Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf

A Holiday worthy recipe; this Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf has all the Fall favorites including squash, cranberries, pepitas and a refreshing citrus dressing! 

This is definitely a great Vegetarian side for the Thanksgiving and Christmas table but makes a great recipe through the season!

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RalstonRiceAtSprouts

Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated festivals in the US. The prep for this starts months in advance. Menu planning, table setting, shoppinga nd prepping the dishes finally concludes in the most amazing family dinner.

Folks get together and enjoy a delicious meal together. It is wonderful to see kids fly across the country to spend the weekend with parents and loved ones.

So when we come to such an important festival, the menu HAS to be perfect. There are some traditional recipes that make an appearance each year and few that change over the years.

We enjoy a Vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner and it has all these amazing recipes: Roasted Cauliflower, Pumpkin Bread, Ricotta and Pumpkin stuffed shells, Pumpkin Soup and Masala Smashed Potatoes.

Along with this is a delicious Salad or Pilaf made with all the Fall flavors. This appeared on our menu a couple years ago and now is there each year.

Jump to:

• What is Pilaf
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Serving and Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• More Thanksgiving Recipes
• Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf

What is Pilaf

By definition Pilaf is a rice dish prepared by boiling rice in a stock with spices. This rice is then served with toppings or sautéed in with vegetables etc.

The key here is the cooking technique and the fact that the rice grains should remain separate and not clump together. This easy method yields perfectly cooked, fluffy and flavorful rice.

Today we employ this method to cook red rice and flavor it with a delicious ginger citrus dressing and add-ins. Together they make a dish that can be the star of the Thanksgiving table and yet it is so easy to make.

A cross between a Fall salad and Thanksgiving Stuffing; this Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf recipe is definitely a keeper.

Why this recipe works

• It is naturally Vegan and does not need any dairy ingredients.
• This Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf is filled with Fall flavors.
• We can prepare most of the elements before hand, making it easy to put together.
• With a few simple hacks, we can put the recipe together in minutes.
• It has a delicious dressing that gives the recipe a floral citrus flavor.
• This pilaf is naturally gluten-free.
• We can serve this recipe as a side or as a main course. It pairs well with so many other recipes.
• It is easy to add in more vegetables to make the rice wholesome.
• The recipe works well when scaled up or down.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Red Rice: The rice I have used is Ralston Family Farms™ Red Rice. It is non-GMO, Kosher and full of antioxidants. This makes the base of the recipe so pick a good quality rice.
• Butternut Squash: Roasted butternut squash is a great addition to the pilaf. Roasting it gives the squash a distinct flavor and texture. Thus, this step should ideally not be skipped.
• Onions: Caramelizing onions gives it such a great flavor. These onions taste slightly sweet and go great with the squash. However, raw onions work too if you like.
• Cranberries: I like to use dried cranberries in the recipe.The tart taste of berries and bright color adds so much to the pilaf. Plus, it has the perfect Fall flavor too. These can be swapped with fresh pomegranate arils too. 
• Pepitas: Used to add crunch in an otherwise soft pilaf, these seeds happen to be my favorite for Fall recipes. The roasted ones work well and so do the flavored ones. Using pine nuts or pecans is a great idea too. 
• Dressing: I make the dressing with a mix of orange juice, lemon juice, ginger, olive oil, salt and pepper. I would recommend not skipping this one in the recipe. Toegther these elevate the recipe with all the floral and citrus notes.
• Other than these, adding shaved brussels sprouts, pumpkin, corn, asparagus etc. work as well. Simply add vegetables that you like for the recipe.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel and deseed the butternut squash.

2- Cube them into ½ inch pieces.

3- Then arrange them in a baking tray and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on them. Also sprinkle ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder.

4- Bake for 35 minutes, tossing once in between. The pieces should turn golden brown on the edges and tender to poke with a fork.

5- Meanwhile, cook the red rice as per the package instructions. I added 1 cup of red rice, 2 bay leaves, 1 cup vegetable stock and 1 cup water.

6- Boil for 45 minutes till all the liquid is absorbed. Then let it stand for 5 minutes and discard the bay leaves.

7- Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil and add the onions.

8- Let them caramelize on the sides and remove from the pan and then set aside.

9- To make the dressing mix the ingredients for dressing together.

• ½ cup Orange juice
• 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
• ½ inch Ginger (grated)
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 
• 1 teaspoon Pepper Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt 

10- In a large bowl add the red rice, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, half the dried cranberries and toasted pepitas. Then add the ginger dressing and mix well. Top with remaining pepitas and cranberries and serve warm or at room temperature.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Using cubed Squash: The easiest swap in the recipe is to use store bought cubed squash. This eliminates the cutting time and you head straight to the roasting step.
• Making this pilaf quickly: Plan the steps well to eliminate waiting for the elements to cook. Start with preheating the oven and making the rice. The rice takes 45 minutes to cook. While that is happening, place the squash to roast. While roasting the squash, caramelize the onions and prepare the dressing. Once everything is ready; it hardly takes any time to put it together! 
• Using other Rice: I like to use red rice in the recipe. That being said, a wild rice blend, brown rice or even quinoa can be used to make it.
• Don't peak: The rice cooks well when it gets continuous steam. Try not to peak while the rice is cooking. Once the liquid is all absorbed, open the lid and mix well.
• Using a pan with tight fitting lid: Cooking the rice in a pan with a tight lid helps cook it quickly without the steam escaping without cooking the rice.
• Making this a main course: Convert this dish to a complete meal by adding sautéed vegetables and protein like tofu or paneer. It makes a more wholesome one dish meal.
• More add-ins: This salad is great with slivered almonds, kale, feta cheese, shaved brussels sprouts and so on. Mix and match the add-ins based on preferences and availability.

Serving and Storage

The pilaf tastes great when served warm or at room temperature. If the weather is super cold, I would suggest warming it up before serving. 

As a side, this tastes amazing with all kinds of entrees, Pumpkin Pasta, Pumpkin bread and even with some Pumpkin Soup. 

Serving this as a main works well too. To do so, just whip up some yogurt with salt, pepper, cumin powder and chopped vegetables. This side would go really well with the Fall inspired pilaf. 

The leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Gently warm in the microwave before serving. The cooked rice can be stored longer in the refrigerator.

Recipe FAQs

More Thanksgiving Recipes

A vegetarian Thanksgiving table can be complete by including these delicious recipes.