Here’s a favorite longtime Thanksgiving main dish (though you don’t have to wait for the holiday to enjoy it). Whole-grain (or sourdough) bread and wild rice stuffed butternut squash is a satisfying dish for any festive meal. It’s a fantastic vegan main dish option.
Use your favorite whole-grain bread, though I highly recommend using sourdough if you can find a fresh loaf. And of course, you can use gluten-free bread if need be.
Variations
- To add drama to this presentation, try this recipe with other winter squash varieties. Hubbard squash, delicata, sweet dumpling, and golden acorn are just a few stuffable squashes. See our guide to winter squash varieties.
- Use black forbidden rice in place of wild rice. You can also use brown basmati rice; the dish won’t look as dramatic, but it will still taste great. See our guides to wild rice and black forbidden rice.
Find lots more delicious vegan Thanksgiving main dishes, including more stuffed squash recipes and holiday roasts.
This recipe for wild rice stuffed butternut squash is adapted from Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
Explore more …
- Festive Vegan Stuffed Squash Recipes
- Gingery Rice and Apple Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin
- Brown and Wild Rice Stuffed Peppers
- Quinoa and Mushroom Stuffed Golden Squashes
Bread and Wild Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash
Whole grain bread and wild rice stuffed butternut squash is a satisfying dish for any festive meal. This is a fantastic vegan main dish for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 4 medium-small butternut squashes (about 1 pound each)
- 3/4 cup raw wild rice, rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups diced sturdy whole-grain or sourdough bread
- 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning (like Mrs. Dash or Spike)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 5 or 6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced (highly recommended) or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- To do ahead of time: Wrap the whole squashes in foil and bake at 375º F. for 40 to 50 minutes, or until you can pierce through with a knife. The knife should go in with a little resistance; don’t let the squashes get mushy.
- When the squashes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Scoop out the squash pulp, leaving a sturdy shell of about 1/2 inch all around. Chop the pulp finely.
- Combine the wild rice with the water in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes. If not done to your liking, add 1/2 cup additional water and cook until absorbed. Repeat as needed.
- Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked wild rice with the sautéed onion and the remaining ingredients, including the chopped squash pulp. Stir together completely.
- Stuff the squashes, place in foil-lined baking dishes, and cover until shortly before serving.
- Before serving, place the squashes in a preheated 350º F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until fork-tender and well heated through.
Notes
Variations
- To add drama to this presentation, try this recipe with a mix of other winter squash varieties. Hubbard squash, delicata, sweet dumpling, and golden acorn are just a few stuffable squashes.
- Use black forbidden rice in place of wild rice. You can also use brown basmati rice; the dish won’t look as dramatic, but it will still taste great.
See lots more delicious vegan main dishes.
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