SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Friday, October 15, 2010 at 8:30PM 
I cooked for a dinner party earlier this week in celebration of a special birthday. When I say "I" cooked, I really mean "we." Hugh came along and was a giant help. I can be quick, but four hands are more efficient than two. It was a group of twenty new friends, all strewn down the sides of a long table, drinking wine and sharing cheese plates. Nellie came up with all sorts of amazing little of details, from the paper bag menu cards to wrapping the homemade ice cream sandwiches in individual packages of parchment and baker's twine. Remember when I told you things like this were my dream? I love feeding people, and long tables, and laughing, and stringing lights, and grateful hearts. That's got to be my favorite part, making other people happy.
At the party, hosts being vegetarian, I served a version of this alongside some creamy polenta and a crisp butter lettuce, apple and arugula salad. Since I started cooking with beluga lentils, I haven't been able to use any other variety. They are just so stunning in color, and have more tooth to them than your average brown or red lentil. It worked, and I'm pretty sure the meat eaters didn't leave hungry either. Except for the one guy who took full advantage of the "one night off" his diet by finishing his meal with an entire stick of butter. I won't take that personally. 
SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH // Serves 4
This is one of those recipes that is to taste on a lot of things. You could adjust the garlic if you prefer, more herbs if you want the greenery, more curry if you like it spicy. However, note that the curry should not be an overpowering flavor here, it's intended to be a compliment. Any squash would work, maybe even a pumpkin. You follow me?
4 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 Tbsp. Curry Powder
1/2 Tbsp. Oregano
1 Tbsp. Muscavado/Natural Brown Sugar
Salt/Pepper
2 Cups Cooked Beluga Lentils, drained
2 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Chopped Basil
1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley
2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 Small Red Onion, Diced
Grated Manchego Cheese
Oven to 450'
1. On a baking tray, spread out the squash, add the olive oil, oregano, curry powder and salt and pepper. Use your hands and toss everything around until the spices are coating the squash evenly. Spread them out in a single layer, with as much space between possible. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 20-35 minutes. (The time differs based on water content of squash, size of cubes etc. Just watch them until the edges are brown and crispy).
2. While the squash are cooking, put the 2 Tbsp. olive oil and minced garlic in a pan over medium heat. Shake it around a few times, and allow the garlic pieces to crisp up a bit in the oil. Add the lentils and saute to cover them in oil. Continue to stir intermittently for about 10 minutes to warm through. Turn off the flame, but leave them in the warm pan until the squash is done.
3. Remove squash from oven and set aside, put the lentils in a bowl and add the red onion, apple cider vinegar, dijon and half of the herbs, stir. Add the squash chunks on top, the rest of the herbs, desired amount of grated manchego cheese and a grate of fresh ground pepper.
Reader Comments (63)
that looks amazing.
Fabulous recipe and photos. I love pan-fried lentils like this. I recently did a pan-fried lentil caprese which was delicious: http://edenkitchen.com/pan-fried-lentil-caprese/ Can't wait to try this one too - thanks!
Looks great! Have you ever used Puy lentils? I bet they would work very well in this salad as well.
An absolutely stunning meal! I know what you mean with all the little details. Those details are the best part for me, and I look forward to food themed get togethers just so I can finally take advantage of them.
I'll have to give these beluga lentils a whirl sometime ;)
~alexa
Looks beautiful, and I am totally with you on the long tables, stringing lights, and *making people happy.* On a side note, I recently (finally) got my first DSLR camera and I can't wait to learn to take a beautiful picture like you!
True comfort food!! Looks delicious and the photographs are just stunning!
What a delicious dinner! Very colourful!
Oh my! That is so elegant and made of such simple ingredients. I can't wait to add this to my squash dish repertoire. I want to try it with kabocha!
This is quite a striking dish! I adore how the bold black beluga lentils look against the canvas of bright sunny orange butternut.
I'm a big fan of beluga lentils too! I rub goat cheese on a baguette, then top with lentils and chervil. So yummy! Thanks for a fall lentil recipe :)
[...] probably also be good with Puy lentils (French green) if you don't have access to Beluga lentils. SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH Sprouted Kitchen SAUTEED BELUGA LENTILS + BUTTERNUT SQUASH // Serves 4 This is one of those recipes that is to [...]
I just made this with pumpkin instead of butternut - its delicious! thanks!
Oh yumyumyumyum. I would totally eat this for breakfast right now.
whoa! i am such a fan of your photography! wonderful!
This looks so good! Your photos are always stunning and the black and orange pops feels like fall. I'll be making this soon for sure.
Really inspired by this creative combination of fall ingredients. YUM!
Beluga lentils are my favorite variety as well, and I almost always make them with butternut squash -- it's such a versatile combination, and can be spiced and flavored and paired so many different ways.
Lovely post, as always!
Sounds like a great party, and anything with manchego I instantly love.
Healthy is beautiful! Wonderful comb of lentils and veggies, so savory. I've used Puy lentils befor but not beluga. will keep an eye out for them.
Oh this is gorgeous post with lentils they just too perfect!
I fell in love with your blog from the first sight <3
I love beluga lenils! I agree - they are so beautiful. I have never thought to pair them with bright, beautifully orange squash though. Sounds amazing!
The variety of colors, sizes and textures here are amazing, Sara. So glad you're getting to do what you love, and that you have your favorite person around while you do it, too.
Great minds cook alike. For our quarterly yoga retreat, I made a salad with Le Puy lentils, squash, goat cheese, and arugula. I was amazed by how well the whole thing tasted together. This looks wonderful too - manchego is my favorite cheese so I'm going to have to try this.
Are you joking with that stick of butter? If not, that is gross. I've never heard of beluga lentils. I'll seek them out next time I need to buy some.
Sara, this looks fabulous! I love lentils and who can resist butternut squash? Such an interesting combo....the flavors you've added are amazing!
Gorgeous! I ahve a package of beluga lentils that I mainly bought for the color and have been excited to use. Thanks for the inspiration!
Wow! This sounds and looks delicious.
Wow. This looks amazing -- dinner for us one night this week!
mmm, this looks amazing. i love butternut squash...i will definitely have to try out this recipe!
Wow. What a creation. You combined my 3 favorites in one! lentils, butternut squash and manchego cheese ?!? You are a culinary genius!!
The colors of this dish are marvelous! I am inspired to try beluga lentils!
xoxo
bianca
Ah, Manchego. It's so nice to be able to identify a cheese just by it's rind. That's were I am in life. How nice. I'm also here, which is also very nice. The Beluga lentils are like tiny jewels. Wishing I had a nice hearty bowl of this for my lunch today.
wow, this looks incredible. on my list for the next time we have company ;)
I didn't have beluga lentils when I made this dish, but do have them now and really look forward to trying the complete recipe. I used plain cooked lentils (cooked in 1/2 apple juice, 1/2 water, w/an onion hunk and some garlic) and just served the lentils on the side, topped with some chevre cheese. But the squash recipe above is TO DIE FOR ... the seasoning is delicious, and makes a tiny bit of "crunch", too. Thanks much. And ... the squash was even better the next day LOL
crunchy, earthy, colorful, fresh, healthy...what more could one want???
Are these belugas the same thing as French lentils? I can never keep my legumes straight! And congrats on making your dream a reality...
Your photos are AMAZING and your food looks so tasty!
Mmmm, everything I love (roasted squash! belugas!! fresh herbs!!! MANCHEGO!!!!), all in one place.
We eat this basic formula all year long (roast veg, tender legume, fresh herb, something punchy), rotating through the seasonal veg. It never fails to make me swoon.
Mmmm, everything I love (roasted squash! belugas!! fresh herbs!!! MANCHEGO!!!!), all in one place.
We eat this basic formula all year long (roast veg, tender legume, fresh herb, something punchy), rotating through the seasonal veg. It never fails to make me swoon.
I've really never found a food blog where I want to make EVERY single recipe, but all of yours look incredible!
This looks stunning and sounds just fabulous! Simple but hearty fare - my favourite kind!
Fantastic. I needed another use for butternut squash and this is perfect. Looks delicious.
what a simple, yet beautiful dish! it looks fantastic!
It looks beautiful. I love the black and orange combination: very Halloween! I fell in love with butternut squash 2 weeks ago and now I have been baking them almost everyday.
What a beautiful dish and the photos are amazing.
I’d love for you to submit one of your beautiful photos, and a link to your post, to my new vegetarian food photo gallery showcasing beautiful and flavorful vegetarian food.
[...] always, hugh’s gorgeous photos accompany sara’s recipe for sauteed beluga lentils & butternut squash. i’ve never had beluga lentils and am excited to try them sauteed. and sara says you can use [...]
Oh, this dish looks fabulous! I love the picture too! If you're interested, you should submit it to http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/the_tasty_thanksgiving_recipe_contest.htm" rel="nofollow">Recipe4Living's Tasty Thanksgiving Recipe Contest :)
this looks utterly delicious! I will definitely be trying it!
I've always believed in eating with your eyes first. This is absolutely stunning, it has to be delicious. Thank you for sharing. We'll have it for dinner this week!