Caribbean Pumpkin Rice

This Caribbean pumpkin rice became a favorite the first time I served it at my annual Thanksgiving dinner party. I labeled it simply “pumpkin rice” on the buffet, and of everything on that table, it was the dish everyone went back for. Now it’s on repeat in my kitchen all year. It started as my carrot rice, with pumpkin in place of the carrots, and became a recipe of its own.

What is Caribbean pumpkin rice?

Pumpkin rice is rice cooked with pumpkin, coconut milk, aromatics and herbs until the pumpkin softens and colors every grain. In Guyana and across the Caribbean, rice cooked with vegetables in coconut milk is an everyday side, the same family as cook-up rice and my callaloo cook-up. The trick in mine is crushing half the pumpkin before the rice goes in. It melts into the coconut milk and makes the rice golden and a little creamy, while the rest of the pumpkin stays in soft pieces.

Which pumpkin to use

I use calabaza squash, also called West Indian pumpkin. It’s the closest to the pumpkin we cook with in Guyana: sweet, with firm orange flesh that holds up. You’ll find it at Latin and Caribbean markets, often sold in wedges. If you can’t find it, butternut squash or fairy tale pumpkin work well. Skip the jack-o’-lantern pumpkins; they’re watery and bland.

How much to buy?

Buy about 1 pound. After peeling and seeding, you’ll have about 300 g, or roughly 2 cups diced.

Ingredients for pumpkin rice

This pumpkin rice comes together with simple pantry staples and one star ingredient: fresh pumpkin. Here’s what you’ll need.

• Calabaza squash: the star. See above for swaps.
• Jasmine rice: my favorite rice to cook. Any long-grain white rice works.
• Coconut milk: one can, topped up with water to 3 cups of liquid.
• Onion, garlic and tomatoes: the base. Any tomato works.
• Fresh thyme: or Guyanese dried thyme.
• Coconut oil, coarse kosher salt and black pepper.

See the recipe card for quantities.

What to serve with pumpkin rice

Pumpkin gives this rice fall and Thanksgiving vibes, and it’s a perfect holiday side next to Caribbean jerk turkey. But it’s a year-round rice in my house, since calabaza and butternut squash are in stores most of the year. It goes with basically any protein: my oven baked jerk chicken thighs, oxtail stew, lamb stew, chicken stew or Caribbean roast chicken.

How to make pumpkin rice

Build the base. Melt the coconut oil over medium heat and cook the onion until translucent. Add the garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes.

Soften the pumpkin. Add the diced pumpkin and thyme leaves. Cook until the pumpkin is soft enough to crush with the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Crush half the pumpkin. Press about half the pieces against the pot. This is what turns the rice golden and creamy.

Add the rice and liquid. Stir in the rinsed rice, coconut milk and water.

Boil, scrape, then steam. Bring it to a boil, scrape the bottom to loosen any rice that’s stuck, and give it a good stir. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Fluff and serve: Fluff with a fork and mix to combine all of the pumpkin with the cooked rice. Serve warm alongside your favorite stew or roast chicken.

Tips for the best pumpkin rice

• Rinse to choose your texture. Rinse until the water runs clear for loose, separate grains, or just 2 to 3 times for a creamier rice.
• Don’t skip crushing the pumpkin. That’s what gives the rice its color and body.
• Scrape before you cover. Rice settles and sticks once the pot boils, so give the bottom one good scrape before lowering the heat.
• Keep the lid on for the full 20 minutes so the rice steams evenly.

Variations

• Other squash: butternut squash or fairy tale pumpkin.
• Other rice: any long-grain white rice. Parboiled rice works too, but it usually needs a little more liquid and a longer cook time.
• Carrot rice: swap the pumpkin for shredded carrots, and you have my carrot rice.
• Want some heat? It doesn’t need it, but you know how we Caribbean people do. Add a few whole wiri wiri peppers or a whole Scotch bonnet to the pot to steam with the rice, then pop them open at the end for extra heat.

Storage and reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Since it’s made with coconut milk, I wouldn’t keep it longer than that. Reheat with a splash of water, covered, so the rice steams back to soft.

Frequently Asked Questions