When looking for vegetarian recipes, I often find that I’m expected to cobble together a meal with two or three different recipes. Which is honestly just annoying. If I’m flipping through a cookbook and I realize that I’m going to have to make more than one thing in order to have a full meal, chances are I’m not going to make anything from that book. That’s why I like to craft recipes that are complete meals. Of course, there’s a time and a place for side dishes. But personally, I feel that they’re better suited for special occasions. Dinner parties, holiday dinners – that sort of thing. Anyway, rest assured that this harissa roasted acorn squash with couscous and yogurt sauce is a one and done deal.
I found this dish to be nice and balanced. The harissa roasted acorn squash is a bit spicy, but the citrusy, garlicky yogurt sauce mellows it out. And the couscous is buttery and nutty (and full of carbs), which is just lovely. This meal is perfect for a weeknight dinner, and holds up well for lunch the next day!
A note on ingredients
I happened to have harissa and sumac lying around in my kitchen. You might not. Ok, you probably don’t. And sadly, they might be a little bit hard to find if you don’t have a Middle Eastern market nearby. If that’s the case, buy online. We actually do that quite often. In the olden days, it wasn’t uncommon for us to hit up several markets to acquire all the ingredients we’d need for the week. With a baby and a pandemic, though, we rely on the internet far more. Anyway, this is the harissa I used! And this is the sumac. Couscous is much easier to find. We really loved the brand we used though, so I’ll link it in case you want to try it!
*Note: The above links are affiliate links. That means that if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. Don’t worry, though – it doesn’t cost you anything extra, and I totally stand by the products! Either way, I truly appreciate your support!
Harissa Roasted Acorn Squash with Couscous and Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Large acorn squash (halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch slices)
- 2 tbsp Grapeseed oil
- 4 tbsp Harissa
- 1 tbsp Culinary grade rose petals
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Couscous
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cloves Garlic (crushed)
- 1 tsp Sumac
- 1 Lemon (juice of)
- 1/2 cup Cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced acorn squash with the grapeseed oil, harissa, rose petals, and 1/2 tsp salt. Then place on the baking sheet (leaving a bit of space between the slices) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until tender.
- While the acorn squash is in the oven, make the couscous per the instructions on the package. Once it's done, add the olive oil, toss, and set to the side.
- Now make the yogurt sauce. To do this, mix together the yogurt, crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sumac, and the juice of one lemon. Stir to combine, then set to the side.
- Once each component is done, it's time to assemble. Add some couscous to 4 plates. Divide the acorn squash into 4 portions, and then place them atop the couscous. Top with the yogurt sauce and some fresh cilantro, and serve!
And that’s it! I hope you’re as big a fan of this dish as I was. If you make it, let me know your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram! Or better yet – post a picture. I always love to see your creations.
If you’re looking for more tasty meals, try this chopped kale salad with garlic vinaigrette or these rich and delicious steakhouse mushrooms over goat cheese polenta!
Finally got to make this and it 100% lived up to the hype I built up in my head. Sweet squash + heat from harissa + tangy yogurt + the bready goodness of couscous all adds up to one of the best veg meals we’ve made.