This delightful dish combines the earthy sweetness of acorn squash with the hearty texture of chickpeas, all brought together by a vibrant chimichurri sauce. It's a perfect blend of flavors and textures that will leave your taste buds satisfied and your body nourished.
While most of the ingredients in this recipe are common pantry staples, you might need to pick up fresh parsley and cilantro if you don't usually keep them on hand. These fresh herbs are essential for making the chimichurri sauce, which adds a burst of flavor to the dish.
Ingredients for Acorn Squash With Chickpeas & Chimichurri Recipe
Acorn squash: A winter squash with a sweet, nutty flavor and tender flesh when roasted.
Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, these legumes add a hearty texture and protein to the dish.
Olive oil: Used for roasting the squash and making the chimichurri sauce, adding richness and depth.
Salt: Enhances the flavors of the dish and balances the sweetness of the squash.
Black pepper: Adds a mild heat and depth of flavor to the roasted squash and chickpeas.
Parsley: A fresh herb that brings a bright, slightly peppery flavor to the chimichurri sauce.
Cilantro: Adds a fresh, citrusy note to the chimichurri sauce, complementing the parsley.
Garlic: Provides a pungent, savory flavor that enhances the chimichurri sauce.
Red wine vinegar: Adds acidity and tanginess to the chimichurri sauce, balancing the richness of the olive oil.
Red pepper flakes: Adds a touch of heat to the chimichurri sauce, giving it a slight kick.
Technique Tip for This Recipe
When roasting acorn squash, make sure to place the halves cut side down on the baking sheet. This allows the flesh to caramelize and develop a deeper, richer flavor. Additionally, for a more even roast, rotate the baking sheet halfway through the cooking time. When making the chimichurri sauce, blend the ingredients just until they are combined; over-blending can cause the herbs to lose their vibrant color and fresh taste. For the chickpeas, roasting them for a few minutes before adding them to the squash can add a delightful crunch and enhance their flavor.
Suggested Side Dishes
Alternative Ingredients
acorn squash - Substitute with butternut squash: Butternut squash has a similar texture and sweetness, making it a great alternative.
chickpeas - Substitute with cannellini beans: Cannellini beans have a creamy texture and mild flavor that complements the dish well.
olive oil - Substitute with avocado oil: Avocado oil has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, making it a good substitute for olive oil.
salt - Substitute with sea salt: Sea salt can provide a similar level of seasoning with a slightly different mineral content.
black pepper - Substitute with white pepper: White pepper has a milder flavor and can be used as a direct substitute for black pepper.
parsley - Substitute with basil: Basil offers a fresh and aromatic flavor that can replace parsley in the chimichurri.
cilantro - Substitute with mint: Mint provides a refreshing taste that can stand in for cilantro in the chimichurri.
garlic - Substitute with shallots: Shallots have a milder and sweeter flavor that can replace garlic in the recipe.
red wine vinegar - Substitute with apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar has a similar acidity and can be used in place of red wine vinegar.
olive oil - Substitute with grapeseed oil: Grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor and can be used as a substitute for olive oil in the chimichurri.
salt - Substitute with kosher salt: Kosher salt has larger grains and can be used as a substitute for regular salt.
red pepper flakes - Substitute with cayenne pepper: Cayenne pepper provides a similar level of heat and can be used in place of red pepper flakes.
Other Alternative Recipes Similar to This Dish
How To Store / Freeze This Dish
- Allow the acorn squash to cool completely before storing. This helps prevent condensation, which can make the squash soggy.
- Store the chimichurri sauce separately in an airtight container. This will keep the flavors fresh and vibrant.
- Place the cooled acorn squash halves in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For the chickpeas, store them in a separate airtight container. This will help maintain their texture and flavor.
- When ready to serve again, reheat the acorn squash in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Reheat the chickpeas in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, or until they are warm.
- Drizzle the chimichurri sauce over the reheated acorn squash and chickpeas just before serving to keep the sauce fresh and flavorful.
Freezing Guidelines
- To freeze, first allow the acorn squash to cool completely.
- Place the cooled acorn squash halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until solid. This prevents them from sticking together.
- Once frozen, transfer the acorn squash halves to a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the date and use within 3 months for best quality.
- The chimichurri sauce can also be frozen. Pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container. This allows you to thaw only the amount you need.
- The chickpeas can be frozen as well. Spread them out on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container.
- To reheat, thaw the acorn squash and chickpeas in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the acorn squash in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
- Reheat the chickpeas in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, or until they are warm.
- Thaw the chimichurri sauce cubes in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then drizzle over the reheated acorn squash and chickpeas just before serving.
How To Reheat Leftovers
Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the leftover acorn squash halves on a baking sheet.
- Cover them loosely with aluminum foil to prevent drying out.
- Heat for about 15-20 minutes, or until the squash and chickpeas are warmed through.
- Drizzle with extra chimichurri sauce if needed before serving.
Microwave Method:
- Place the acorn squash halves in a microwave-safe dish.
- Cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap, leaving a small vent for steam to escape.
- Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure even heating.
- If not heated through, continue in 30-second increments until warm.
- Add a fresh drizzle of chimichurri sauce before serving.
Stovetop Method:
- Remove the chickpeas from the acorn squash halves and set aside.
- In a skillet, add a small amount of olive oil and heat over medium.
- Place the acorn squash halves cut side down in the skillet and cover with a lid.
- Heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the squash is warmed through.
- In the last 2 minutes, add the chickpeas to the skillet to heat them as well.
- Reassemble the dish and drizzle with chimichurri sauce before serving.
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C).
- Place the acorn squash halves in the air fryer basket.
- Heat for about 8-10 minutes, checking halfway through to ensure even heating.
- If the chickpeas need extra crisping, add them in the last 3-4 minutes.
- Drizzle with fresh chimichurri sauce before serving.
Best Tools for This Recipe
Oven: Used to roast the acorn squash until tender.
Baking sheet: Holds the acorn squash halves while they roast in the oven.
Blender: Blends the parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes into a smooth chimichurri sauce.
Mixing bowl: Used to toss the chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Knife: Halves and seeds the acorn squash.
Cutting board: Provides a stable surface for chopping parsley, cilantro, and garlic.
Measuring spoons: Measures out the olive oil, salt, black pepper, red wine vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
Spoon: Drizzles olive oil over the acorn squash and chickpeas.
Serving platter: Presents the finished acorn squash with chickpeas and chimichurri sauce.
Spatula: Helps to transfer the roasted acorn squash halves from the baking sheet to the serving platter.
How to Save Time on This Recipe
Pre-roast the squash: Roast the acorn squash ahead of time and store it in the fridge. This way, you can quickly reheat it when ready to serve.
Use pre-minced garlic: Save time by using pre-minced garlic instead of mincing fresh cloves.
Batch make chimichurri: Prepare a larger batch of chimichurri sauce and store it in the fridge for up to a week. It can be used in various dishes.
Canned chickpeas: Opt for canned chickpeas to avoid the lengthy soaking and cooking process.
Food processor for chimichurri: Use a food processor instead of a blender to make the chimichurri sauce faster and with less cleanup.
Acorn Squash With Chickpeas & Chimichurri Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 units Acorn Squash halved and seeded
- 1 can Chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper
Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 cup Fresh Parsley chopped
- 1 cup Fresh Cilantro chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 0.5 cup Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 0.5 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place acorn squash halves on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until tender.
- In a blender, combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth.
- In a bowl, toss chickpeas with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Once squash is done, fill each half with chickpeas and drizzle with chimichurri sauce.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutritional Value
Keywords
Suggested Appetizers and Desserts for This Recipe
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