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Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf

23 Comments

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf is a quick, easy Mediterranean dish. Tossed with fresh mint, kalamata olives, and sliced almonds.

I’ve made Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf pretty much once a week since first discovering it in one of those bargain-priced cookbooks that Barnes and Noble features inside their “foyer” with a themed collection of recipes, this one being 28 Days of Clean Eating. After reading the recipe’s ingredient list, what’s not to love?

Roasted Butternut Squash Israeli Couscous Pilaf in a white bowl

Toasty-roasted butternut squash, kalamata olives, fresh mint, sliced almonds, coconut oil, and lemon zest. All tossed with Israeli or pearl couscous, which if you haven’t tried this jumbo sized couscous before, here is the perfect dish for diving in. It’s a quick and easy recipe; let me tell you about it…

Roasted Butternut Squash seasoned on a baking pan

First, and important is the roasted squash- Two pounds of chunked butternut gets tossed with some coconut oil (fabulous!), cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper before going in the oven. The coconut oil adds the perfect bit of light sweetness and the spice combination is spot on warm but bright at the same time; into the oven until it begins to caramelize at the edges. A few times, I forgot to toss during baking and one side got kind of black… still tasty!

 

Roasted Butternut Squash Israeli Couscous Pilaf served in a white bowl

While the butternut squash is roasting, the Israeli couscous is toasted with some garlic and then boiled till tender. The couscous is ready to go pretty much at the same time the squash is ready.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Couscous in a white bowl

The addition of fresh mint, Kalamata olives, toasted sliced almonds, and lemon zest bring everything together in both flavor and texture. Truly a perfect Mediterranean dish that works as a side to chicken or salmon, we love it as a main dish. And leftovers, if you have any, are great at room temperature or reheated.

Couscous-Pilaf

 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf is so easy and will become irresistible, maybe you should keep some squash cut up in the freezer, and a box of couscous on hand. If you’re wanting a gluten-free dish, substitute the couscous with cooked quinoa. Top the pilaf with a little crumbled feta cheese for even more fabulous flavor and if you’re interested in even more color and added crunch, toss in a chopped red bell pepper right before serving. I’m hungry for this just as I’m writing so good thing I took my own advice and I’ve got all the ingredients in my kitchen right now. Enjoy, friends. And thanks for stopping by… it really means a lot. xo

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5 from 6 votes

Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf

This recipe is a wonderful side dish but also hearty enough to be served as a meatless main dish. Leftovers are delicious at room temperature or reheated.
Course Side Dish or Vegetarian Main Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Keyword couscous, mediterranean
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 5 people
Calories 360
Author Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients 

  • 3 tbsp coconut oil, divided, plus additional for greasing the pan
  • 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
  • 1 tsp black pepper, divided, preferably fresh ground
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 8 ounces Israeli couscous, also known as pearled couscous
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup Kalamata olives, halved (more if you like)
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
  • ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 475F degrees, with oven rack in middle position. Coat a rimmed baking sheet lightly with coconut oil.
  • Melt 2 Tablespoons coconut oil in the microwave. Set aside. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Pour the melted coconut oil over the squash (By melting the coconut oil, it will coat the butternut squash fully but if the squash is cold, the oil will start to harden after added. That's totally fine because it's now on all the squash before turning hard). Immediately add the spice mixture from the small bowl, so the seasonings coat all the squash before the coconut oil hardens, if it's going to. Toss to fully coat the squash.
  • Turn out the coated butternut squash on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Stir and toss the squash a bit at the 10 minute mark to prevent burning.
  • While the butternut squash is roasting, in a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces couscous and 3 minced garlic; sauté for 1 minute.
  • Stir in 2 cups water and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. 
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup olives, ¼ cup mint, ½ cup almonds, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and roasted butternut squash. Toss well to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  • Serve immediately. Leftovers keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Notes

As stated in instruction #2, feel free to add more cayenne pepper and cumin to the butternut squash before roasting. For those of you who do not like any heat at all, you could reduce the cayenne to 1/4 teaspoon but I promise that cayenne in this recipe is a great addition. And as noted, if increasing the cumin, be careful as cumin can overpower.
Trader Joe's and other grocery stores sometimes have pre-cut butternut squash in 12 oz. packages. You can use two of these and don't worry about needing a full two pounds in the recipe.
If you're in a rush or forgot to toast the sliced almonds, feel free to add them un-toasted and they still add nice flavor and texture. Toasted almonds will increase the nuttiness and are preferable but not required.
Want to add extra Kalamata olives? Great idea! These nice salty olives go so well with the mint, squash, and couscous that I frequently add more.
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf
Amount Per Serving
Calories 360 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Sodium 228mg10%
Potassium 834mg24%
Carbohydrates 61g20%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 19435IU389%
Vitamin C 39.9mg48%
Calcium 154mg15%
Iron 2.6mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe adapted from 28 Days of Clean Eating.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Israeli Couscous Pilaf Pinterest Pin

 

 

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Published on July 28, 2018

Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. mariah weller says

    April 18, 2022 at 7:01 AM

    5 stars
    This is an easy 5 star recipe! I wanted to throw in some artichokes hearts, so the water from the can was used to make up the water to cook the couscous. Really enjoyed it!

    Reply
  2. latua says

    April 18, 2022 at 6:58 AM

    5 stars
    Couscous is my favorite! I will make this again, it is an excellent and filling meal.

    Reply
  3. mary pines says

    April 18, 2022 at 6:55 AM

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was delicious! The squash and olives go great together. Thanks for the idea Sally, I will be making this a lot more 🙂

    Reply
  4. Wendy says

    February 11, 2021 at 9:14 PM

    5 stars
    I was a liiitle bit skeptical of this recipe but also bored enough with butternut squash to try something new. This was really delicious—the cayenne was just the right amount of heat. Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      February 12, 2021 at 2:13 PM

      Thank you Wendy! This is my family’s favorite recipe using butternut squash. I’m so glad you tried it and liked it, too! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Susan says

    December 22, 2019 at 8:16 AM

    I made this for a potluck at Thanksgiving and everyone raved about it so now I’m taking it to a potluck Christmas dinner! It was both awesome and unique! Glad I tried it.

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      December 23, 2019 at 8:01 AM

      Susan, the same thing happens to me when I make it for people. It’s so flavorful and unique. I’ve never had anyone not love it. Thanks so much for making it and for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
  6. Geraline Batarra says

    July 31, 2018 at 3:14 PM

    This sounds really a new recipe to my ears. It look so delicious and procedure look so easy to follow, thanks for sharing this recipe with us I will definitely try this.

    Reply
  7. Preet says

    July 31, 2018 at 1:49 PM

    OMg, this one is a winner. I would love to try making this. My husband would this for sure.

    Reply
  8. Thea says

    July 31, 2018 at 7:26 AM

    This looks heavenly! And it’s healthy. Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
  9. Sheree says

    July 31, 2018 at 12:46 AM

    5 stars
    This looks so delicious, thanks for sharing, I will definitely have to try this recipe!

    ~xo Sheree
    poshclassymom.com

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 31, 2018 at 3:27 AM

      Thanks Sheree! I hope you give it a try. We really love it. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Priscilla says

    July 30, 2018 at 10:30 PM

    This is such a great recipe! I just when a dish has a blend of strong flavors. I will definitely be trying this one out. You can never have too many side dish recipes, am I right?!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 30, 2018 at 11:08 PM

      Thanks Priscilla! Agreed, good side dish recipes are always a good thing. This one is great because it works as a side and as a meatless main. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  11. Jackie says

    July 30, 2018 at 9:37 PM

    5 stars
    This looks great! I love Healthy recipes and especially ones that are easy enough for busy week nights. I’m sure my kids will like it too 🙂

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 30, 2018 at 11:09 PM

      Great for adults and kids alike! I hope they like it, too. Thanks for taking the time to comment. :*

      Reply
  12. Namra says

    July 30, 2018 at 6:02 PM

    This looks and sounds so tasty! I love recipes that seem managable as I’m not exactly a masterchef, I’m also always in a hurry. I pinned this recipe as well and am looking forwards to trying it!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 30, 2018 at 8:45 PM

      Namra, this recipe is very easy. I think you’ll like it.

      Reply
      • Susan says

        December 22, 2019 at 8:17 AM

        I made this for a potluck at Thanksgiving and everyone raved about it so now I’m taking it to a potluck Christmas dinner! It was both awesome and unique! Glad I tried it.

        Reply
  13. Heather says

    July 30, 2018 at 5:52 PM

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness, this looks so good! I’ve been needing more healthy recipes, so I’ll give this a try!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 30, 2018 at 8:44 PM

      Thanks Heather! This is a good one, hope you like it. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Sarah Stockley says

    July 30, 2018 at 2:15 PM

    5 stars
    I love all of the ingredients that have gone into this! It looks both delicious and healthy.

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      July 30, 2018 at 2:18 PM

      Thanks Sarah. It’s become a favorite regular in our house.

      Reply
About Sally - Good Dinner Mom.

About Good Dinner Mom

My name is Sally and I love to be in the kitchen. Making fresh, unique dishes is my way of showing love for family and friends and I hope that here you’ll find recipes of both healthy and indulgent dishes that will inspire you to cook more at home while sharing some love of your own. more about me

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