Roasted Butternut Squash Bowls

White bowl filled with roasted butternut squash, brown rice, and a drizzle of tahini dressing.

5 from 3 votes

These hearty vegan bowls feature roasted butternut squash and carrots alongside chickpeas, cirspy kale, and tahini dressing. Served on a scoop of brown rice.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 481kcal

Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

Ingredients

For the Bowls

1 cup long-grain brown rice rinsed well
2 cups water
1 ½ pounds butternut squash
4 whole carrots
1 (15.5 ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil divided; or cooking oil of choice
1 teaspoon dry rosemary
¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon two pinches
½ bunch curly kale 4-5 kale leaves
¼ cup pumpkin seeds

Tahini Dressing

½ cup tahini
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice from one small lemon
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
water as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a medium pot, combine well-rinsed rice with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer over low and cover. Simmer until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
Peel the butternut squash and scoop out the stringy flesh. Dice the squash into roughly ¾-inch to 1-inch cubes. Peel the carrots, then slice them in half. Slice each half into 2-3 pieces to form wedges.
In a large mixing bowl, drizzle the squash, carrots, and chickpeas with 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, rosemary, garlic powder, thyme, pepper, and cinnamon. Toss to combine. Transfer to a sheet pan, using a spatula to spread out into an even layer.
Roast at 425F for 30 minutes total, removing from the oven to stir the vegetables at the 15-minute mark.
Meanwhile, remove stems from the kale and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Toss with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.
After the squash has roasted for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven. It will not be completely cooked at this point. Top the squash with the kale pieces and raw pumpkin seeds.
Return to the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the kale is starting to become crispy around the edges.
Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing in a medium bowl by whisking together the tahini, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, parsley, and garlic powder. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to thin to a thick pourable consistency.
Assemble the bowls by dividing the rice and roasted vegetables between servings. Serve with a drizzle of tahini dressing, to taste. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Leftovers vegetables are best within 3 to 4 days and leftover dressing is best within a week. Store rice, vegetables, and tahini dressing separately. Reheat vegetables in a skillet over medium heat.
Grains: This recipe works with any kind of grain. White rice, quinoa, and farro are all great options.
If using frozen squash: Because packaged frozen butternut squash cooks more quickly than fresh squash, the recipe cook time needs to be adjusted slightly if using frozen squash. Add it after roasting the carrots and chickpeas for 10 minutes.

Nutrition