Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Table of Contents
Roasted butternut squash soup is such a classic and comforting side dish recipe that we turn to whenever squash is in season. We especially love butternut squash risotto as it offers a hearty and comforting meal thanks to the added arborio rice, and it’s the perfect fall dish recipe for the whole family.
Making risotto recipes might sound like a challenge for beginner cooks, but trust us when we say how simple recipes like this one make it. With easy-to-find ingredients and a pretty quick cook time, you’ll soon be wanting to make this delicious risotto every day, and we know you’ll rate this recipe 5 stars the moment you taste it.
How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
While roasted butternut squash is often eaten as a side dish, this wonderful recipe makes the ingredient the star of a truly delicious risotto. Whether you choose to cook your roasted butternut squash in an Instant Pot, skillet, Dutch oven, or on a baking sheet in the oven, you’ll always get fantastic flavor. Add rice into the mix and you’ll find yourself with a good recipe to make for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Risotto
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash, ¼-inch cubes
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced rosemary or sage
- 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups warmed chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley, ground sage leaves, or pine nuts, optional
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Directions
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, bring chicken broth to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in diced squash, 1 tablespoon butter, and garlic. Cook until butternut squash begins to color around edges and soften and garlic fragrant, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Keeping medium-high heat, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and arborio rice to the butternut squash, stirring quickly. Melt butter and cook until the grains are well-coated and smell slightly toasty, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the white wine has mostly absorbed.
- With a ladle, add about 1 cup at a time of hot vegetable broth or chicken stock as you cook. Stirring constantly, cook until the rice has mostly absorbed liquid. Add remaining broth about 1 cup at a time, continuing to allow the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more.
- Reduce heat and stir often and cook until butternut squash is tender and risotto is al dente and creamy, about 25 minutes. Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh sage leaves, then season with salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe Cooking Tips
- When cooking risotto recipes, you need to add the remaining broth gradually. Keeping the stock warm prevents the temperature from dropping each time you add it to the arborio rice. It also means that the rice will absorb the stock more quickly, which will lead to a much more creamy risotto.
- Want to add more flavor to your butternut squash risotto at the dinner table? Serve the dish alongside some salt and pepper, extra veggies like baby spinach, fresh sage or parsley leaves, and sautéed mushrooms.
- For a healthier and more diet-inclusive and gluten-free risotto recipe, vegetarian recipes of butternut squash risotto use low-sodium chicken stock in place of chicken broth, vegan cheese in place of Parmesan cheese, olive oil in place of butter, and brown rice in place of arborio rice.
- If you do not have butternut squash, you can substitute it with another winter squash.
- If you’re looking for some crunch in your bite, add crispy sage or more pine nuts to the recipe.
- When cooking with white wine, choose those with lighter flavors so as not to overwhelm the recipe.
- Cubed butternut squash is recommended for this recipe in order for it to cook and soften evenly and quickly.
- For a thicker butternut squash risotto, remove 1 cup of broth from the recipe.
Final Note on Butternut Squash Risotto
Making risotto is a fun challenge that, once you get the hang of it, will make you want to eat risotto recipes every day of the week. Butternut squash is a side dish we already love, and this butternut risotto recipe takes it to a whole new level as the main meal. We definitely rate this recipe 5 stars.
Want to learn how to make more 5-stars rice recipes like this butternut squash risotto? Discover more on our site.
Frequently Asked Questions About Butternut Squash Risotto
What does butternut squash risotto taste like?
Butternut squash risotto is a fairly healthy recipe with a creamy texture and tangy, sweet, and nutty flavor thanks to the roasted butternut squash combined with rice. The flavor of this butternut squash risotto is made even more complex, but not overwhelming when you add the wine, fresh sage or parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the mix.
What main dish goes with butternut squash risotto?
Butternut squash risotto is hearty enough to be made as the main meal, but you can also pair butternut squash risotto with anything like fish, chicken, pork, or beef.