. Then add the leek and let it simmer until soft.
Then add the tomato paste, parsley, garlic, lentils, vegan crème, feta, and all the spices, and mix everything well. Season the filling to taste with the spices - it can have a bold flavor, since the pumpkin will add a mild sweetness later. It balances out perfectly.
Take the tender Hokkaido squash out of the oven (if it isn't quite tender enough yet, you can simply bake it a little longer), brush the outside with rapeseed oil if you haven't already, and fill it with the mixture. Depending on the size of your squash, you'll probably have quite a bit of filling left over - I like to serve it alongside the stuffed Hokkaido for anyone who loves extra filling.
Bake the stuffed Hokkaido one last time for 10 to 15 minutes at 180 degrees on the top heat setting, then slice and serve.
Tipps und Hintergrund
As you can see, stuffing Hokkaido squash really isn’t rocket science - even if the ingredient list and instructions seem disappointingly long and complicated at first! ;)
The hardest part of this recipe is simply being patient. The prep time may sound like “a lot of work” at first, but most of it is waiting time. You can easily use that time to make the filling. And maybe enjoy a fall-inspired Pumpkin Spice Latte!
The difference between Grandma’s stuffed Hokkaido recipe and mine
My grandma used to add ground meat and plenty of cheese to her stuffed Hokkaido squash. These days, I use lentils, leek, and vegan feta - vegetarian and even completely vegan. For me, that doesn’t change the flavor much: our stuffed Hokkaido is still savory, creamy, and really delicious. Because let’s be honest: whether it’s vegetarian, vegan, or made with meat, what makes stuffed Hokkaido special is the perfect combination of sweet squash and a wonderfully savory filling that feels so cozy and comforting.
If you don’t want to try either Grandma’s version or the fully vegan version, simply come up with your own version: for example, use the lentils but add regular feta to make a vegetarian stuffed squash recipe. After all, this is YOUR dinner. It should taste the way you like it!
Choosing the right type of squash
For stuffed squash, there’s really only one variety for me: Hokkaido.
It’s just the right size for stuffing (usually around 20 cm in diameter).
You can eat the skin, so you can skip the tedious peeling.
Its slightly sweet, mildly nutty flavor goes perfectly with the savory filling.
That’s why I reach for this type of squash every fall. And among all the other squash recipes, baking stuffed Hokkaido squash is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this orange fall classic.
A little tip: Hokkaido squash often keeps for several weeks in a cool, dry place - so you can start shopping for squash!
Not a fan of Hokkaido squash? Here are some tasty alternatives:
If you prefer something sweeter, go for butternut squash: creamy flesh, a slightly firmer texture, and perfect if you want to arrange the halves lengthwise on a baking sheet.
Butternut squash works too, but it's much larger and takes longer to cook in the oven.
Short on time? Stuffed Hokkaido, the quick way
If you're short on time but craving pumpkin so much that you just can't say no, here's a great tip for combining a quick meal with your favorite recipe: Simply cut the squash into pieces, put everything in a casserole dish with the sautéed Hokkaido filling, and let it cook in the oven. It tastes just as good but is much quicker than slowly roasting a whole Hokkaido squash. Only the appearance suffers, of course, but if you eat quickly enough, nobody will notice. ;) I like to call it my SOS recipe for stuffed Hokkaido squash.
Substitution guide
Sometimes you don't have everything on hand, and that's totally okay! Here's a little substitution guide for the key ingredients in this stuffed Hokkaido squash:
Brown lentils → Red lentils, tofu, veggie mince, or chopped mushrooms
Vegan feta → Marinated tofu in a feta style, other vegan cheeses, or dairy cheese if you aren't vegan
Vegan crème fraîche → Vegan sour cream, plant-based yogurt, or coconut cream with a squeeze of lemon juice
Smoked paprika → A pinch of smoked salt
Rapeseed oil → Another heat-resistant oil
Leek → Spring onions (but much less)
Fresh parsley → Omit or use a little dried parsley
Tomato paste → Fresh tomatoes or a splash of strained tomatoes
