Food Recipes Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Bake 5.0 (4) 4 Reviews A Thanksgiving casserole that's comfort at its best. By Jenna Helwig Jenna Helwig Instagram Jenna is the food director at Real Simple and the author of Bare Minimum Dinners, a cookbook featuring more than 100 low-lift, high-reward recipes. Previously, Jenna was the food director at Health and Parents. She is also the founder and operator of Rosaberry, a boutique personal chef services company, and the author of four other cookbooks, including the bestselling Baby-Led Feeding. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 19, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Victor Protasio Hands On Time: 25 mins Total Time: 110 mins Servings: 8 In this gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish, chunks of roasted butternut squash mingle with caramelized onions and mushrooms while a rosemary-infused cream bathes the whole dish in herbal richness. This wild rice and cheesy vegetable casserole is baked until bubbly and beautifully browned on top. It has all the elements to become a new crowd favorite: creamy, satisfying, and rich. Serve it as a gluten-free stuffing option, vegetarian main, or a bonus side dish. We predict it will become a new holiday staple, and you might just bust it out for a casual weekend dinner because you won't be able to resist. Ingredients 1 cup (6½ oz.) uncooked wild rice blend 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed 1 pound prechopped butternut squash (about 3½ cups) 1 yellow onion, sliced lengthwise into thin wedges (about 1 cup) 4 ounces fresh wild mushroom blend or cremini mushrooms, sliced (about 1½ cups) 3 sprigs rosemary 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for baking dish 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1.50 cups heavy whipping cream 1 ¼ ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (about ½ cup), divided Directions Cook wild rice blend according to package directions, substituting broth for water. Transfer to a large bowl; let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, tossing occasionally with a fork. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place squash, onion wedges, mushrooms, and 2 rosemary sprigs on baking sheet. Drizzle with vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat; spread in a single layer. Roast until squash is tender and browned, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs (it's OK if some leaves remain). While squash cools, combine cream and remaining rosemary sprig in a small saucepan. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until cream just begins to bubble around sides. Remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Discard rosemary sprig. Add squash mixture, ¼ cup cheese, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to rice in bowl. Toss to combine; transfer to a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. To Serve Immediately: Preheat oven to 375°F. Pour cream over rice mixture. Top with remaining ¼ cup cheese and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Bake until cream is bubbly around edges and top is browned, 30 to 35 minutes. To Store and Prep at Feast Time: Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Transfer cream to a jar and seal. Refrigerate baking dish and cream for up to 4 days. To serve, preheat oven to 375°F. Uncover rice mixture; let rice mixture and cream stand at room temperature while oven preheats. Follow remaining instructions above. Print