Hearty wild rice with some of my favorite Fall vegetables makes for an easy, hearty, delicious dinner in the form of a dump-and-bake Autumn Squash Wild Rice Bake!
After all of the love that my Chipotle Brown Rice Bake has gotten, I thought it was time to make a fall-appropriate rice bake! The first version I made about a month ago was good, but this final version is REALLY good.
The perfect chewiness of wild rice, with a litany of autumn flavors, and veggies that have been cooked through to an almost creamy consistency. Did I mention there’s tempeh and tahini in there for a boost of protein and iron? Perfection!
And, just like the other recipe, this is a dump-and-bake dish! Just plop everything in a large casserole dish, give it a stir, cover it with foil, stir halfway through baking, and serve. So, while the baking time is a little longer with this one because of the wild rice, it still is oh-so-easy and definitely worth the wait.
Now, let’s get into substitutions and tips! Because the only thing that REALLY matters in this recipe is the liquid to rice ratio and cooking times, you can really customize it depending on what you have at home.
Substitutions & Tips
- Butternut squash – any winter squash will work well in this recipe.
- Yellow onion – white onion, brown onion, or shallots will also be tasty here!
- Gala apple – basically any pink or yellow apple will work here. The mild flavor pairs well with the savory without being overpowering.
- Carrots – if you can’t access carrots for some reason, you can use more squash and parsnip in their place.
- Parsnips – these may be harder to find depending on your local store. If you can’t, just use more carrots!
- Wild rice – while this is the rice I love most in this combination of flavors, brown rice or another hearty grain like farro will work. You will just need to keep an eye on the baking time because it will differ by grain.
- Tempeh – if you’re avoiding soy, a can of drained white beans is also good in this dish! They’re actually what I used in the first version of the dish.
- Tahini – if you need the recipe to be sesame-free, sunflower butter will also work here.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my friend Caitlin over at From My Bowl made a Sweet Potato Rosemary Brown Rice Casserole that also looks good and may be your speed if you want something with less ingredients!
