Lentil and Roasted Root Vegetable Strudel

This vegetable strudel is filled with roasted fall veggies, hearty lentils, creamy goat cheese and pecan pesto – all wrapped up in a golden-brown phyllo crust. Better watch out, turkey. This meatless main dish is set to steal the show!

A Vegetarian Main Dish for the Holidays!

The first task at hand is to decide what the main dish will be. Whenever I’m cooking for a room full of non-vegetarians, I try to avoid using any imitation meat products.

It sounds a bit counter-intuitive, but even though Tofurkey may taste meaty to those of us who haven’t eaten animal protein in years, those who eat meat every day are definitely going to be able to taste the difference.

Recipe

Equipment

• Baking tray
• Parchment paper
• large stock pot
• Blender or food processor

Ingredients

For the roasted vegetables:

• 1 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• ½ pound carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
• ½ pound parsnips peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• ½ pound turnips peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the lentils:

• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 4 cups water
• Pinch salt

For the pecan pesto:

• ¾ cup pecans
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the strudel:

• 6 sheets phyllo dough
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 oz goat cheese crumbled

Instructions

Roast the vegetables:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, turnips, olive oil, smoked paprika and salt. Spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast, turning once or twice while cooking, until tender, 30-40 minutes.

Cook the lentils:

• In a large pot, combine the lentils, water, and a pinch of salt. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 30-40 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Make the pesto:

• Add the pecans, Parmesan cheese and olive oil to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until crumbly. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Assemble the strudel:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Once all of the filling components are ready, remove the phyllo dough from its packaging and cover it with a damp cloth or paper towel. The phyllo dough dries out quickly, so it is important to keep it damp and work quickly. Place one sheet of phyllo on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with the olive oil. Put another sheet of phyllo on top of it and brush with more oil. Repeat with remaining sheets.
• Spread the roasted vegetables over the phyllo, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle the lentils, pesto and crumbled goat cheese over the top. Fold the short sides of the dough in towards the center until they meet the filling. Repeat with the long sides and then roll the entire strudel lengthwise into a long log shape. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.

Nutrition