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Squash & Rice Casserole: An easy one-pan comfort dish perfect for cozy gatherings.
The first dinner we hosted in our newly rented cottage in Vermont was the perfect pretext to create this Squash & Rice Casserole. We had just moved in that day, hauling boxes through the brisk air, yet somehow, we were ready to feed our adventurous friends who'd helped us heft everything in. I always keep a cup of wild rice on hand, it’s a significant upgrade for dishes needing texture and a bit of drama. After everything was unpacked, roasting butternut squash and a wild mushroom blend felt soothing and right in our new snowy setting. To me, olives meant warmth, and a splash of balsamic vinegar woke up the earthy tones of the squash and mushrooms.
As the sun slipped behind the mountains, I draped rosemary sprigs over the vegetables and added a generous pour of cream because I had a hunch it would bubble beautifully. Before long, our cottage was alive with conversation, a warm oven hum, and the scent of rosemary, creamy rice, and caramelized onions. Being generous with Parmesan for texture, I spread everything into a pan with a confidence that comes from winging it after a long day. The secret I learned was to let those roasted veggies cool and rest before assembling; it’s like giving the flavors a little quiet time to mingle.
By the time we sat down to eat, the casserole was perfectly golden and bubbly. We toasted with mismatched mugs, grateful for the chaos and coziness of new beginnings and practical culinary experiments that just work out. This humble casserole turned into a slice of home, a dish to celebrate life's transitions, big and small.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth plus more, to taste
- 3 1/2 cups butternut squash chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion sliced into thin wedges
- 1 1/2 cups fresh wild mushroom blend or cremini mushrooms sliced
- 3 sprigs rosemary divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese finely shredded, divided
Directions
- In a large pot, add the wild rice blend and 1 3/4 cups of the chicken broth and cook until the rice is tender, according to the package directions. If the mixture seems dry before the rice is fully cooked, add the extra broth, a little at a time.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked rice and fluff it lightly with a fork.
- Allow the rice to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line an 18x26-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
- On the prepared baking sheet, add the squash, the onion wedges, the mushrooms, and 2 of the rosemary sprigs.
- Drizzle the veggie mixture with the balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and toss to coat.
- Spread the veggie mixture out evenly in a single layer.
- Roast the veggie mixture until the squash is tender and browned, about 25-35 minutes.
- Allow the veggie mixture to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Don't worry if some of the leaves remain.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the heavy cream and the remaining rosemary sprig and cook, while stirring occasionally, until the cream just begins to bubble around the sides of the pan.
- Transfer the heavy cream mixture from the stovetop to a wire rack and let it stand until slightly cooled, about 15 minutes.
- Add the veggie mixture, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, and the remaining salt to the rice and toss to combine.
- Evenly transfer the rice mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Remove and discard the rosemary sprig from the heavy cream mixture.
- Evenly pour the heavy cream mixture over the top of the rice mixture.
- Evenly sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top of the rice mixture.
- Evenly drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the rice mixture.
- Bake the casserole until it is bubbly around the edges and the top is browned, about 30-35 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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