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Roasted squash with lentils with pickled onions
youryum.com/recipes/roasted-squash-with-lentils-with-pickled-onions · serves 4

Roasted squash and lentils with sharp pink onions

Quick pickled onions cut through the sweetness of roasted squash and make a simple lentil plate feel properly finished.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten free
  • high-fiber
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 26 July 2026
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Roasted squash lentils and pink pickled onions on a plate
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Prep
20 min
Cook
35 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Per serving
492kcal
Effort
Easy

Start the onions before you heat the oven. Ten minutes in vinegar takes away their raw bite while keeping enough crunch to contrast with the soft squash and lentils. A jar is not necessary; a mug does the job.

I use a little honey in the pickle because it rounds the vinegar without making the finished plate sweet. Leave it out for a vegan dinner. The squash already supplies plenty of sweetness.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Pickled onions

Squash and lentils

To finish

Equipment

  • Large roasting tray
  • Medium saucepan
  • Heatproof mug

Method

  1. Pickle the onions

    Put the sliced onion in a heatproof mug. Stir the vinegar, boiling water, honey and salt together, pour it over the onion and press the slices under the liquid. Leave for at least 15 minutes.

    Keep the slices submerged.

  2. Season the squash

    Heat the oven to 220°C fan. Toss the squash with the olive oil, cumin and a pinch of salt. Spread it cut side down on a large tray. Keep the pieces in a single layer so the edges can brown.

    Hands pressing sliced red onion into quick pickle brine

  3. Roast

    Roast the squash for 30 to 35 minutes, turning it after 20 minutes. It should be soft at the centre and dark at the corners. Thin wedges may be ready early; move them to a plate while the thicker pieces finish. The underside should release cleanly when you slide a fish slice beneath it. If it sticks, the crust has not set, so leave it for another three minutes rather than tearing the browned surface away.

  4. Simmer the lentils

    While the squash cooks, simmer the lentils, carrot, celery and stock for 22 to 25 minutes. Drain well when tender. Warm lentils take the dressing better than chilled ones, so do not rinse them after cooking.

  5. Bring it together

    Stir lemon juice through the lentils and taste for salt. Spoon them onto a platter, add the squash and drain the onions lightly before scattering them over the top. Finish with parsley and a little olive oil. Keep some onions in loose curls rather than pressing them flat; those pieces hold a little brine and give a sharper bite beside the sweet squash. If the lentils already taste quite acidic, use fewer onions on the platter and pass the rest at the table.

Squash lentils red onion vinegar lemon parsley carrot and celery arranged
The onions need only a mug, hot brine and the time it takes the oven to heat.

Pickle first, roast second

Thin onion slices change quickly in hot vinegar. At ten minutes they are pink at the edges and still crisp in the middle. At thirty minutes they are softer and more rounded. Both are useful, but the shorter pickle gives this dinner the contrast it needs. Slice the onion with the root end removed and keep the pieces thin enough to bend; thick wedges stay raw in the centre while the outside turns soft.

The brine does not need to boil. Boiling water from the kettle is enough to dissolve the salt and sugar and take the chill off the onion. Press the slices below the surface with a spoon so every layer meets the vinegar. If a few curls float, turn them once halfway through. Taste one before draining: if the vinegar feels aggressive, leave the onion in another five minutes rather than adding sugar to the whole jar. The squash will mellow it on the plate.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 4 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 492 kcal
Protein 18 g
Carbohydrate 72 g
Fibre 18 g
Fat 15 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I pickle the onions overnight?
Yes. They will be softer but still good. Use a covered container in the fridge and drain them before serving.
Can I use canned lentils?
Yes. Drain and rinse 500 g canned lentils, warm them with the diced carrot and celery in a splash of stock, then dress with lemon.
Why did my squash turn pale?
The tray was likely crowded or the pieces were wet. Dry the squash, leave space around each wedge and roast on a preheated tray for stronger contact.

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