Lamb and apricot stuffed squash

A lightly-spiced lamb and tomato mince with dried apricots and couscous for filling roasted butternut squash

Serves: 4

Time to make: 1 hr 35 mins

Hands-on time: 20 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

1 butternut squash (about 900g)
boiling water
freshly ground black pepper
spray oil
1 tablespoon oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriandercilantroX
450g lamb mince
½ teaspoon dried thyme
pinch salt
400g can chopped tomatoes
¹/³ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup wholemeal couscous
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme, to garnish

Tomato sauce
½ cup passata
1½ cups reduced-salt vegetable stock or water

Instructions

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1 Preheat oven to 190°C. Halve squash lengthways. In a baking dish, place squash halves, flesh side up. Pour 1 cup boiling water in the base of the dish. Season with pepper and spray with oil. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until flesh is tender when prodded with a fork.

2 Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a non-stick pan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add spices, lamb, dried thyme, salt and season with black pepper. Cook for a few more minutes until evenly browned. Add tomatoes, apricots, couscous and ¼ cup water. Cook for 5 more minutes.

3 Remove squash from oven and, holding the skin with oven gloves, scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a 1cm border. Add the flesh to the filling. Mix well. Line the baking dish with baking paper, return squash cases and divide the filling between them.

4 In a jug, combine passata with stock. Drizzle over the squash.

5 Bake filled squash for 15 more minutes. Serve garnished with fresh thyme.

HFG tip

NOTE: If you have a nut allergy and are using packaged goods in recipes, please check the allergen warning on the packet regarding nuts.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 511 cal

Kilojoules 2140 kJ

Protein 36 g

Total fat 14 g

Saturated fat 5 g

Carbohydrates 55 g

Sugar 24 g

Dietary fibre 11 g

Sodium 550 mg

Calcium 140 mg

Iron 5.5 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.