Roasted Pumpkin & Bacon Pilaf
Craving a hearty, flavour-packed side dish that’s as effortless as it is impressive? This Roast Pumpkin, Bacon and flavoured Basmati Rice ticks all the boxes for busy weeknights or a special family gathering. With the help of your Thermomix (in rice cooker mode), you can let the technology do the heavy lifting while you get on with other things. You’ll love the pops of sweet currants and tangy cranberries, the savoury bacon, golden roast pumpkin and aromatic spiced rice, all cooked to fluffy perfection.
What is a Pilaf?
A pilaf is made in amany contries around the world, and has a few differing names, such as pilav (Turkey), plov (Russia and surrounding countries), pulao (India), to name just a few. But what they all tend to have in common is that instead of cooking the rice in just water, you use a liquid like chicken or vegetable stock, and sometimes add extras like peas, carrots, or small pieces of meat. Unlike a risotto, the result is rice grains that are separate (not sticky) and filled with extra flavour from what you cooked them with.
Ingredient List
Measurements & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need – plus, a few swaps to suit what you have on hand:
- 100g bacon, sliced
Substitute: Keep it vegetarian by omitting and adding extra toasted almonds or pepitas. - 500g pumpkin, cubed and sprayed with olive oil
Substitute: Butternut squash or sweet potato will work beautifully. Have you seen the post where I add cumin seeds before air frying? - 290g Basmati rice (don’t swap this in rice cooker mode). It’s important to use the correct ingredient. The ratio of rice to liquid is important. I use this brand, which is readily available in Australia.
- 50g currants
Substitute: Sultanas or chopped dates. - 50g barberries or chopped cranberries
Substitute: Dried cherries or extra currants. - 25g chicken stock paste (or one Continental stock cube)
- 600g water
- 5g onion flakes
Substitute: Dried shallots or a little finely chopped spring onion. - 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 30g toasted almond slivers
Nut-free? Leave out or swap for toasted sunflower seeds. - 30g unsalted cold butter, cubed
Dairy-free? Use olive oil or dairy-free margarine.
Method
- Prep Pumpkin & Bacon:
Cut the pumpkin into cubes and slice the bacon. Place the bacon on the air fryer tray, and place the pumpkin on top. Spray the pumpkin with olive oil. Air fry at 200°C for 15 minutes until the bacon is cooked and the pumpkin is golden. - Weigh & Rinse Rice:
Place the simmering basket on the mixing bowl lid, weigh in 290g of Basmati rice. Remove the basket, rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. - Mix Ingredients:
Placed the rinsed rice into the mixing bowl. Add currants, barberries/cranberries, chicken stock paste (or cube), water, onion flakes, turmeric, smoked paprika, and almonds; leave a few to sprinkle on top. Stir with a spatula. - Cook (Thermomix Rice Cooker mode):
Place the simmering basket on the lid. Set to ‘Rice Cooker’ mode, or TM7, just put on the lid and let your Thermomix work its magic. - Finish & Rest:
Remove lid, add cold, cubed butter; stir gently with a fork. Replace the lid, rest for 10 minutes or remove it from the Thermomix bowl and set it in your Thermoserver to keep warm while your Thermomix is doing something else. - Serve:
Fluff with a fork. Top with roast pumpkin cubes and bacon. Oh, and a sprinkle of herbs, I used parsley, but I don’t have much in the garden at the moment. Use lots of parsley if you have it.😁
Nutrition Information
- High in fibre (thanks to pumpkin and currants)
- Great source of protein (from bacon, stock and almonds)
- Full of antioxidants (turmeric, dried fruit)
Frequently Asked Questions😁
Yes! All ingredients listed are naturally gluten-free, but double-check your stock paste or stock cube, as some brands contain wheat.
Not with the Thermomix rice cooker mode! This recipe is tuned for Basmati – if you only have Arborio or brown rice, search Cookidoo® for a rice-specific recipe.
Absolutely. Rice freezes well for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or steam it, refreshing with a little water if needed. I would do the roasted pumpkin fresh for the best flavour and texture.
Try a handful of peas or roasted capsicum for extra colour and veg, or fresh coriander to serve.
Leave out the bacon entirely for a vegetarian meal (just boost the almonds or try pumpkin or sunflower seeds), and change the stock to vegetable.
This recipe is sure to become a go-to for a crowd-pleasing side or a nourishing family meal – hearty, healthy, and bursting with flavour, the Aussie way!
Roasted Pumpkin & Bacon Pilaf
5 stars tells us you love the recipe
becs-table.com.auEquipment
- 1 Thermomix
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 100 g Bacon sliced. Leave this out for vegetarian
- 500 g of Pumpkin cut into cubes and sprayed liberally with olive oil.
- 290 g Basmati Rice. This brand works
- 50 g currants
- 50 g barberries or chopped cranberries
- 25 g chicken stock paste or a continental stock cube, use vegetable stock for vegetarians
- 600 g water
- 5 g Onion flakes
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 30 g toasted Almond slivers
- 30 g butter cold, unsalted cubes.
Instructions
Want this as a Thermomix® guided recipe?
- Click here to send the recipe to Cookidoo. After clicking the link, log in to Cookidoo and select "Make today", pop it in your calendar or "Save" the recipe. We also have video instructions for adding this recipe to Cookidoo,
Thermomix Method
- Rice Cooker recipes are rice-specific. Do not substitute for other rice varieties. Use only the type of rice specified in the recipe. If specific rice is not available, search Cookidoo® for rice recipes using other varieties.
- Start by preparing your pumpkin and bacon. I cut my pumpkin into cubes and sliced my bacon, and popped it in my air fryer to cook. I put the bacon on a tray and set the pumpkin on top to protect it, and sprayed it liberally with olive oil to help brown. Mine took 15 minutes at 200°C.
- Place the simmering basket onto the mixing bowl lid and weigh in the 290 g Basmati Rice.
- Remove simmering basket, thoroughly rinse rice under cool water until water runs clear.
- Empty rinsed rice from the simmering basket into the mixing bowl.
- On top of the rice add 50g currants,50g barberries or chopped cranberries,25g chicken stock paste (or continental stock cube),600g water, 5 g Onion flakes, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 30g toasted Almond slivers. Stir with a spatula to combine.
- Place the simmering basket onto the mixing bowl lid and cook in the Rice Cooker Mode.
- Remove the lid, add 30g butter, cold cubes unsalted. Use a fork to stir through the top
- Replace the lid and allow the rice to rest in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes. Gently scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula, then tip the mixing bowl to release the rice into a serving dish. Fluff rice with a fork, and garnish with pumpkin cubes.
Want to know more?
Have you ever tried making flavoured rice in your Thermomix? I’d love to hear how your Roast Pumpkin, Bacon and Basmati Rice turned out! Did you make any swaps? Leave a comment below – or snap a picture and share it with us on Facebook!
If you loved this recipe, you’ll may also enjoy my Quick Coconut Chicken Curry or serve it with my Pork Scotch Curry – both full of big, bold flavours and weeknight ease.
I have a TM 31. How would I cook the rice please?
Hi Jennifer,
Unfortunately the older models like the TM31 stir continuously, and the dedicated Rice mode is only available on the newer models. You can absolutely still make this kind of dish, but I’d recommend cooking the rice using the absorption method in a pot on the stove top or in the oven so the grains arn’t damaged by the blades.
Thank you
You’re welcome
Another delicious recipe from you Bec. So easy and so very, very tasty. Definitely a keeper that I’ll be making again soon.
Thank you so much Julie. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment, it reallys helps others know what works. 💖