Pumpkin Rice with Fall Vegetables

This creamy pumpkin rice recipe includes roasted cauliflower, sautéed zucchini, and red onion. Made with wild rice, canned pumpkin puree, and a little parmesan to make it creamy, this exquisite Fall side dish will impress every guest at Thanksgiving or the Halloween dinner party! The whole recipe takes less than an hour to make, and it’s easy to reheat too! 

Pumpkin Rice with Fall Vegetables

This pumpkin rice is both a fancy dinner party side dish or a simple Monday night family dinner recipe. It’s so easy to make, and complements pork chops, steak, roasted chicken dishes, turkey, or lamb chops perfectly! It’s a spin on my pumpkin risotto recipe that includes more veggies and doesn’t require an instant pot. 

I used a blend of wild rice for this recipe, but you can choose almost any kind of rice you wish (apart from sticky or starchy rice). You could even use grains like barley or farro! Just be sure to follow the cooking directions on your brand of rice, rather than my instructions, if you use another kind. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s a perfect Fall side dish – Pumpkin is everyone’s favorite Autumn vegetable, and if you’re looking to turn rice and vegetables into an impressive, rustic, Fall side dish, this is it!

It takes less than an hour to make – Simply put the rice on to boil, chop a few veggies and roast the cauliflower while you sauté a little onion and zucchini. So easy, and done in no time!

It’s easy to make ahead – Make a whole day ahead, bake at 350 F. (175 C.) for 20 minutes, and it will be delicious…not quite as delicious as freshly made, but pretty darn close! That’s why I love this for Thanksgiving! No sautéing and boiling rice in the kitchen while guests are waiting for dinner. I just pop it in the oven and serve.

The Process

First, we’ll put the rice on to boil in broth with pumpkin puree, a few spices, honey and salt.

Then, we’ll chop the veggies, sauté the zucchini and onion, and roast the cauliflower.

Finally, we’ll add parmesan to the rice to make it creamy, then add the veggies and serve.

Ingredient Notes

wild rice – I used a blend of wild long grain, sweet brown, red, and black rice, but feel free to use basmati, brown rice, parboiled… essentially any non-sticky or creamy rice like Arborio (unless you intend to make this a risotto). Just be sure to follow the cooking directions for 8 ounces of whichever rice you choose.

vegetable broth – Use a broth WITH sodium, otherwise, you’ll just have to add a little salt later. You can also substitute with a chicken broth for a deeper flavor.

red onion – You can substitute with white onion too, and even shallots. I just like the deep color of red onion, and the little bit of sweetness it provides.

honey – You can substitute with ½ teaspoon of sugar if you don’t have honey.

cauliflower – You’ll only be using about half of a small-medium size cauliflower.

cinnamon and nutmeg – The amounts listed in the recipe are “a tiny sprinkle” because you’ll be using just over a pinch; less than I could provide a common measurement for. Even though it’s a small amount, it makes SUCH a difference in the recipe’s flavor. Add just a little pinch and taste to see if you should add a teeny bit more.

parmesan – This is what makes the recipe creamy, and takes it over the top! I added a whole half-cup, but if that’s a little too creamy for your taste, feel free to add less, or leave it out altogether if you don’t want creamy rice. You’ll just have to add a bit more salt later.

pumpkin puree – Be sure that’s pumpkin puree and not “pumpkin pie filling.” You want non-sweetened, pure canned pumpkin.

zucchini – Feel free to use yellow or green. You’ll only require 8 ounces of sliced zucchini, so you may not use the whole thing for the recipe.

How to Make This Recipe – Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. (215 C.). Bring 1¾ cups vegetable broth to a boil (double check the directions on your rice for broth amount for 8 oz. rice). Add 8 oz. wild rice and reduce to a simmer. Add 4 oz. pumpkin puree, 1 tsp. honey, a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon, a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg, and ¼ tsp. salt. Give it a stir, place a lid on top and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Check your rice directions for cook time, as they may differ from mine).

2. While rice simmers, slice 2 cups small cauliflower florets. Slice bigger ones in half so you have a nice flat side (they roast in a more tasty way). Set aside.

3. Slice 1 zucchini into chunky slices (about ¾ths of an inch). Then, slice them into quarters. You should have 1 cup sliced zucchini. Set aside.

4. Dice 1 cup red onion. Set aside.

5. Add cauliflower florets to a mixing bowl with 3 tbsp. olive oil and a nice sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir until coated.

6. Lay cauliflower onto a foil-lined baking sheet, flat side down, and roast for 20 minutes. You’ll find gorgeous roasted bottoms once finished if you place them flat, sliced side down.

7. While cauliflower roasts, and rice simmers, add 1 tbsp. olive oil to a sauté pan with sliced zucchini. Turn heat to MEDIUM-HIGH, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and don’t move the zucchini for 3-4 minutes, until one side is nice and brown. Flip, and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Set aside.

8. Add 1 more tbsp. olive oil to the pan, and sauté diced onions for 5-7 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove into a bowl with zucchini. 

9. Once cauliflower is finished, remove into bowl with zucchini and onions. Once rice is finished, add ½ cup freshly grated parmesan and stir.

10 Carefully fold in cooked vegetables, sprinkle with fresh pepper and serve.

Common Questions

A Few Tips

1. Watch your zucchini carefully. It can go from perfect to mushy in a span of about 2 minutes. Once one side is brown, flip and just give it 2-3 minutes more.

2. You may want to check your cauliflower after 15 minutes to see if it’s already roasted on the bottoms. Every oven is different, and if yours seems to run “hotter,” it may take only 15 minutes. Not 20.

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