Creamy Squash, Sausage and Buckwheat Stew

PREP TIME: 45 MINUTES
SERVINGS: 4-6

About

This creamy squash, sausage and buckwheat stew is just what I want on the first cooler days of fall. It’s hearty, warming and full of seasonal vegetables, yet easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner. Buckwheat is a big part of Slovenian cuisine and a regular on our table. I love finding new ways to use this naturally gluten-free grain. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2-3 TBSP rapeseed oil
1 yellow onion
2 celery stalks
¼ celery root (about 2 cups diced)
½ rutabaga (about ½ cup diced)
1 pork sausage
1 bouquet garni (thyme, sage, bay leaf)
700 g squash of choice
1 can butterbeans
1 TSP cumin
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 l stock
170 g (raw) buckwheat
Salt and pepper to taste
50 ml heavy cream

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables
Peel and finely chop the onion, celery stalks, celery root and rutabaga. Cut the squash into bite-sized cubes. Drain and rinse the butter beans.

Build the base
Heat the rapeseed oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, celery root and rutabaga and cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the sausage and seasoning
Remove the sausage from its casing and break it into small pieces. Add it to the pot and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring and breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned. Stir in the cumin and cook for another minute.

Deglaze and simmer
Add the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the squash, butter beans, bouquet garni and stock. Season lightly with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

Add the buckwheat
Rinse the buckwheat under cold water, then add it to the stew. Simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the buckwheat is tender and the squash is cooked through but still holds its shape. Stir occasionally and add a little extra stock or water if the stew becomes too thick.

Blend briefly
Once the buckwheat is tender, remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the stew briefly for just a few seconds, keeping plenty of the vegetables and buckwheat whole. This will give your stew a creamier, thicker texture.

Finish with cream
Remove the bouquet garni. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer gently for another 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper or a little more balsamic vinegar if needed. Serve hot.

Recipe Q&A

What kind of type of squash can I use?
You can use any type of squash for this recipe. I used approximately equal amounts of butternut squash and Red Kuri (Hokkaido) squash. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the variety and how large you cut the pieces.

Can I use a different sausage?
Yes. A good-quality pork sausage works particularly well, but you can easily use another type depending on what you have available.
P.S. This stew is also delicious without any sausage or meat at all.

Do I need to cook the buckwheat separately?
No. The buckwheat is added directly to the stew and cooks in the stock, which also helps thicken the stew and gives it a creamy texture.