Dinner

Squash, Lentil & Bean One-Pot with Fig Raita Recipe

ByBen Miller November 20, 2025November 20, 2025

Introduction

This comforting one-pot dish combines tender butternut squash, red lentils, and kidney beans in a fragrant tomato base, perfectly balanced with warming spices. Served alongside a refreshing fig raita, it’s a wholesome and satisfying meal ideal for any day of the week.

The image shows a silver pan filled with a warm, chunky stew made of bright orange cubed sweet potatoes mixed with red lentils and dark kidney beans. The lentils and beans are scattered evenly among the soft potato pieces, giving the dish a textured look with small round shapes interspersed. A wooden spoon with a dark handle rests inside the pan, slightly lifting some of the stew. Behind the pan, there is a small white bowl holding a creamy white sauce with bits of green herbs and dark spices visible on top. The scene is set on a white marbled surface with a light beige cloth folded nearby, creating a soft and clean background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

400g piece butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chunkily diced
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli flakes
400g can chopped tomatoes
100g dried red lentils
2 tsp agave syrup or brown sugar
2 tsp red or white wine vinegar
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 dried figs, finely chopped
150ml pot fat-free natural yogurt
½ small bunch parsley, chopped

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the butternut squash and sliced onion for 5-8 minutes, until the onion is softened.
Step 2: Stir in the ground cumin and chilli flakes, cooking for 1 minute to release their aromas.
Step 3: Add the chopped tomatoes along with a canful of water from the tomato can, dried red lentils, agave syrup (or brown sugar), and vinegar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the drained kidney beans, then cook for a further few minutes until the lentils are tender and the beans are heated through.
Step 5: Meanwhile, combine the finely chopped dried figs, fat-free natural yogurt, and chopped parsley in a bowl to make the fig raita.
Step 6: Season the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Serve it hot in bowls with the fig raita on the side.

Tips & Variations

For a creamier dish, add a splash of coconut milk towards the end of cooking.
Swap kidney beans for chickpeas for a different texture and flavor.
Add fresh chopped coriander instead of parsley for a brighter herb note in the raita.
If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the chilli flakes.

Storage

Store any leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the fig raita separate and use within 1-2 days for best freshness. Reheat the stew gently on the stove or in the microwave until piping hot.

How to Serve

A round metal pot filled with a colorful stew made of chopped orange pumpkin chunks, red lentils, and dark red kidney beans, each ingredient visible in thick, soft layers mixed together. A wooden spoon rests inside the pot, partly lifting some of the stew. Next to the pot, on the top left, there is a small white bowl containing a creamy white sauce with small green herbs and black specks. The pot sits on two wooden boards stacked on top of a white marbled surface with soft lighting that shows the texture of the vegetables clearly. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use canned lentils instead of dried?

Yes, you can use canned lentils; add them after the tomatoes have simmered, reducing cooking time accordingly. Since canned lentils are already cooked, simmer until everything is heated through.

Is this dish suitable for vegans?

The stew itself is vegan, but the fig raita contains yogurt. For a vegan version, substitute the yogurt with a plant-based alternative such as coconut or almond yogurt.