Butternut Squash Red Rice Pilaf

A bowl filled with butternut squash and red rice pilaf, topped with butternut squash, cranberries and pepitas.

5 from 1 vote

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!

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

To cook the Rice

1 cup Red Rice
1 cup Vegetable Stock
1 cup Water
2 Bay Leaves

To Roast the Squash

1 medium Butternut Squash
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder

For the Dressing

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

Other add-ins

1 medium Onion (cubed)
½ tablespoon Olive Oil
½ cup Dried Cranberries
½ cup Pepitas

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F. Peel and deseed the butternut squash. Cube them into ½ inch pieces.
1 medium Butternut Squash
Arrange them in a baking tray and add the remaining ingredients.
1 tablespoon Olive Oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
Bake for 35 minutes, tossing once in between. The pieces should turn golden brown on the edges and tender to poke with a fork.
Cook the red rice as per the package instructions.
1 cup Red Rice, 1 cup Vegetable Stock, 2 Bay Leaves , 1 cup Water
Boil for 45 minutes till all the liquid is absorbed. Let it stand for 5 minutes and discard the bay leaves.
Heat the olive oil and add the onions. Let them caramelize on the sides. Remove.
1 medium Onion, ½ tablespoon Olive Oil
To make the dressing mix together all the dressing ingredients.
½ inch Ginger, ½ cup Orange juice , 1 teaspoon Lime Juice , 1 tablespoon Olive Oil , 1 teaspoon Pepper Powder , 1 teaspoon Salt
In a bowl add the red rice, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions. Add half the dried cranberries and toasted pepitas. Add the ginger dressing and mix well.
½ cup Pepitas , ½ cup Dried Cranberries
Top with remaining pepitas and cranberries. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Gently warm in the microwave before serving.

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.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition