Slow Cooker Butternut Squash and Lentil Stew
Dried apricots are the secret ingredient in the stew, imparting a subtle sweetness (I admittedly don’t like dried apricots on their own, but they’re a game changer in this recipe). I prefer dark Turkish apricots, which are unsulphured and have a caramelized, slightly smoky flavor. As far as the squash goes, you can either use 2 small honeynut squashes or 1 medium butternut squash (or you can use pre-cut squash chunks, but if they’re large, cut them down into smaller cubes). Cooking the onions and aromatics quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave is key, as it helps the onions soften and the flavor of the spices to bloom (using the microwave might sound weird, but it’s a great time saver if you’re crunched for time). Don’t forget the chile crisp, sriracha or hot sauce for serving, as it imparts balance!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Stovetop (or microwave) prep
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger (from a 1-inch knob)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Slow cooker
- 4 heaping cups cubed honeynut or butternut squash (from 2-pounds of squash)
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed in cold water
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- ⅓ cup finely chopped dried Turkish apricots (you will need another ½ cup of chopped apricots for the gremolata, so go ahead and chop them all now!)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (or bone broth)
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Gremolata
- ½ cup finely chopped dried Turkish apricots
- ½ cup finely chopped roasted cashews
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- Plain yogurt (regular or coconut yogurt)
- Chile crisp, sriracha, or hot sauce, for serving
Instructions
Prep the aromatics
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin powder, curry powder, and red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, toss the onion with the oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, curry powder, and red pepper flakes in a heatproof bowl, and microwave on high, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4-5 minutes.) Do Ahead: The aromatics can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.
Assemble the slow cooker
- Scrape the onion mixture into a 4- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the cubed squash, lentils, coconut milk, drained tomatoes, chopped apricots, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 5 hours on high.
- Stir in the spinach. Cover and cook on high until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, and season the stew well with salt and pepper (you will likely need more salt than you think you need).
Make the gremolata
- In the meantime, in a small bowl combine the chopped apricots, cashews and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
Serve
- Ladle the stew into bowls and dollop with yogurt. Sprinkle with the gremolata, and garnish with a bit of hot sauce, sriracha or chile crisp, if you’d like.
Notes
- I prefer Turkish apricots in this stew, which are unsulphured and have a caramelized, slightly smoky flavor. While I admittedly don’t love dried apricots on their own, they’re a game changer in this stew.
- You can either use 2 small honeynut squashes or 1 medium butternut squash (or you can use pre-cut squash chunks, but if they’re large, cut them down into smaller cubes).
- Cooking the onions and aromatics (garlic, ginger and spices) quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave before adding them to the slow cooker is key, as it helps the onion to soften and the flavor of the spices to bloom (using the microwave might sound weird, but it’s a great time saver if you’re crunched for time). You can also knock out that step out the day before (if I know I have a busy morning, I’ll cut up the squash and cook the aromatics the night before, so that in the morning all I have to do is dump everything in the slow cooker).
- All slow cookers are slightly different so I’ve included time ranges, but it’s best to check early if you’re not certain about your model (the stew is ready when the lentils are tender, but there is definitely a lot of leeway in this recipe). My KitchenAid slow cooker switches to a simmer mode after the time has ended, which means I can leave it unattended for a few hours longer than the recipe says.
- For more slow cooker inspiration, check out my book, Fresh Flavors for the Slow Cooker!
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Storage: The stew can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Loved this recipe? Check out for @nickisizemore for more!