The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Roasted Squash with Creamy Pesto Rice
Small, nutty and deliciously sweet - squash is easy to love. Try it with black rice, enriched with ‘cheesy’ sauce, pesto and plump raisins. Garnish with walnuts and fresh salad leaves dressed with zingy lemon juice.
Prep in 10
1/3 daily fibre
9 plants
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 2 tbsp ground almonds (Nuts)
- 200ml almond cream (Nuts) (Water, almond, sunflower oil, stabilisers (arabic gum, xanthan gum), sea salt)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 handful of fresh dill
- 80g mixed salad leaves
- 160g black rice (black rice (100%))
- 20g raisins (Raisins, Sunflower Oil)
- 40g walnuts (Nuts)
- 2 garlic clove
- 1 onion squash
- 2 shallot
Nutritional Information
Calories: 487
Protein: 13g
Carbs: 50g
Fat: 26g
Roasted Squash with Creamy Pesto Rice
Small, nutty and deliciously sweet - squash is easy to love. Try it with black rice, enriched with ‘cheesy’ sauce, pesto and plump raisins. Garnish with walnuts and fresh salad leaves dressed with zingy lemon juice.
Getting hungry?
Find 56 recipes a week just like this one at Mindful Chef, that are all:
Delicious, high quality food - and lots of it
No stodgy refined carbs - no food comas here
Goodness from natural food - full of fibre
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220C / fan 200C / gas mark 7. Boil a kettle. Cut the squash into 8 wedges, discarding the seeds. Place on a lined baking tray and toss with 1/2 tbsp oil, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 20-25 mins, until soft and golden brown.
- Heat a large saucepan filled with salted boiling water on high heat. Add the rice and boil for 30-35 mins, until cooked, then drain.
- Finely dice the shallots. Finely chop or crush the garlic. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add the walnuts and toast for 2-3 mins, until golden brown, turning regularly. Remove and set aside.
- Reheat the pan with 1/2 tbsp oil on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5-7 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins, then remove from the heat.
- Roughly chop the parsley and dill (save some herbs for garnish). Halve the lemon. Add the herbs, pesto, almonds, raisins, cream and juice from half the lemon to the shallot pan and mix. Once cooked, stir the cooked rice through the cream mixture.
- Serve the squash wedges on plates with the creamy pesto rice. Serve the salad leaves alongside and squeeze over the juice from the remaining lemon (to taste). Garnish with the walnuts and remaining herbs.
Looking for more recipe inspiration?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get delicious seasonal inspiration and recipes, plus 25% off your first 4 boxes with us!
By signing up to our mailing list you agree to the terms of our Privacy Policy.