Butternut squash risotto is a creamy and scrumptious Italian rice dish made with butternut squash puree and Parmigiano-Reggiano. It takes slightly time, nevertheless it’s completely price it!
Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
We love risotto! It’s a kind of meals that makes you are feeling such as you’re consuming out at a flowery restaurant, or that you recognize your method across the kitchen. Reality is, it’s actually not difficult in any respect—it simply requires a while. Making risotto is a labor of affection. It’s important to be affected person, stirring the rice and including extra broth slightly at a time. However ultimately you get a scrumptious restaurant-quality dish which you can proudly say you made your self, with out all of the added butter you’ll get in the event you ordered it at a restaurant.
Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
- Surprisingly filling. You may be stunned how satisfying this easy rice dish is! One serving will simply fill you up. (My Spring Asparagus Risotto, Creamy Mushroom Risotto, Seared Scallops over Wilted Spinach Parmesan Risotto are additionally wonderful as a meal.)
- Versatile. Need to make this butternut squash risotto as a aspect dish? You are able to do that too! Serve it with a salad on the aspect, or as a aspect dish with fish, pork or hen. As a aspect dish, scale back the serving measurement 1/2 cup per individual.
- Meal prep choice. I began with some do-it-yourself squash puree, which I merely made by boiling the butternut squash, then pureeing within the blender. You need to use the remainder for this Spaghetti with Creamy Butternut Leek Pasta later within the week.
What You’ll Want
Scroll right down to the recipe card beneath for precise measurements.
- Fat-free low-sodium hen broth – For vegetarian butternut squash risotto, use vegetable broth.
- Butternut squash puree – You may make this by boiling or roasting the butternut squash.
- Butter or olive oil – Butter provides some additional richness to the flavour, however olive oil is a good supply of wholesome fat. Select whichever one you favor!
- Garlic and shallots – These aromatics infuse the risotto with taste.
- Arborio rice – You’ll be able to’t use simply any rice to make risotto. Arborio is an particularly starchy rice and it’s what makes risotto so creamy with out including heavy cream.
- Dry white wine – Sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are two good decisions.
- Sage – Recent sage has higher taste than dried. Sage is a traditional pairing with butternut squash, however you possibly can swap in thyme or rosemary in the event you occur to have them available.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese – The nuttiness of Parmesan is the proper complement to earthy butternut squash.
- Salt and pepper – Freshly cracked black pepper is extra aromatic and flavorful.
- Baby arugula – I add peppery arugula for garnish, however in the event you favor a milder taste, child spinach additionally works.
The right way to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
See the recipe card beneath for printable directions.
- Heat the broth and puree. Mix the broth and butternut squash puree in a saucepan. Carry to a boil over medium-high, then scale back to a simmer.
- Prepare dinner the aromatics and rice. Soften the butter or oil in a heavy saucepan over medium warmth. Add the shallots, garlic, and rice; cook dinner to frivolously toast the rice and soften the shallots.
- Add the wine. Pour the wine into the pot and add the sage. Prepare dinner till the rice absorbs the wine.
- Ladle within the broth. Add a ladle of the butternut squash and broth combination to the rice. Stir and cook dinner till it’s absorbed, then add one other ladleful. Repeat this course of, stirring continuously, till the rice is creamy and tender, however nonetheless barely agency within the middle.
- End. Stir within the cheese and take away from warmth. Serve with arugula and extra cheese, if desired.
Suggestions and Variations
- Use freshly grated cheese. I wish to hold a very good cheese equivalent to Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano available, then grate it myself once I want it. It has an intense taste you simply can’t get from the grated Parmesan cheese bought on grocery store cabinets.
- Don’t attempt to rush the method. The simplest method to break risotto is to start out ladling in an excessive amount of liquid too shortly. You actually need to attend for the liquid to soak up earlier than including extra.
- Stir continuously. It’s the stirring that helps launch the starch, making the butternut squash risotto wealthy and creamy. This isn’t a recipe the place you possibly can stroll away from the stovetop.
What to Serve With Butternut Squash Risotto
Correct Storage
- Fridge: Switch leftovers to an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 4 days.
- Freezer: Retailer leftovers in a freezer bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating.
- Reheat: Heat up leftover butternut squash risotto in a pan on the stovetop over medium warmth. Add a splash or two of broth, as wanted. You may also use leftovers to make arancini—use my Baked Mini Spinach and Sausage Arancini as a template.
Extra Butternut Squash Recipes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Measurement: 1 scant cup
In a big saucepan, warmth broth and butternut squash puree over medium-high warmth. When it boils, scale back warmth to a simmer and keep over low warmth, style for salt and alter as wanted.
In a big heavy saucepan over medium warmth, warmth oil or butter till melted. Add shallots, garlic and rice; saute till the rice is nicely coated with oil or butter, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and sage and stir till it’s absorbed.
Add a ladleful of the simmering inventory; wait till it’s absorbed earlier than including one other ladleful stirring gently and nearly always. Stirring loosens the starch molecules from the skin of the rice grains into the encompassing liquid, making a clean creamy-textured liquid.
Proceed this course of till the rice is creamy, tender to the chew, however barely agency within the middle and all of the inventory is used, about 25-Half-hour from the time you began.
When all of the liquid is absorbed, stir within the grated cheese and take away from warmth. Serve instantly and high with child arugula and additional grated cheese if desired.
Final Step:
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To make butternut squash puree, boil the squash till tender, then switch to the blender and mix till clean.
Serving: 1 scant cup, Energy: 249 kcal, Carbohydrates: 45 g, Protein: 7.5 g, Fats: 3 g, Saturated Fats: 1.5 g, Ldl cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 461 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g