Butternut squash, carrots and parsnips are roasted until deeply browned, dressed with an assertive Thai vinaigrette laced with lime juice and fish sauce, then tossed with fistfuls of scallions, cilantro and mint. The original recipe calls for toasted rice powder but you can skip this (which we usually do when making this for clients), though it is a delicious addition. Feel free to sub other winter vegetables (cauliflower, romanesco, or sweet potato) or add in lightly browned ground pork or chicken, or crumbled and sauteed tofu, if you feel like you need the protein. It’s a one-dish meal or can be served with lettuce cups or rice.
DRESSING
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- pinch of kosher Salt
- 3 thai chiles, finely chopped (or 1 red jalapeno with seeds removed)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
LARB
- 1 small-ish butternut squash, peeled & seeds removed, cut into 1-2″ pieces
- 2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
- Kosher salt
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 c cilantro
- 1/2 c mint or basil, leaves torn
Method
DRESSING
- Grate garlic cloves on the blade of a microplane (this makes chopping garlic super quick and super easy with absolutely zero effort).
- Combine all dressing ingredients, set aside.
LARB
- Preheat oven to 425°. Toss squash, carrots, and parsnips with oil on a rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with salt. Roast, tossing halfway through, until brown around the edges, 20–25 minutes.
- Transfer vegetables to a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss to coat. Add scallions, cilantro, and mint and toss again to combine.
I absolutely love this recipe as a way to use up random veg kicking around my fridge. Every variation of this is a crowd pleaser, and I usually enjoy it alongside jasmine or brown rice and some chicken meatballs.
Serves 4