A Middle Eastern Inspired Thanksgiving – Roasted Beets & Butternut Squash Topped with Pumpkin Seeds, Pink Tehina and Lemon Zest

Cutting

When handling a butternut squash use a big, heavy, wide knife (Santoku will work great!)

First, cut right where “the neck” meets the curvy/bottom part of the butternut squash.

Then, cut each part in half.

Finally, clear the seeds from the bottom part using a spoon. A grapefruit spoon with jagged edges is perfect for this task! It really should be called “a butternut squash spoon”

Storing

Any butternut squash leftovers should be wrapped tightly in ceramic wrap and stored in the refrigerator. However, the two parts of the butternut squash do not behave the same. “The neck”, the part without the seeds stores better and longer in the refrigerator. If you are storing the part with the seeds, make sure to clear all the seeds before wrapping it.

Tips for Beetroots:

Peeling or cutting beets can stain your hands and skin; the color stays a few hours longer even after washing hands.

You may use kitchen gloves or try to minimize the time peeling and handling the beets.

Do NOT rinse peeled beets under running water for long time- their beautiful color runs out. Once the beetroots are peeled, do a quick one-time rinse to wash off any dirt.

Cut the butternut squash and beets into 1-inch cubes.

Arrange on a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil evenly.

Sprinkle with za’atar, black pepper and garlic salt. Send to a 400° preheated oven.

Meanwhile toast the pumpkin seeds. For small amounts, I like using a small pan on low to medium heat. Arrange all pumpkin seeds in one layer and move the pan every so often to make sure they are tossed and get evenly toasted. Pumpkin seeds are delicate and they get toasted pretty quickly. It all happens in matter of just a few minutes. Once the pumpkin seeds are toasted set them aside.

Combine raw Tehina with fresh lemon juice and mix in slowly using a fork.

Add the beet juice and continue mixing.

Add water one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired texture. Continue mixing with the fork and lastly add the salt.

That’s it the Pink Tehina is ready!

After about 40 minutes of roasting in the oven, carefully pull the tray out a little and use a slotted turner to flip the vegetables to the other side. Be careful it is HOT in there! This will allow the topside of the beets and butternut squash to get roasted as well. It is not easy to get each and every one of them flipped – just do your best. Allow the flipped vegetables to roast for additional 10-15 minutes.

Roasting is done!

To put the dish together for serving, move the roasted beets and butternut squash onto a serving dish, zest a lemon on top, sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzle some pink Tehina on top.

Check out these beautiful colors!

Peel and cube Beets and Butternut Squash to about 1 inch in size.

Lay all vegetables flat in one layer on a parchment paper in a large oven tray.

Drizzle with Olive oil evenly.

Sprinkle all vegetables with Za’atar, Garlic Salt and Black Pepper.

Roast the vegetable in a preheated oven of 400°.

After 40 minutes carefully give the vegetables a good flip.

Keep roasting for additional 10-15 minutes.

Zest one Lemon.

Toast the Pumpkin Seeds in a small pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Make sure to toss them around for even toasting.

To Make the Tehina:

Combine Lemon juice and Tehina and stir using a fork.

Add Beet juice and mix to combine.

Add Water and Salt and stir to smooth consistency.

When serving:

Drizzle the roasted vegetables with pink Tehina sauce and top with toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Lemon zest.