Crispy Butternut Squash and Farro Power Bowl

This Crispy Butternut Squash and Farro Power Bowl is loaded with crispy veggies and topped with fresh marinated black beans and a garlicky yogurt sauce. Easy to make and packed with plant protein and iron.

I know I’ve been using squash a lot recently, but it’s with good reason. In my area it is cheap and with an urge to keep my grocery bills tamed, I’ve been leaning on using different squashes and beans more than ever this season. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little variety, so here’s a bowl using some marinated beans (one of my favorite ways to enjoy them) paired with farro and crispy butternut squash. Truly, everything I could want in a bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Butternut Squash and Farro Power Bowl

• Budget-friendly. Where I live the fall produce is very cheap. In particular squash has been $1/pound and it tends to last a lot longer than other veggies, which makes it a great ingredient to keep around at home. Please note, vegetables will vary in price around the world, and I can only vouch for what is available generally throughout most of the United States.
• Easy to assemble. Most of the cooking is done straight in the oven. Everything else is just mixed together in a bowl. It makes assembling this meal really easy.
• High in plant-based iron. That rich dark color black beans are known for is a great indicator for iron content. So, including these beans in this dish helps to make it a great iron-rich meal for those that need it.

Is Butternut Squash Healthy?

It sure is! Butternut squash has beautiful and vibrant orange flesh, which is a testament to nourishing antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin C. You will also find other great nutrients like potassium and fiber as well. Adding in more antioxidants and fiber to your day is always a benefit and may help with reducing risk to several different chronic diseases.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Black Beans: I used black beans, but chickpeas, white beans or red beans work equally as well in this dish.
• Butternut Squash: Any winter squash can work here. For a close alternative, try this with honeynut squash, delicata squash, or acorn squash. The benefit of some of these other varieties is the fact that their skin is thinner, which means they are edible and you don’t have to take time to peel them.
• Brussels Sprouts: This helps add some greens to our meal. Feel free to swap with a more convenient option like a bag of pre-shredded brussels sprouts or shredded cabbage instead.
• Shallots: You can swap shallots out for some red onions.
• Yogurt: I used a unsweetened plant-based yogurt. My go to option is typically come from Forager Project or Silk’s soy variety. Feel free to use any of your favorite plain yogurts instead, but do note that consistency of your sauce may change based on the thickness of your yogurt.
• Seasonings: I used a combination of rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder to help roast the vegetables. Feel free to use a different combination if desired.
• Cilantro: I love cilantro, but know it is not for everyone. Feel free to swap with parsley instead.
• Red Wine Vinegar: If you need an alternative, try this instead with some freshly squeezed lime juice.
• Maple Syrup: This is my typical sweetener of choice, but you can use any of your favorite liquid sweeteners. It’s important to note that you can always use as little or as much syrup as you personally like. Everyone’s taste buds are different, so adjust until you are personally satisfied.
• Cornstarch: Will help absorb extra moisture and give the outside exterior of the squash a more crispy edge. You can swap with some flour, arrowroot starch or potato starch if preferred.
• Nutritional Yeast: This will further help the butternut squash crisp up, but also help add a little umami, ‘cheesy’ style flavor to the crispy squash. If not using, just use the same amount of cornstarch as a replacement.
• Farro: A hearty grain that I feel deserves more attention than it gets. It provides 6g of protein per serving and also adds a good amount of fiber and heartiness to the bowl. Feel free to swap with another grain of choice like rice or quinoa if you prefer.

How to Make Crispy Butternut Squash and Farro

Preheat the oven to 425F. Fill a large saucepan with water, add a generous pinch of salt then bring to a boil. Add the farro and boil for 17 minutes then drain the farro well.

To a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper, add the butternut squash then top with the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, seasonings and oil. Use clean hands to coat everything evenly, then spread the squash in an even layer cut side down allowing space in-between. Place the tray in the oven on the bottom rack and roast for 20 minutes. Flip the squash then roast again for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the squash is crisp around the edges. While the squash is still hot, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt.

To a separate tray, add the brussels sprouts and shallots then top with the seasonings, oil and a generous pinch of salt. Toss to coat, then spread out on the tray and place in the oven on the top rack to roast for 15 minutes. Give the vegetables a toss, then return to bake for 5 minutes until crispy.

While roasting, add the beans to a mixing bowl with the garlic, mustard, coriander, cilantro, vinegar, maple syrup, oil and a generous pinch of salt. Stir well to combine, then taste and adjust ingredients as desired. Once satisfied, place in the fridge to marinate while everything cooks.

In a separate bowl, add all the yogurt sauce ingredients along with a pinch of salt and whisk together. Once evenly mixed, taste and adjust the salt or sweetness more to your liking.

To assemble, combine the vegetables with the farro and toss together to combine. Portion out a serving of the farro salad then top with the marinated beans then drizzle with the yogurt sauce and enjoy.

Expert Tips

• Make sure to place vegetables cut side down on the baking tray. Having this direct contact with the pan will help the vegetables brown and sear more evenly, which will get you more of that crispiness.
• Give your roasted veggies space on the pan. You want to avoid vegetables touching or overlapping to help prevent the vegetables from steaming as they bake. This will help prevent your vegetables from getting mushy. If the pan feels overcrowded, use a bigger baking tray.
• Change up the grain. I love farro for it’s protein and fiber, but you can swap this grain for a variety of other grains you prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ways to Customize Your Bowl

The way I like to assemble my bowl is to toss the farro together with the roasted vegetables and use it as the base of my bowl. I’ll then portion out some of the mixed farro and top it with the beans and a drizzle of the sauce. Now, this is one way to do it! Feel free to enjoy any of the components of this bowl separately or add to it. This can be served with extra greens or topped with an entirely different sauce. You can also change out the grains to change it up.

For more protein, top with some pepitas or some baked tofu.

More Nourish Bowls to Try

• Vegan Burrito Bowl with Spiced Lentil Taco Meat
• Zesty Black Bean Rice Bowl with Lime Basil Sauce
• Maple Lime Cold Noodle Salad
• Cannellini Bean Salad with Maple Lime Dressing
• Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

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★ Catherine

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