Baked Pearl Couscous & Butternut Squash with Basil Tahini

Name: Baked Pearl Couscous & Butternut Squash with Basil Tahini
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 large large shallot, sliced; 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2-inch pieces ((about 5 cups chopped squash)); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon za’atar; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste; 2 cups vegetable stock; 1 ½ cups pearl couscous; 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ((1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas)); 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 cups baby spinach, chopped; ¼ cup tahini; 2 green onions, rough chopped; ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 small clove garlic; 1 teaspoon maple syrup; sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste; ¼ cup water; ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted; pickled red onions, optional

Created by Laura Wright

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5 from 22 votes

A hearty and tasty vegan supper that comes together in a 9x13 pan in the oven, this baked pearl couscous and butternut squash with basil tahini is flavourful and simple to make. Finished with lemon, chopped spinach, toasted pine nuts for crunch, and a creamy basil tahini sauce.

An overhead shot shows a baking dish filled with baked pearl couscous and butternut squash. The bake features chickpeas and spinach, and is topped with pickled red onions and drizzles of a creamy green basil tahini sauce. A wooden serving spoon is sticking out of the dish.

Butternut squash and basil together is such a tasty combination—truly a match made in flavour heaven! This recipe for baked pearl couscous and butternut squash with basil tahini is a cozy but still vibrant vegan dinner that’s mostly done in one 9×13 baking dish in the oven. Squash roasts with shallots, garlic, and spices until tender before pearl couscous, chickpeas, and hot vegetable stock are added. The dish bubbles away in the oven while you quickly blend up a creamy basil tahini sauce for drizzling. Stir in some spinach to wilt at the end, add a touch of zingy lemon, and dinner is served!

An up close show shows baked pearl couscous and butternut squash. The bake features chickpeas and spinach, and is topped with pickled red onions and drizzles of a creamy green basil tahini sauce. A wooden serving spoon is sticking out of the dish.

An overhead shot shows ingredients used in a vegan dinner recipe, featuring butternut squash, pearl couscous, pine nuts, chickpeas, spinach, pickled red onions, vegetable stock, shallot, garlic, lemon, basil, olive oil, spices, and green onions.

An overhead shot shows cubes of raw butternut squash topped with sliced shallots, minced garlic, smoked paprika, za'atar, salt, pepper, and olive oil; all in a metal baking dish.

An overhead shot shows spiced roasted cubes of butternut squash.

An overhead shot shows vegetable stock being poured over a pan of baked squash, chickpeas, and raw pearl couscous

An up close, overhead shot shows baked pearl couscous and butternut squash cubes.

This warm baked pearl couscous recipe is kind of fun to make! It all happens in one baking dish for the most part, which I always appreciate. I love the combination of slightly sweet squash with peppery basil. It’s perfect for when the transition over to Fall. We really go in with the seasoning and complimentary flavours here: shallots, garlic, smoked paprika, za’atar, and some lemon at the end. I also add chickpeas for some plant-based protein.

What is pearl couscous made of?

Pearl couscous is made out of toasted semolina flour and water.
Lebanese mograbieh is slightly larger than pearl couscous and translates to “from North Africa,” which points to the origin and inspiration of the tiny semolina balls that are traditionally served with tagine in Morocco. There is also Palestinian maftoul, which is more irregularly shaped and typically hand rolled for special occasions. There is a great essay about couscous in general in Jerusalem, A Cookbook if you’d like to read more.
Pearl couscous was popularized after it was produced in an effort to feed an influx of people in Israel in the 1950’s.
Pearl couscous is not a grain and it does contain gluten.
I would describe it as a grain-like relative of pasta that’s shaped into tiny spheres. The toasting of the semolina gives it a slightly nutty flavour that is delicious in salads, soups, and bakes like this.

To make our recipe, you start by roasting the squash with shallots, garlic, and spices. Once the squash is tender (about 25 minutes), we add the pearl couscous, chickpeas, and boiled vegetable stock into the same dish. I cover that tightly with foil and put it back into the oven. Once the baked pearl couscous is tender (about 20 minutes), you’re good to go. During the second bake, we whizz up the basil tahini sauce in the blender.

To finish, I stir in baby spinach, lemon zest, and lemon juice until the spinach is slightly wilted. Serve it all together with drizzles of sauce and some extra chopped basil if you like! This bake makes excellent next-day lunches as well–just keep the bake and sauce separate, and reheat the bake with a splash of water or more vegetable stock. I love serving this with pickled red onions for a little extra punch. There are tons of recipes for them online!

Fans of this may also like my creamy vegan orzo risotto with butternut squash and brussels sprouts or these butternut coconut noodles with greens and herbs.

A head-on shot shows a basil tahini sauce being blended up in a personal blender.

An overhead shot shows a hand using a spoon to stir up some creamy green basil tahini sauce in a measuring cup.

An overhead shot shows a hand using a wooden utensil to stir together some baked butternut squash, pearl couscous, chickpeas, and chopped spinach.