Super Quick Butternut Squash and Almond Biryani — a plant-based Indian recipe by BOSH!
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Super Quick Butternut Squash and Almond Biryani

This biryani is one of those recipes we genuinely get excited about making on a weeknight. Sweet, caramelised butternut squash, toasted flaked almonds, fragrant spices and fluffy rice all come together in about 30 minutes, which honestly still surprises us every time. It's the kind of meal that feels a bit special without any of the faff, and the combination of textures is just brilliant. The almonds add this gorgeous crunch against the soft squash and the rice soaks up all those spiced flavours beautifully. Make this tonight and you'll be adding it to your regular rotation, we promise.

Cook: 30 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Large pan

Ingredients

  • olive oil for frying
  • 50g flaked almonds
  • 1 onion
  • 2 inches of ginger
  • 100g green beans
  • 1 ½ tbsp garam masala
  • 150ml water
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 small butternut squash
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 x 250g bag of microwaveable puy lentils
  • 2 x 250g bag(s) of microwavable brown basmati rice
  • 1 handful of fresh mint
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • toasted flaked almonds
  • mango chutney

Method

1

Roast the butternut squash and almonds

  • Peel and dice the butternut squash
  • Place the butternut squash cubes onto a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt
  • Mix well and roast for 20 minutes
  • After 20 minutes, remove from the oven, tip the flaked almonds onto one side of the tray and roast for a further 5 minutes to toast
2

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel and dice the onion
  • Peel and grate the ginger and garlic
  • Cook the rice and lentils according to packet instructions
  • Pick and roughly chop the mint leaves
  • Chop the green beans into bite-size pieces
3

Cook the dish

  • Warm some olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat
  • Add the onions, a pinch of salt and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Add the ginger and garlic and stir for 2-3 minutes
  • Mix through the garam masala and chilli, and cook for 2 minutes
  • Add the cooked lentils and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the chopped green beans and stir for another minute along with 150ml of water
  • Add the cooked rice and fold through the pan for 2 minutes to combine and coat
  • Finally mix through the roasted butternut squash pieces, chopped mint, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper
4

Time to serve

  • Sprinkle the toasted almonds and chilli flakes over the top of the dish

Tips & Variations

  • Toast your almonds carefully: Keep an eye on them in that last five minutes in the oven. They can go from perfectly golden to burnt quite quickly, so don't wander off too far.
  • Spice it your way: If you love heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes when you're cooking the onions. We sometimes do this and it gives the whole dish a lovely warming kick.
  • Rest the rice: Once everything is combined, pop a lid on the pan and let it sit off the heat for a couple of minutes before serving. It makes the rice fluffier and lets those flavours meld together properly.

Why This Works

The trick here is roasting the squash at high heat so it gets properly caramelised and golden rather than just soft and steamed. Then toasting the almonds on the same tray in the last five minutes means they pick up all those lovely spiced cooking juices. That double layer of texture and flavour is what makes this biryani feel way more impressive than the effort involved.