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- The combination of red curry paste, fish sauce, cashews, and fresh herbs makes the dish deeply savory; the squash and filling is hearty and satisfying enough for a main dish.
- This dish was a staff favorite, praised for its layers of flavor and texture — crispy, bright rice tucked into sweet, mellow squash.
- This dish is prime for prepping ahead: Roasting the squash and chopping herbs are tasks you can get out of the way in advance so you can assemble everything just before serving.
This festive main is a study in satisfying contrasts: The natural sweetness of the squash balances the heat and umami in the rice stuffing, which features mild toasted coconut and cashews, fresh lime juice and herbs, and red curry paste and fish sauce.Â
Red curry paste and fish sauce give oomph to a rice stuffing for roasted butternut squash inspired by 2025 F&W Best New Chef Colby Rasavong’s nam khao (Lao crispy rice salad) at Bad Idea in Nashville. Tucked into the creamy roasted squash, the stuffing creates a crowd-pleasing dish with layers of contrasting flavor and texture. Almost any winter squash will work — just adjust the roasting time and the amount of crispy rice filling based on the size and shape of your squash. (If you happen to make too much rice, it’s also delicious served on its own.)
Can this dish be made vegetarian?
To make this dish vegetarian, simply replace the fish sauce with a plant-based fish sauce (such as Ocean’s Halo Vegan Fish Sauce).
Why is day-old rice best?
For the best texture, make the crispy rice using day-old rice, letting it sit uncovered in the fridge overnight. Short on time? Spread a thin layer of cooked rice on a baking sheet, and chill it for a few hours. While the dish is best baked the day of, the day-old rice, chopped nuts, scallions, herbs, and seasonings can be prepped and measured ahead. The squash halves can be roasted up to two days in advance. Fill the cooked squash halves with the oven-baked crispy rice stuffing just before serving.Â
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- Using day-old rice is key to getting the perfect crisp without turning tough or chewy.
- If you don’t have cashews on hand, swap in toasted peanuts or almonds.
- If your squash halves vary in size, adjust the roasting time as needed so each is tender before stuffing. Test them using a thin knife or fork, and make sure the squash is easily pierced. Score the squash around the edge with a spoon to create a clean border before scooping out the flesh.
Suggested pairing
Serve this stuffed squash with a robust, apple-inflected white wine. Try Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc.
This recipe was developed by Anna Theoktisto; the text was written by Cheryl Slocum.
