Healthy, hearty, and wholesome stuffed butternut squash with wild rice is an easy and cozy vegetarian comfort food for fall. Tender roasted butternut squash is stuffed with a combination of wild rice and white rice, earthy mushrooms, and sweet peas. Top it with some melty cheese for ultimate comfort, or leave out the cheese and keep this meal vegan. Serve it as a gluten-free side dish on your fall dinner menu or as a vegetarian entree all on it's own. It's that good.
Ingredients in Stuffed Butternut Squash
- butternut squash
- fresh thyme
- olive oil
- rice - I used a combination of Basmati white rice and wild rice.
- vegetable oil
- onions
- mushrooms
- green peas
- vegetable stock powder
- salt and pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese - optional but adds extra comfort. Leave it out if keeping the recipe vegan.
- fresh parsley - for garnish.
You will also need a baking sheet pan and a medium pot or Dutch oven.
How to Make the Best Wild Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash
First, roast the butternut squash. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Place butternut squash, cut side up, onto a baking sheet pan. Brush on some oil and sprinkle chopped thyme on top. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 45 mins, or until soft. Insert a fork to check doneness. If it's fork tender, it's ready.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice. Heat oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 minutes until hot. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft. Then, add rice and stir well to combine. Add vegetable stock powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
Add approximately one cup of water (water level should be one inch above the mixture) and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Check occasionally to see if the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 to 15 minutes. The rice is still cooking by the residual heat. Gently fluff the rice. Note that this rice mixture is supposed to be a little mushy.
Now, let's assemble the stuffed butternut squash. Once the squash is fork tender and cooled down, scoop out the pulp, leaving the butternut squash shell at ½-inch thick. Add the pulp to the rice, and stir well to combine. Transfer the rice mixture evenly amongst the two shells.
Sprinkle cheese on top (optional). If topping with cheese, place the stuffed squash back into the oven and broil on high for 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and turn golden brown on top. Keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn quickly.
Let the stuffed butternut squash cool for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.
How to Serve Butternut Squash
Stuffed butternut squash with wild rice and mushrooms is a great wholesome vegetarian dinner on it's own, or serve as a side dish alongside a whole roast chicken or spatchcock chicken.
It is also the perfect side to serve at your Thanksgiving holiday dinner. Some other holiday sides to serve are mashed potatoes, nutty green beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and rosemary cornbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, you can make this the day before and the store the roasted squash and cooked rice separately in the refrigerator. Assemble it the next day when you want to serve it. I would heat it up the assembled squash in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes. Then, add shredded cheese and place under the broiler on high for 3 minutes to melt.
- Can I make the rice in a rice cooker? Absolutely, you can precook the rice to save some time, since it is much faster to cook rice in a rice cooker. When you are preparing the rice as per the recipe instructions, add it in cooked and stir fry it with the vegetables and seasonings. Then assemble the squash.
- Can I add other vegetables? Yes, of course. Create your own recipe with any vegetables or meat choice that you like. Some great options are celery, cauliflower, apples, and cranberries. For meat choices, try ground meat or sausage.
- How do I store? To store, place stuffed butternut squash in an airtight container or in a ziploc bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer to a 350 F oven or air fryer for 10 minutes.
More Butternut Squash Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Butternut Squash Carbonara Pasta
- One Pan Roasted Harvest Vegetables
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash "Pumpkin" Bread
- Fall Harvest Salad with Butternut Squash
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Recipe
Stuffed Butternut Squash with Wild Rice
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Healthy, hearty and wholesome stuffed butternut squash with wild rice and mushrooms is an easy cozy vegetarian dinner or side dish for fall. The best comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup Basmati white rice, uncooked
- ½ cup wild rice, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
- ½ cup onions, finely chopped (approximately one onion)
- ½ cup mushrooms, chopped
- ¼ cup frozen green peas
- ½ teaspoon vegetable stock powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup water (or enough to cover rice by one inch - see recipe instructions)
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Roast the Butternut Squash:
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Place butternut squash, cut side up, onto a baking sheet. Brush on some oil and sprinkle chopped thyme on top.
- Bake for 45 mins, or until soft. Insert a fork to check doneness. If it's fork tender, it's ready.
Prepare the Rice:
- Place the rice in a large bowl and rinse 3 to 4 times with cold running water to wash off extra starch from the rice. Drain it well and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 minutes until the hot oil sizzles and shimmers. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft.
- Add rice and stir well to combine. Add peas, vegetable stock powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add approximately one cup of water (water level should be one inch above the mixture) and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Check occasionally to see if the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 10 to 15 minutes. The rice is still cooking by the residual heat. Gently fluff the rice. Note that this rice mixture is supposed to be a little mushy.
Assemble the Stuffed Butternut Squash:
- Once the squash is fork tender, let it cool down to room temperature, or cool enough to handle. Scoop out the pulp, leaving the butternut squash shell at ½-inch thick.
- Add the pulp to the rice, and stir well to combine. Transfer the rice mixture evenly amongst the two shells.
- Sprinkle cheese on top (optional). If adding cheese, place the stuffed squash back into the oven and broil on high for 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts and turn golden brown on top. Keep a close eye on the broiler as things can burn quickly.
- Let the stuffed butternut squash cool for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.
Notes
Equipment used: baking sheet pan and Dutch oven (or medium pot)
Make ahead instructions: You can make this the day before and the store the roasted squash and cooked rice separately in the refrigerator. Assemble it the next day when you want to serve it. I would heat it up the assembled squash in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes. Then, add shredded cheese and place under the broiler on high for 3 minutes to melt.
Rice cooker instructions: You can precook the rice to save some time, since it is much faster to cook rice in a rice cooker. When you are preparing the rice as per the recipe instructions, add it in cooked and stir fry it with the vegetables and seasonings. Then assemble the squash.
Customize the filling: Create your own recipe with any vegetables or meat choice that you like. Some great options are celery, cauliflower, apples, and cranberries. For meat choices, try ground meat or sausage.
How to store: Place stuffed butternut squash in an airtight container or in a ziploc bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer to a 350 F oven or air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Vegetarian
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
I.F says
Thankful for your recipe. Keep up with the great work!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much! So happy you liked the recipe!
Peggy H. says
This was a big hit was the whole family! I added Mexican chorizo to it, and the mild spice was perfect. I waited until after cooking the rice to add the frozen peas because they maintained their vibrant color that way. I also found that I needed about 2-1/2 cups of water instead of 1/2 cup. Next time we will try black beans and corn instead of chorizo and peas. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Wow that sounds amazing! So happy you liked the recipe, and LOVE the chorizo you added in there. I totally have to try it.
Marcy youker says
have all the ingredients at hand, love all of them, really like your recipes, they are always tasty
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Marcy! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Sandy says
Another winner from Sam! I had acorn squash on hand, so I used that instead of the butternut. That meant I had some filling left over. My two daughters made short work of that extra filling!
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Sandy! So happy you like the recipe. It does work really well with acorn squash too. 🙂