Fall is in the air and squash is on the menu! From the beginning of fall season to first frost of winter, squash are in full harvest mode! And I try my best to take as much advantage of this as possible every year. This butternut squash brown rice combines homegrown habaneros, bell peppers, and tomatoes with red onion, garlic, and bay leaves. I made it specifically to put in burritos, but it's a great option in any Latin American inspired dish.
You can technically get squash, pumpkins, and other gourds all year round. But I do like to use produce when it's in season. Particularly if you can find it locally or grow it yourself. And I did attempt to grow squash this year, but it was not a great year for squash! It grows best in moderate climates. Living in Wisconsin with extreme heat and extreme cold vacillating all spring and an uncharacteristically warm fall? My squash may have never had a chance! But picking it up at a farmer's market or grocery store that supports local farmers works in a pinch.
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What to Make w/ Squash Brown Rice
There are some staple things that I like to make with brown rice. I specifically made this variety with burritos in mind. However, you can toss rice into anything from eggs and salads to more traditional burritos and enchiladas. This week I made a couple of different types of burritos and a very delicious omelette.
Brown rice is hearty and nutritious. With the robustness of squash and a hint of habaneros, this recipe perfectly pairs the fall feel with a Mexican spin. This recipe consists of homegrown bell peppers, habaneros, red chilis, and cherry tomatoes with butternut squash, red onion, garlic, bay leaves, chili pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper.
Dice or mince all of the vegetables. Peel and dice the squash, quarter the cherry. tomatoes, and mince the red onion, garlic, and habaneros.
Add all of the ingredients into a rice cooker. I like to start with the larger vegetables and then add the smaller ingredients. Top with the bay leaves, spices, and olive oil. And then add the rice and water.This cooks the larger vegetables on the bottom, while dispersing the flavor profiles in the middle. Although with some mixing, this really doesn't matter all that much. Everything will eventually cook together!
Press the cook button on the rice cooker. It should take about 45 minutes to cook.Alternatively you can simmer on the stove. Add all of the ingredients to a pot, bring uncovered to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook covered for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet squash and rice are tender. Turn off heat, add lid, and let sit another 5-10 minutes.
When the rice is fully cooked, let sit for 10 minutes, and then fluff with a wooden spoon and serve.Do not use a fork or other metal utensil. It will scratch off the nonstick surface on the rice cooker. This will leach teflon into your food and cause future dishes to stick to the bottom!
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
For tips and tricks on The Fundamentals of Cooking Rice, particularly brown rice, check out my article on the matter. Rice is surprisingly more difficult to cook in a rice cooker than the name would suggest and there are a multitude of simple solutions for common problems, like overcooking and becoming mushy or drying out. There are also some solutions for remedying these issues after the fact, instead of starting over!
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