Acorn Squash Stuffed with Ground Lamb and Pomegranate
In this sheet pan dinner, roasting the squash halves before filling them with the meat mixture ensures that they will come out of the oven completely tender. Pomegranate seeds add color and crunch to the dish. If you prefer, you can substitute ground beef or even ground chicken or turkey for the lamb.
Ingredients
- 2 acorn squashes, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/3 lb. (21 oz./655 g) ground lamb
- Grated zest of 1 1/2 lemons
- 1/2 small yellow onion, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus whole leaves for garnish
- 1 Tbs. ground cumin
- 1 Tbs. ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup (6 oz/185 g) plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) pomegranate seeds
Directions
Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the squash halves, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the squash inside and out with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is golden and fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, lemon zest, onion, garlic, parsley, 2 Tbs. of the mint, the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir gently to mix.
Fill the squash cavities with the lamb mixture and continue roasting until the meat is cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes longer. Let cool slightly.
In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice and the remaining 1 Tbs. mint, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the squash. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves and serve. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams Sonoma Sheet Pan Suppers (Weldon Owen, 2016)