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!

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:

1. Make sure your shrimp are thawed, deveined, and tails removed. I simply thaw frozen shrimp by running cold water over them in a colander.
2. 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.
3. Heat up a pan over medium-high heat.
4. 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.
5. 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.

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