Vegetarian Summer Squash Spaghetti with Corn, Lentils & Fried Halloumi

Last night, using some of the ingredients we had on hand, we decided to make a simple summer dinner.

Our fridge has been overflowing lately with summer squash (also known as zucchini) and fresh corn cobs. These in-season vegetables are so delicious and easy to prepare.

We’ve grilled or boiled the corn cobs and smeared them with butter and salt, yum!

As for summer squash, we’ve added it to smoothies for extra volume and vitamins. We’ve made spaghetti and fritters out of it almost every week.

As you can imagine, corn and squash were in our dinner.

And since I’ve rediscovered my love for beluga lentils and creamy tahini dressings, it was natural to include them.

We also needed some protein in this meal, and I was considering using some chicken from the freezer. But I had a large chunk of halloumi cheese that I’d been wanting to play with, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

As we started to cook, I thought it would be fun to do an impromptu photo shoot and share with you a simple, everyday summer meal.

So here it is!

This is a typical, simple dinner we would enjoy on a lazy Sunday night.

My partner loved the halloumi (it almost looks and tastes like chicken!) and the creamy tahini dressing.

I was missing a little bit of sweetness in the meal and thought that a few raisins or dried cranberries would do the trick, so I’ve included them in the finished recipe.

You can use whatever you have on hand for this meal. If you have leftover pesto, use that instead of the tahini dressing. Or, instead of halloumi, roast some chicken and add more vegetables if you like.

My hope is that this meal will inspire you to make use of the wonderful seasonal produce of summer and to create some tasty green meals.

Print Pin
No ratings yet

Vegetarian Summer Squash Spaghetti

Vegetarian Summer Squash Spaghetti with Corn, Lentils & Fried Halloumi
Course Main Course, Salad
Servings 2 large portions
Calories 536kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 zucchini squash + 2 tsp salt
  • 100 G beluga lentils
  • 2 corncobs, or 1/2 cup frozen/canned corn
  • A handful dried raisins/dried cranberries (optional)
  • 130 G halloumi cheese

Tahini dressing

  • 4 tbsp tahini
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp coconut sugar or honey
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1.5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Water
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Cut the summer squash into spaghetti using a julienne peeler, carrot peeler or spiralizer (Save the soft and seedy  centre  and use it in you morning smoothie or juice). Place the spaghetti in a colander and gently toss it with salt, let the water drain for 15-20 min. Now quickly wash the squash spaghetti in cold water and carefully squeeze and drain the spaghetti free of any excess water, you can pad it try in a kitchen towel to be on the safe side. Place the spaghetti in a bowl.
  • Cook the lentils according to the directions  but add 1 tsp vegetable stock to the boiling water. Add the cooked and drained lentil in the bowl with the spaghetti squash.
  • If you use fresh corncobs, boil them for 5 min in salty water and use a sharp knife to cut the corn of a long each sides of the cob. Add the corn to the bowl together with coarsely chopped raisins or cranberries.
  • Make the tahini dressing by stirring all of the ingredients together. This will form a thick paste – now you slowly add a little water until it reached a smooth semi thick texture, close to yoghurt. Gently toss the dressing with all the ingredients in your bowl, easiest to use your hands here.
  • Slice up the halloumi cheese and fry it on a pan on medium heat until golden. Season to you preference.Serve the spaghetti dish straight away and top it with slices of golden halloumi.
     

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 794mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 727mg | Iron: 5mg