Recipe: Wild Rice with Butternut Squash, Spinach, and Toasted Hazelnuts

Served hot off the stove for dinner or enjoyed cold the next day, this dish is a real winner. The butternut squash delivers a healthy dose of fiber and antioxidants while the wild rice and hazelnuts lend a delightful chewy and nutty texture.

Serves 4-6

• 1-1/2 cups wild rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• One (1-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2″ dice (yielding about 2-1/2 cups diced squash)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth*
• 6 ounces baby spinach, rinsed
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Hazelnut oil, optional, for leftovers

Cook the rice according to package directions.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, swirl in the oil and add the squash. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sauté the squash, flipping several times with a spatula and shaking the skillet vigorously until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat, carefully add the broth, cover, and let cook on low heat until tender, about 3 minutes longer.

Uncover and raise the heat again to medium-high. Add the spinach and a bit more salt and pepper, and toss with tongs until spinach wilts and the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 4 minutes. Stir in the toasted hazelnuts. Remove from heat.

When the wild rice has finished cooking, add it to the skillet. The rice will be hot enough to warm up the squash mixture. Just be sure to give everything a good, thorough toss.

Serve hot immediately, or cold the next day with a slick of hazelnut oil.

* Bon Appétit chefs use house-made stock in our kitchens. Home cooks may opt to use 1/2 cup high-quality canned broth or stock instead.