Thanksgiving Side Dish

Turkey and Ham will always be the mascot for the Thanksgiving menu, but we all know the sides are what carry the team. Potatoes are usually the star of the (side dish) show at any Thanksgiving gathering, but long are the days where a basic mashed potatoes will make the cut.

Don’t get me wrong, the potato and all its starchy goodness will definitely be making an appearance this year on my table in the form of a gratin, but the mashed potatoes need to move over because there’s a new “starchy star” that will be the MVP of your Thanksgiving lineup this year, and it’s a rice recipe!

Butternut Squash Rice with Dried Cranberries and Sage made its debut at our Thanksgiving feast for the first time last year, and even our pickiest eaters were going back for seconds. (SCORE!)

Autumn Rice Recipe

This rice recipe is so comforting as it embodies all the flavors and ingredients of Fall that we know and love. Of course, you know it has to include some type of gourd, and for this rice dish, we’ll use butternut squash! Dried cranberries are added in and softened down during the cooking process, which adds a subtle sweetness. Garlic and sage are included too, bringing in that earthy flavor we crave all season long.

One Pot Rice Side Dish

If there’s one thing I’ve learned to appreciate, it’s a one-pot dish. As we get thicker into the holiday season, week-night parties, recitals, and shopping leave less time to spend over the stove. One-pot dishes help cut down on cook time and the biggest pain of all… more dishes to clean!

This butternut squash rice is the perfect side dish to add to any meal, and is a great option for a vegetarian meal, as it can be quite filling. See the recipe below and substitute the chicken stock for vegetable stock if you want to make it full vegetarian. If you need a bit more protein, add a grilled chicken breast on top of a bed of the butternut squash rice and you’ve got a quick an easy meal on your hands!

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Autumn Rice

This rice recipe is so comforting as it embodies all the flavors and ingredients of Fall that we know and love. Butternut squash, sage and cranberries! 

Course Side Dish

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable stock)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 11 oz pre-diced butternut squash OR 1.5 cups of freshly diced squash
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves finely chopped
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in squash and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, add chopped shallot and minced garlic and cook 1 minute.

2. Stir in rice and cook 1-2 minutes until rice is toasted.

3. Add chopped sage leaves, cranberries, salt and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 18-20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and serve.