Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp
This cheesy butternut squash rice bowl with sautéed shrimp is so comforting, nourishing, and absolutely delicious. It’s healthy, easy to make, and just perfect for batch cooking or meal prep!

This post is sponsored by Dish on Fish and The National Fisheries Institute. As always, all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own. Thank you for continuing to support the brands who help make Walder Wellness possible.
Two of my most popular recipes as of late have been shrimp and rice bowl dishes (see here and here), which inspired me to share another version that’s just perfect for the fall and winter season.
I think you’re going to LOVE this cheesy butternut squash rice bowl with sautéed shrimp. It’s so warming and comforting, and you can just feel all of it’s nourishing goodness when you eat it. Not to mention it’s super easy to make, too – I promise!
I created this recipe in partnership with my friends at Dish on Fish in honour of National Pescatarian Month this October. I’ve been following a pescatarian diet for roughly 7 years now, so it seemed fitting to share why I – as a dietitian – love eating this way.
Of course, I couldn’t do that without sharing a delicious pescatarian recipe for you to try. I so hope you love this one as much as I do.
Let’s get cooking!
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Benefits Of A Pescatarian Diet
If you’re not familiar with a pescatarian diet, it’s essentially one that consists mainly of fish and seafood along with other plant-based foods.
There are many things I love about the pescatarian way of eating, whether you follow the diet forever OR if you simply eat this way a few days a week! For one – the diet isn’t restrictive at all; rather it focuses on healthy foods to add in, rather than remove.
The Dietary Guidelines For Americans as well as many other health agencies recommend eating at least 2 servings of seafood per week.
The reason for this recommendation is related to the many research-backed health benefits of consuming seafood, including:
- improved brain health
- improved heart health, including lowered triglycerides, lowered blood pressure, and improved HDL cholesterol levels
- the prevention of several health-related issues, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression
Seafood is a rich source of many essential nutrients, including:
- protein – a 3-ounce serving of most fish provides about 30-40% of your daily average protein needs
- omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for health
- vitamins, like vitamin A, D, and multiple B-vitamins
- minerals, like selenium, zinc, iodine, and iron
If you’re trying to eat more seafood, National Pescatarian Month is the perfect time to get more comfortable cooking seafood for your family! I hope this easy butternut squash rice with shrimp recipe gives you some inspiration for where to start :).
How To Cook Butternut Squash Rice
Making this butternut squash rice bowl is incredibly easy to do!
Start by peeling the squash (I use this vegetable peeler), removing the seeds, and cutting the squash into 1/2-inch cubes.
In a large saucepan, sauté minced garlic with olive oil, then add the butternut squash cubes, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes before stirring in brown rice and vegetable broth.
Bring the vegetable broth to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid absorbs.
While the butternut squash rice mixture cooks, you can prepare the sautéed shrimp!
How To Sauté Shrimp
Sautéed shrimp is one of my go-to proteins to add to any meal. Shrimp is super quick to cook and pairs well with just about everything. Plus, you can easily keep a bag of frozen shrimp in your freezer – they thaw in minutes!
Follow these simple steps to sauté shrimp perfectly everytime:
- Make sure your shrimp are thawed, deveined, and tails removed. I simply thaw frozen shrimp by running cold water over them in a colander.
- Pat the shrimp dry and then place in a bowl. Toss them in a bit of oil (I like avocado or olive oil), salt, and pepper. I find this gets a nice even coating of oil, versus adding the oil to the pan.
- Heat up a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot (a splash of water should sizzle on it), place the shrimp on the pan. They should be in a single layer with a bit of space between each piece.
- Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side, then remove and set aside. They’ll be opaque, pink, and slightly browned when done.
Once the shrimp are cooked, simply add them to the butternut squash rice. Stir in some freshly grated parmesan, and dinner is ready!
How To Store + Reheat Leftovers
This shrimp and butternut squash rice recipe makes for awesome leftovers! It maintains its texture well and easily reheats in either the microwave or on the stove.
Because it’s so great for leftovers, it’s a perfect dish to batch cook or meal prep – just double or triple the recipe to get as many meals from it as you’d like. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More Easy Shrimp Recipes
- Garlic Shrimp With Smoked Paprika & Honey
- Shrimp & Broccoli With Lemon, Honey & Feta
- Green Goddess Rice Bowl With Shrimp
- Sautéed Shrimp With Tomato Sauce, Feta & Rice
- Basil Walnut Pesto Linguine With Shrimp
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad With Shrimp
- Shrimp Taco Salad Bowl
Did you give this Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp a try? Let me know by leaving a comment and recipe rating below!
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. You can also subscribe to my email list to never miss a new recipe or nutrition education post!
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (+ 1 tsp for shrimp)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups butternut squash, peeled + cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 cup brown rice, dry
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 20 medium-sized shrimp (approx. 8 ounces)
- 1 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- Salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 mins until garlic starts to brown and become fragrant.
- Add cubed butternut squash, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Cook for 3-5 mins, stirring frequently.
- Add brown rice and vegetable broth to the saucepan. Stir, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed.
- Meanwhile, pat shrimp dry with a paper towel and toss in 1 tsp of olive oil. Heat a pan to med-high and cook shrimp 1-2 mins each side. To ensure adequate space between each shrimp, you may have to do this in batches. Set cooked shrimp aside in a clean bowl.
- Once the butternut squash-rice mixture has absorbed all its liquid, stir in the freshly grated parmesan. Adjust seasonings to taste, as desired.
- Serve butternut squash rice into bowls and top with sautéed shrimp. Enjoy hot!
Notes
Nutrition
As a dietitian, I create recipes with whole food ingredients that provide the nutrients needed for optimal health. My nutrition philosophy does not focus on numbers; however, I understand that this information can be helpful.
Do note that the nutrition info provided is an estimate and I cannot guarantee correctness of the displayed values. These numbers will differ depending on brands used, recipe modifications, and amount eaten. If you require specific nutrition information due to medical reasons, please consult with your dietitian or physician.
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a recipe rating below, or by tagging @walderwellness on Instagram. I love seeing your beautiful creations!
60 Comments on “Cheesy Butternut Squash Rice Bowl With Shrimp”
This was SO good! The rosemary adds such a nice flavor. I will be making this a lot this fall!
Hi Charlotte! I’m SO happy to hear you enjoyed this one – thank you so so much for sharing your experience!! I hope you enjoy it again and again this fall – it’s the coziest, most warming bowl 🙂
I loved how quick and delicious this dish is. I used scallops since I didn’t have shrimp on hand. I also used quinoa instead of rice which cooks faster than brown rice. I added kale and the combination was tasty and healthy. Thanks So much for sharing this recipe
Hi Katy! Thank you so much for sharing your experience – I love all the different additions you made!! Need to try this with scallops myself – YUM! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
My sister and I tried this tonight, exactly how the recipe says (but with white rice because it’s all we had). Honestly SO DELICIOUS!!! I am 1000% making this again. It’s very filling, and I’m so looking forward to the leftovers for lunch.
Thank you so much for the kind review, Chelsea!! I’m so so happy your sister and you enjoyed this dish together. That sounds like the perfect cozy evening :). White rice is totally fine – you could try it with another grain too (quinoa, etc.)!!
My family loved this dish Carrie! So simple and easy. Will 100% make again.
So happy to hear your family enjoyed this one, Liane!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
This is seriously one of my new favorite dishes. It was so delicious and so easy to make! I will definitely be making it again soon!!
Hi Molly! Thank you SO much for the kind comment. I’m so happy to hear that it’s one of your new favourites!! That makes my day 🙂
This was SO cozy and tasty! I made it for myself and friends and it was a hit! Super easy to make too. Highly recommend for these cooler fall nights. Thanks Carrie!
Hi Ashlen! Thank you so so much for the kind review. I’m so happy to hear you and your friends enjoyed it – I hope it made for the perfect cozy evening for you guys 🙂
This is SO GOOD! I’ve made it twice now, each time it was a show stopper. Husband loved it, and I love that it’s delicious, savoury and also healthy. When I see a butternut squash in the grocery store now my mouth starts watering. This is a MUST try.
Hi Krista! Thank you so much for the kind comment. I’m so happy to hear that both you and your husband love it. So funny to hear about the squash haha 🙂 Thank you!!
A fabulous and nutritious recipe! I served with homemade turkey meatballs and will try the shrimp next time! I love how easy the butternut squash rice was to make and the flavours really delivered!
Hi Tia! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. The homemade turkey meatballs sound like the perfect pairing! I hope you enjoy it with shrimp, too 🙂
Carrie! What an amazing recipe – so few ingredients, so easy to make.. the perfect healthy version of a risotto. Ideal meal for the upcoming cold months. I can’t wait to try your mushroom rice next. So impressed by everything you’re doing.. Congrats, babe x
Hi Trish!! Thank you so much for the sweet comment. So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe – it’s so great for the colder weather! Looking forward to hearing what you think of the mushroom rice. Thanks so much for your support!!
Perfect meal. Made loads of leftovers that I’m already looking forward to. So delicious Carrie. Thank you!
Hi Nancy! I’m so so happy to hear you enjoyed this one Nancy!! The leftovers are just as good ;). Thank you for sharing!!
I never thought to combine butternut squash and shrimp together but it goes sooooo well. Saved this on my favorites tab so I can make again soon! <3
Hi Tori!! Omg that means so much that you’ve saved this on your favourites tab- thank you!! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one. I love adding shrimp to rice bowls – there’s a few more shrimp/rice recipes on here that you may enjoy too <3
I followed the recipe exactly but with acorn squash instead of butternut squash. The rice didn’t cook…at all. When I went to add Parmesan cheese I tasted it and the rice was completely crunchy. Do you think the change in squash caused this?
Hi Alison! I’m so sorry to hear this! I haven’t tried this recipe with acorn squash so it’s hard for me to say…perhaps it was the type of rice you used? I would check the packaging for exact cooking times and how much liquid the specific brand calls for as it can differ sometimes!
Again I’m really sorry it didn’t work for you. As you can see from the other comments, it’s one of the most popular recipes on my blog and I haven’t heard of this happening before. I hope the tip on checking your specific brand of rice helps 🙂
Wow! We are obsessed with this new recipe. After gaining quarantine weight, I started researching new, healthy recipes. I thought this looked great, so I gave it a try. I’m not a particularly skilled cook, so the first time was just okay because the squash was undercooked. The second time, I blew myself away. 😂 We did add about a cup of water and left out 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth. I also added spinach. YUM! We love it, and it will probably be in our weekly rotation until the squash is out of season. Thank you for the incredible recipe.
Hi Daniele! Yay!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe (and that you gave it a second chance!!). It warms my heart to hear that it’ll be added to your weekly rotation :). I’d love to know if you give any others a try too!! Hope you have a lovely week!
First recipe I’ve made from this site and I’ll be back to try more! Super hearty, and although I thought the serving size looked a little small for 2, it is deceptively satiating and I’m just eating the leftovers for lunch. So yum, and very easy
Hi Anna! Thank you so much for sharing your experience – it’s so appreciated. I’m so happy to hear that your first recipe of mine was a hit! I can’t wait to hear what you try next 🙂
Is there nutritional info on this recipe, am I just missing it?
Thanks
Hi Cj!
For both personal and professional reasons, I intentionally choose not to include the exact nutrition breakdown of my recipes. Ultimately, focusing on numbers goes against my nutrition philosophy as a dietitian and I much prefer to highlight the various health benefits of the whole food ingredients that I use! That said, if you would like to calculate the nutrition breakdown you can always enter the recipe into a nutrition calculator like MyFitnessPal! Thanks for understanding 🙂
We made this recipe using Jasmin rice. I absolutely love everything butternut squash and this is such a fun way to cook it! We will definitely be making it over and over again! Thank you Carrie 🙂
Hi Catherine! Thank you so much for sharing your experience – I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this one!! It’s truly one of my favourites 🙂
Loved it! Used white rice instead and added garlic salt at the end which worked really well with the rosemary. I’ll definitely be making it again!
Thank you so much for sharing, Rheannon!! I’m so happy to hear your enjoyed this one. That touch of garlic salt sounds delish 🙂
Can I use chicken or beef as a substitute? I don’t eat seafood.
Hi Navneet! Yes of course – treat the butternut squash rice like a side dish and you can pair it with any protein you’d like. I think it would taste good with either option :). I hope you enjoy it!
This recipe turned out better then expected! Super delicious and filling. I did only use half a cup of parmesan cheese for mine but it was still delicious. I will try with kale next time as well. You can def play with adding some green veggies & what type of protein you add on top. Great fall dish!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It’s so appreciated and I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. And yes to changing things up with this one! A little bit of kale would work great, as well as a different protein pairing. Enjoy 🙂
Very tasty but the butternut squash was mush and the rice was still hard even though I cooked the mixture the length of time the bag recommended (30 minutes). I would try it with more water or broth next time. Should I also perhaps cook the squash for less time before combining it with the rice and broth? Or make the cubes bigger? It was too pasty.
Hi Karen,
Thanks so much for your feedback! I’m sorry this didn’t quite work out, but glad it still tasted good at least!
For the rice – if you’re finding it too hard then yes a little more liquid can always be added. Double check the liquid ratio your package of rice calls for too – it may be a different from what I’ve listed here! You can even add a bit more liquid at the end and then continue to cook until absorbed.
For the squash – it’s actually meant to be pretty soft, almost like a risotto. If you look at the pictures, it’s supposed to be quite mushy! If you want to have more solid pieces, maybe cutting them in larger pieces or not cooking them as long as you suggested.
I hope that helps a bit!!
Delicious and cozy recipe! The brown rice took much longer than 25 minutes to cook :/ but it was worth the wait. Next time I will use frozen butternut which will make the recipe much easier for me.
Thanks so much for sharing, Marguerite!! Ah it can be hard to time the rice cooking time – varies so much by brand, but so glad to hear it turned out well!!! Frozen butternut would work great too 🙂
Hi! Do you just have to cook the squash longer if using frozen? So excited to try this! Thanks!
Hi Sarah! I haven’t personally tried this with frozen squash, so I can’t say for certain…but I don’t imagine you’d have to cook it too much longer! The squash will soften considerably when it’s being boiled in the broth. Perhaps you can sauté it for a little longer on the pan first (like 10 mins or so??)
I’d love to know if you try it! It’s a reader (and one of my personal) favourites 🙂
This is such a beautiful and comforting dish for the fall/winter months! I tried mine with chicken and LOVED it! All the flavours combined were SO good and worked really well. I can’t wait to make this for some friends and family.
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Jordyn!! It’s so appreciated! So happy to hear you enjoyed this one – it’s seriously one of my faves for winter. I hope your friends and family enjoy it as well 🙂
Very good and healthy! Added a little spinach near the end. The shrimp were a nice touch. My husband loved it. Will be making this again!
Hi Tanya! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I’m so happy to hear that both you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Love that you threw in a little spinach too – such a great way to use it 🙂
This looks very very good and I have an over abundance of butternut squash from my garden I’d like to try this recipe but I would like your thoughts I’d like to do it in a power pressure cooker and when I’m reading with your recipe I don’t see why cannot I just wanted your thoughts and I’ll let you know how I like it when I make it
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for your question. I don’t personally own a pressure cooker and I haven’t tested this recipe in one, so I can’t say for certain. But I do think that it would work, although you will likely have to adjust the cooking times (I assume)!
I’d love to know if you end up making it. Butternut squash from the garden sounds fabulous 🙂
The flavors were perfect together, but the rice took double the volume of broth and at least 45 minutes to cook through. We enjoyed the cheesy rice with a side salad. Thanks!
Hi Mary! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review. So glad you enjoyed this one!! Ah yes, sometimes it can depend on the type of rice you’re using – they all have different cooking times and liquid ratios! It’s always best to check the packaging of the rice you’re using, but it sounds like you figured it out just fine!! 🙂
My husband is on a low salt diet and I try to eat keto for my diabetes. I don’t see any nutritional information for this recipe. Where can I find it? It looks amazing.
Hi Linda! Thanks so much for the kind words. This recipe is one of my favourites! Unfortunately I do not calculate the nutrition information for my recipes, as focusing on numbers goes against my nutrition philosophy – I explain more in my FAQ if you’re interested!
Between the brown rice and butternut squash, I don’t think this recipe will fit into a ketogenic diet plan as they’re both source of carbohydrates, although healthy and fiber-rich ones!
This will be my absolute wanting a treat dish I made it with quinoa instead of rice as the rice I have needs cooking longer Also added spinach, used only half the cheese .added some nutricial yeast and added 2 scoops of collagen for bone health
Hi Willy! Thank you so much for the kind review. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! LOVE that you made it with quinoa – that sounds just perfect 🙂
This was absolutely outstanding!!! Thank you so very much for sharing!! Everyone in the family absolutely loved it!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Cindy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this kind review. It’s so appreciated and I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this meal!! 🙂
Excellent recipe. Fast easy any delightful.
Thank you so much, Donna!! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂