Description
Butternut squash risotto is autumn on a plate: sweet roasted squash stirred into creamy Arborio rice with sage, Parmesan and butter. Roast the squash separately so it caramelizes and concentrates, rather than boiling it into the rice where it turns to bland mush. A vegetarian dinner nobody at the table will feel short-changed by.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 6 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 25 minutes until caramelized and tender.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the onion 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Add the Arborio rice and stir 2 minutes until the grains are toasted and slightly translucent at the edges.
- Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute.
- Add the warm broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. This takes 18 to 20 minutes total.
- When the rice is creamy and al dente, fold in the roasted squash, butter, Parmesan, remaining salt, and pepper. Stir gently to keep some squash cubes intact.
- Fry the sage leaves in a small skillet with a drizzle of olive oil until crispy, about 30 seconds per side.
- Serve the risotto topped with crispy sage leaves.
Notes
- Keep the broth warm in a separate pot — adding cold broth to risotto shocks the rice and slows the cooking, producing a gluey texture.
- Fold the squash in at the end and stir gently. You want some cubes to stay intact for texture while others break down into the rice.
- Risotto waits for nobody. Serve it immediately — it thickens and stiffens within minutes of leaving the heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 445
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 740
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 68
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 12
- Cholesterol: 25