One-Pot Kabocha Squash and Coconut Rice

Published March 20, 2025

One-Pot Kabocha Squash and Coconut Rice
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Sue Li.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(42)
Comments
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Great on its own, this rice dish makes for a light, low-effort vegan meal, but it can also be served alongside seared tofu or grilled chicken. Kabocha wedges are shingled over a base of coconut rice seasoned with garlic and ginger. You’ll marvel at how the rice cooks through in the time it takes for the squash to tenderize. There’s an art to cooking rice in a pot, and the details make a difference. First, be sure to wash the rice thoroughly before cooking to rinse out the starch from the grains for a fluffier texture. Be patient and try not to peek under the lid while the rice is cooking, as you’ll want to keep the hot steam inside the saucepan. If the brand of coconut milk you’re using does not have any stabilizer, the liquid may appear curdled. Don’t be alarmed: It’s all fine and will still taste delicious.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • cups long-grain white rice
  • ½small kabocha squash, skin scrubbed and squash sliced into ½-inch wedges
  • 3tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1(13-ounce) can coconut milk 
  • 1tablespoon soy sauce
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

566 calories; 31 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 553 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Thoroughly rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs almost clear. It should still be slightly cloudy. Use your hands to move the rice grains around while rinsing to help release the starch.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large saucepan over medium for 1 minute. Add the oil, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic pieces are lightly browned around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat the grains.

  3. Step 3

    Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ cup water to the rice and stir to combine. Shingle the sliced kabocha squash on top, overlapping to fit in a single layer, and season with a sprinkling of salt. Raise the heat to high and bring the coconut milk mixture to a slight boil. It should be bubbling around the edges of the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low.

  4. Step 4

    Cook until the rice is cooked through and the squash pieces are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest on the stove another 10 minutes before serving.

Ratings

5 out of 5
42 user ratings
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Comments

I'm surprised the recipe makes a point about how important cooking the rice is and yet there is no option to prepare this dish in a rice cooker, especially since so many people use them now. Would it work to place the squash atop the rice and cook them together?

@colleen When cooking rice in this way, especially using coconut milk, it’s always best to soak the rice for about an hour after rinsing. After soaking, rinse rice again, then cook according to recipe. Took me years to work out why my rice never cooked when following these types of one pot recipes but finally found the answer through research on the internet. Couldn’t tell you what site, but it definitely works.

@kwibbles I have not tried this recipe but regularly cook rice with meats and/or vegetables in the rice cooker. Should be fine.

Did this in rice cooker with brown rice (all I had) and it worked fine. Unfortunately our squash had sat around too long and was a bit dried out. Next time: use fresher squash.

The first time I made exactly as written and loved it, although I did top it with some chopped cilantro and chili crisp. Jazzed up the leftovers with a fried egg, side of kimchi. Subsequently I have added green beans or chopped kale 5 minutes before the end of cooking time. It’s very versatile and could benefit from adding all sorts of leftover vegetables.

I cooked this as written using butternut squash in a Le Creuset Dutch oven and it came out perfect.

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