Winter Squash Couscous: With Pancetta
- 20m Prep Time
- 30m Cook Time
- 50m Ready In
A one-skillet dish combining sweet winter squash, salty pancetta, chewy pearl couscous, and crunchy pepitas. The flavors are balanced with lemon and spinach, making a hearty fall meal.
Ingredients
- 4 oz pancetta chopped into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium shallots thinly sliced
- 1 lb winter squash (butternut, acorn, or pumpkin) peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 3 medium cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 5 oz baby spinach
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 10 of 16 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 271 mg
- Iron: 3.86 mg
- Magnesium: 104 mg
- Phosphorus: 226 mg
- Potassium: 1090 mg
- Zinc: 2.03 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup Israeli (pearl) couscous
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 5 oz baby spinach
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Prepare
- 4 oz pancetta, chopped into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 lb winter squash (butternut, acorn, or pumpkin), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- Mince 3 medium cloves garlic
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat is rendered, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a plate; set aside.
-
Step 2.
Add the olive oil to the skillet with the pancetta fat. Cook the sliced shallots until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the winter squash pieces and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to brown and soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
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Step 3.
Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in the Israeli couscous, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the couscous and squash are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 8 to 12 minutes.
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Step 4.
Reduce the heat to low and fold in the reserved pancetta, toasted pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.