Slow-Cooker Spiced Acorn Squash with Yogurt Sauce

Tender, mildly sweet acorn squash can be an easy side dish to roasted meats or a satisfying main course when served with quinoa, brown rice or other whole grains. And, when preparing this easy slow-cooker recipe, you don’t even have to peel it. The simple yogurt sauce, flecked with mint and garlic, is a cool counterpoint to the winter vegetable.

Ingredients


For the yogurt sauce:

Directions

Using a large knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a large spoon, then cut the squash into 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) pieces.

In a large, heavy fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a slow cooker.

Add the ginger, coriander, cinnamon and red pepper flakes to the fry pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

Transfer the contents of the pan to the slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cover and cook for 4 hours on the low setting or 2 hours on the high setting. The squash should be very tender.

Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce. In a bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spoon the squash and its sauce onto a platter or individual plates. Serve with the yogurt sauce dolloped on top. Pass the remaining sauce at the table. Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from Williams Sonoma Everyday Slow Cooking (Weldon Owen 2018)

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