Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Stuffing

Here’s a delectable vegan wild rice and butternut squash stuffing that makes a fantastic side dish for fall and winter holidays and other special occasion meals.

Wild rice and butternut squash are two favorite fall and winter ingredients. Teamed with red onion and bread, these ingredients add up to a stuffing casserole with plenty of flavor, color, and texture. I highly recommend using sourdough bread for this recipe, though any sturdy bread will do nicely.

To make the prep for this dish as easy as possible, use precut, raw butternut squash. You’ll find it in the produce section of well-stocked supermarkets in the cool seasons. Of course, feel free to use fresh butternut squash if you’ve got a good, sharp knife. You can also pre-bake the squash for easier cutting; this will cut down on cooking time in step 3 in the recipe box.

How to pre-bake whole butternut squash

If you don’t have a knife sharp enough to peel and dice a butternut squash, wrap the whole squash in foil and bake at 375º F. for 40 to 45 minutes, or until you can pierce through with a knife with some resistance. This will depend on the size of the squash.

When cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers as wells the stem. Cut into half-circles and peel; then cut into approximately 3/4-inch dice.

About wild rice

Actually the seed of a grass native to the Great Lakes region of the U.S., wild rice looks, tasted, and is cooked like a grain. In this recipe we’ll be using it straight up, but it’s often blended with brown rice and cooked together — they have similar cooking times.

Wild rice often comes packaged with long-grain white rice in pilaf mixes — in those cases, it’s par-cooked and dried so that its cooking time can sync with the white rice.

Though wild rice is costlier than most varieties of rice, a little goes a long way when combined with other ingredients. It has a more pronounced, nuttier flavor than rice, and a chewier texture as well. 

Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

Explore more …

• Vegan stuffing recipes
• An Epic Roundup of Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes
• Potato, Apple, and Sauerkraut Stuffing

Continue to Content

Yield: 6 to 8

Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Stuffing

Print

Here’s a delectable vegan wild rice and butternut squash stuffing that makes a fantastic side dish for fall and winter holidays and other special occasion meals.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw wild rice, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups raw diced butternut squash (or pre-baked and diced; see Note)
• 3 cups diced whole-grain or sourdough bread
• 1 tablespoon salt-free seasoning (like Mrs. Dash)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 5 or 6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced, optional
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice, more or less to moisten (but not drench) the bread
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 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 the grain isn’t done to your liking, add 1/2 cup more water and cook until absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or stir-fry pan. Add the onion sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden. 
3. Add the diced butternut squash. If raw, add it along with 1/2 cup water and continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until nearly tender. If using pre-baked squash, cook only for another minute or two. 
4. Add the cooked wild rice and all the remaining ingredients to the pan and stir together. Transfer to an oiled 2-quart baking dish and pat in gently.
5. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 375º F oven, or until the mixture begins to turn golden and crusty on top and around the edges. Keep warm until needed or serve at once. Scoop out portions to serve. 

Notes

 If you don’t have a knife sharp enough to peel and dice a butternut squash, wrap the whole squash in foil and bake at 375º F. for 40 to 45 minutes, or until you can pierce through with a knife with some resistance. This will depend on the size of the squash.

When cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers as wells the stem. Cut into half-circles and peel; then cut into approximately 3/4-inch dice. 

If you like this savory vegan stuffing, you might also enjoy …

See more cozy casseroles & skillets.