There is just something about a bubbling, cheesy dish coming out of the oven on a chilly evening, isn’t there? It instantly feels like home. Forget fussy holiday sides; I want something straightforward that tastes rich and complicated. That’s why this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** became a staple around here so fast. I actually messed this one up the first time I tried it, mixing the uncooked rice right into the squash mixture—oops! After figuring out the roasting step first, wow. This simple, glorious **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** ended up being the perfect weeknight vegetarian side dish. It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, and honestly, it’s just pure comfort in an 8×8 dish.
Why This Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole Is Your New Favorite Side Dish
I know you’re busy, so let’s talk about why this specific casserole deserves a spot in your regular rotation. It hits all the right notes without demanding you spend the entire afternoon stirring a pot. It’s the perfect combination of sweet squash and savory cheese.
- Quick Preparation for Your Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole: Seriously, the active time is barely 20 minutes! You toss the squash, start the rice, and then while that’s doing its thing, you mix everything up. Easy peasy, right?
- Comfort Food Texture of This Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole: That heavy cream mixed with roasted squash breaks down just enough when it bakes, giving you that luxurious mouthfeel. Plus, it’s a hearty, satisfying vegetarian side dish that even the meat-and-potatoes crowd will love.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Okay, the beauty of this recipe—the real magic in this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole**—is that it relies on simple things done right. You don’t need anything weird or hard to find. We are keeping this cozy and accessible! Here is exactly what you need to gather before you even think about turning on the oven. Trust me, having these measured out makes the quick cooking time possible.
For the vegetables and the base, you’re grabbing:
- One medium butternut squash—make sure it’s peeled and nicely cubed!
- One tablespoon of good olive oil.
- One cup of uncooked long-grain white rice. Don’t go for the instant stuff; we need that texture!
- Two cups of vegetable broth—this is where all the flavor starts.
And for that cheesy, creamy finish:
- Half a cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Get the real stuff if you can!
- A quarter cup of heavy cream—this is non-negotiable for the velvety texture.
- Just salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredient Specifics for Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Let’s chat about the squash for a second. You must peel it! Peeling a raw butternut squash can be a workout, so wrap the ends off first, slice it in half lengthwise, and use a sturdy spoon to scoop out those stringy seeds. Then, hack it into uniform cubes, maybe about ¾ inch in size. Consistency matters here because every piece needs to roast evenly in those 20 minutes.
Also, when you are pouring in that vegetable broth for the rice, make sure it’s hot if you can get it. It helps the rice cook up faster and fluffier for our **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole**. If your Parmesan cheese comes in a can, give it a quick whisk with the cream before adding it; it sometimes helps prevent clumping.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
This is where the magic happens, and honestly, it’s less work than it sounds—I promise! We have to be smart about the timing since we are dealing with roasting plus cooking rice. Don’t try to rush the squash; that roasting step is what gives this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** its amazing underlying sweetness.
First things first, fire up that oven to 375 degrees F, and grease up that 8×8 baking dish so nothing sticks to the bottom; I learned that the hard way! While that’s heating, get your squash tossing done and start your rice on the stovetop using the vegetable broth.
Roasting the Squash for the Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole Base
Take those lovely oiled squash cubes, sprinkle them with the salt and pepper, and get them onto a baking sheet. They need a full 20 minutes at 375°F. This step is absolutely crucial! If you just throw raw squash in, it turns mushy instead of tender and slightly caramelized. We want that firmness, even inside the casserole.
To check them? Poke a piece with a fork. If it slides in with almost no resistance, they are ready! If you’re struggling, give them another five minutes. You want them tender enough to mix, but not so soft they fall apart before they even hit the rice. Once they’re done, pull them out so they can cool slightly while you finish the rice.
Combining and Baking Your Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Once your rice is cooked in its broth—it should be nice and fluffy—it’s time to bring it all together in a big bowl. Gently fold in that warm, roasted squash. Then, welcome in the heavy cream and all that Parmesan cheese. Mix it just until everything is married together. You don’t want to beat it to death; we’re aiming for creamy, not gluey!
Pour that beautiful mixture into your prepared dish. Slide it into the oven—it already has cooked components, remember—and let it bake for about 20 minutes. You are just waiting for it to heat all the way through and for that top layer to get that beautiful, light golden crust. If you want to boost the color right at the end, you can pop it under the broiler for maybe 60 seconds, but keep your eye on it! You can use the remnants of your simple syrup recipe testing to help gauge the texture if you want a slightly sweeter note, but for this savory dish, just watch that top!
Tips for an Even Better Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
I love this recipe because it’s forgiving, but there are a few little tricks I’ve picked up over the years that take this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** from good to absolutely amazing. If you want to doctor it up slightly without changing the core character, here are my favorite things to do. I usually sneak one of these tips in every time I make it!
My biggest game-changer tip, straight from the notes section, is deciding how much of that squash to mash. Half the time, I leave all the roasted squash cubed because I love those little chewy bites, but when I want something *really* decadent and smooth, I mash up half of it right on the pan before mixing it into the rice. It deepens the color and makes the whole thing feel richer. It’s like adding a built-in sauce!
Ingredient Substitutions for Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Sometimes you just don’t have exactly what the recipe calls for, and that’s fine! We can usually pivot. The vegetable broth, for example, is wonderful because it keeps the casserole vegetarian, but if you’re making this alongside a roast chicken or turkey, don’t hesitate to swap it out for chicken broth. It adds a nice savory depth that works beautifully with the squash.
Another thing people ask about is spices. I kept the recipe simple here with just salt and pepper, but if you want to punch up the sweetness, try a tiny pinch of nutmeg or maybe a quarter teaspoon of dried rubbed sage with the squash before roasting. Honestly, be careful not to overdo it, though! If you are feeling adventurous with swaps, make sure you check out my notes on iced tea mistakes—sometimes the approach to adding flavor is similar; just don’t over-concentrate anything!
The Parmesan is usually sacred, but if you have Gruyère on hand, it melts even silkier than Parmesan, so feel free to blend half-and-half next time you make this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole**!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Oh, leftovers! This **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** is honestly sometimes better the next day, I won’t lie. Once it cools, just wrap that baking dish up tight with plastic wrap and foil, or scoop the remainder into an airtight container. It keeps beautifully in the fridge for about three or four days.
Reheating is key to keeping that texture right. I highly recommend reheating individual servings in the microwave—it’s fast, and a little bit of splash water on top helps steam it back to life. If you’re warming up the whole thing? Use the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes until it’s steaming hot all the way through. The oven keeps that slight crust on top a bit better than the microwave does, in my opinion!
Serving Suggestions for Your Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
Since this creamy **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** carries a lot of flavor and richness, you don’t need a hugely complicated main dish to go with it. It really shines next to simple roasted meats. I love serving it alongside a slow-cooked pork shoulder or maybe some simple baked chicken breasts seasoned with herbs.
It also makes a fantastic side dish for holiday tables, trading out the usual heavy potato options. If you want another veggie on the plate, keep it light—maybe just some quick sautéed green beans or roasted broccoli. And hey, if you’re looking to switch up your beverage game to go with dinner, give my recipe for easy homemade oat milk a look; it’s surprisingly good in coffee a little later on!
Frequently Asked Questions About Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
I’m always fielding questions about this recipe—it’s just that popular! It’s great that people are looking to make this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** work for whatever situation they have going on, whether it’s dietary restrictions or just planning ahead for a big dinner party. Here are the things I hear the most often!
Can I make this Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole vegan?
Oh yes, you absolutely can. Since this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** recipe relies on the richness of the Parmesan and the heavy cream, you just need good stand-ins. For the cream, you can usually substitute a full-fat oat cream or even a thick cashew cream—just make sure it’s unflavored. For the Parmesan? Nutritional yeast is your best friend here! It gives you that cheesy, savory flavor without any dairy at all. You might need to add just a splash more vegetable broth during the final bake since vegan creams sometimes absorb a little differently, but it’s totally doable.
What kind of rice works best in this Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole?
I specifically call for long-grain white rice in the recipe because it holds its shape so well under the creamy sauce and baking time. It gives us that slightly distinct, fluffy texture we’re looking for in a baked casserole. You *can* use something like brown rice, but be warned: brown rice takes way longer to cook and absorbs much more liquid.
If you try brown rice, you’d probably need to pre-cook it almost completely before mixing it in, and you’ll definitely have to increase the broth amount by about 50% when you cook the rice initially. For this recipe to come together in that quick 20-minute bake time, stick to the white rice!
How far ahead can I assemble the Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole?
That’s a great question if you’re trying to manage a busy Thanksgiving schedule! You can totally assemble this dish ahead of time, which makes it a fantastic make-ahead **vegetarian side dish**. Mix everything—the cooked rice, the roasted squash, the cream, and the cheese—and put it all into your greased baking dish.
Cover it tightly and pop it into the fridge. It can hang out in there for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to serve, just pull it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking so it loses that deep chill. Then, instead of the listed 20 minutes, add about 10 to 15 extra minutes to the baking time at 375°F since you are baking it cold.
Estimated Nutritional Snapshot of This Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole
I always tell people that just because this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole** is loaded with veggies and broth, it doesn’t mean it’s calorie-free! It’s got cheese and cream, after all, and that’s what makes it delicious! Nutrition facts are always tricky in home cooking, especially with ingredients like Parmesan that vary so much, but based on my careful measurements here, this is roughly what you’re looking at per serving.
Remember, these numbers are just estimates based on the recipe as written, making 4 generous servings. They are a guideline, not a guarantee!
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8g (Mostly from the natural squash sweetness!)
- Sodium: 550mg (This varies hugely depending on your broth and cheese saltiness.)
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
See? It’s a pretty solid, balanced little **vegetarian side dish**, giving you good fiber from the squash and rice while still feeling incredibly indulgent thanks to that cream and cheese. Enjoy it guilt-free!
Share Your Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole Creations
I put my heart into developing this **Butternut Squash And Rice Casserole**, and now the best part is hearing how it turned out in your kitchen! Did you go for the smooth mashed squash texture, or did you prefer it chunky? Don’t be shy!
When you try this out, I would absolutely love it if you could come back and leave a rating. Five stars would make my whole week, but any feedback helps me know what you loved! Drop a comment below telling me what you served it with—was it turkey, ham, or just a big salad?
If you snapped a picture of your bubbling, golden casserole—and I hope you did!—please tag me on social media! Seeing your beautiful work makes all the testing and tasting totally worth it. If you have any questions that didn’t fit in the FAQ, you can always reach out to me directly via my contact page. Happy baking!
Print
Butternut Squash and Rice Casserole
- Total Time: 60 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple baked casserole featuring creamy butternut squash mixed with rice.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the squash on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until tender.
- While the squash roasts, cook the rice according to package directions using the vegetable broth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, roasted squash, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream. Mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the top is lightly golden.
Notes
- For a smoother texture, mash half of the roasted squash before mixing it with the rice.
- You can substitute vegetable broth with chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 14
- Cholesterol: 20
Keywords: butternut squash, rice casserole, baked squash, vegetarian side dish, comfort food