Stuffed pumpkin faces with lentils, spinach and feta

Stuffed pumpkin faces made from mini Hokkaido squashes with Puy-style lentils, spinach, feta and walnuts, baked in the oven. A vegetarian, family-friendly Halloween dinner with 20 g protein.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cooking time: 40 min
• Total time: 65 min
• Calories: 442 kcal per serving
• Protein: 20 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Carbs: 52 g

Ingredients

• 4 mini Hokkaido squashes
• 150g Puy-style lentils
• 1 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g baby spinach
• 100g feta
• 30g walnuts
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 pinch of pepper

Method

You’ll need: oven · saucepan · baking tray · chopping board · knife · sieve · wooden spoon

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan). Cut a lid off each mini Hokkaido squash and scrape out the seeds.
2. Using a pointed knife, cut two eyes, a nose and a zigzag mouth into each squash. Put the squashes and their lids on a tray lined with baking paper and pre-bake them at 200 °C for 20 minutes.
3. Cook the Puy-style lentils in unsalted water for 20 minutes until al dente, then drain.
4. Dice the onion and garlic and soften them in the olive oil for 3 minutes. Stir in the cumin and paprika and let the spinach wilt in the pan. Mix in the lentils, half of the feta, salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the lentils into the squashes, crumble the rest of the feta and the chopped walnuts over the top and bake for another 20 minutes at 200 °C until the squash is soft.
6. Set the lids on at an angle and serve everyone a squash each; you eat the skin too.

Good to know

Little Hokkaido squashes turn into pumpkin faces, with the filling of lentils, spinach and feta peeking out through the eyes and mouth. In the oven the flesh turns soft, and you can eat the skin too. Everyone gets their own squash on the plate.

Swaps

Puy-style lentils → tinned chickpeas (quicker). Feta → vegan feta alternative (vegan). Mini Hokkaido squashes → one large Hokkaido squash, halved. Walnuts → pumpkin seeds (nut-free).

Cooking tips

Keep the openings of the faces small, otherwise the filling falls out. If a squash won't sit straight, cut a thin slice off the bottom.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge; reheat in the oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes.

Allergens

Contains milk (feta) and tree nuts (walnuts); gluten-free, no egg. Suitable for children; in pregnancy, use feta made from pasteurised milk.

Frequently asked questions

How long do stuffed pumpkin faces keep in the fridge?

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge; reheat in the oven at 180 °C for 15 minutes.