How to make Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto? (Full of Flavors)

• Food: Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

This roasted butternut squash risotto recipe is both soothing and redemptive, as well as delectable. Butternut squash cubes are soft and caramelized throughout.

Instead of using white rice, this risotto uses brown short-grain rice. This results in a rich, creamy risotto packed with nutritious grains.

This roasted butternut squash risotto recipe is extremely flavorful, in the best of ways, thanks to the mildly nutty brown rice.

The one drawback is that brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, so I’ve transferred it from the burner to the oven.

In this manner, instead of stirring the risotto for fifty minutes, you just have to stir it for a few minutes in the end. By the way, that’s a tremendous arm exercise.

How to make Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto?

We’ll simply roast cubed butternut on the top rack until it’s tender and caramelized on the edges while the risotto bubbles away in its pot in the oven.

The rice and butternut will then be combined with a splash of white wine, several pats of butter, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

To take it to the next level, we’ll top it all off with crispy fried sage (recipe follows). I tell you, this risotto is divine. Here’s to a happy, healthy diet!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

This dish for butternut squash risotto is delicious! It’s elevated with roasted butternut squash and crispy fried sage.

This risotto is also healthier than most because it uses brown rice rather than white rice and requires almost no stirring. You can just bake everything in the oven! There are 4 servings in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth, divided
• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½” cubes
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese* (about 2 ½ ounces)
• ½ cup dry white wine, optional
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

Fried sage

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 16 to 20 fresh sage leaves, chopped (to yield about ¼ cup chopped fresh sage)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To get ready, do the following: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, with racks in the lower third and higher third positions (we’ll bake the risotto on the middle rack and roast the squash on the upper rack at the same time). For the butternut squash, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside 1 cup of the stock from your container when the risotto comes out of the oven.
2. In a medium-to-large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and a bit of salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until softened and transparent. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Bring 3 cups broth and 1 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat, covered. Remove the pan from the heat and add the rice. Cover the saucepan and bake on the lowest shelf for 65 to 70 minutes, or until the rice is soft and cooked through. When you remove the lid, it will appear to be quite dry, but don’t worry!
4. Toss the diced butternut with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet as soon as the risotto goes into the oven. Season the butternut with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then place it in a single layer on the pan. Roast, tossing halfway through, on the upper rack until the butternut is fork soft and the edges are deeply caramelized. For me, it took 55 to 60 minutes, but I began checking for doneness about 40 minutes.
5. Fry the sage while the risotto and butternut are baking: In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the sage and toss to coat after the oil is shimmering. Before transferring the sage to a dish covered with a paper towel, allow it to get darker green and crisp (but not brown). Set aside the fried sage with a small sprinkle of salt.
6. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven with care. Remove the lid and add the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, the wine, and the butter to the pot. 2 to 3 minutes of vigorous stirring, or until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and mix well.
7. Stir in the butternut squash that has been roasted. Taste and season with extra salt and/or pepper if necessary. Serve the risotto in dishes with a sprinkling of fried sage on top.

NOTES

• SUGGESTION FOR STORAGE: This risotto keeps for a few days in the refrigerator, covered.
• MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE/VEGAN: Because starchy rice is responsible for the majority of the risotto’s creaminess, you can omit the dairy or substitute the following. To taste, replace the butter with vegan butter or a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Remove the Parmesan cheese from the recipe. For a cheese flavor, nutritional yeast could be used.
• A NOTE ON PARMESAN: I often get a few comments on recipes that include Parmesan (“It’s not vegetarian!”), but Whole Foods sells a fantastic animal rennet-free version. If you don’t want to use Parmesan, there’s plenty of taste in this dish without it.
• IF YOU MUST USE WHITE ARBORIO RICE: Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it’s soft to the bite, then continue as indicated.
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE A DUTCH OVEN, COOK THE RICE AND BROTH IN A LARGE PAN INSTEAD, THEN CAREFULLY POUR THEM INTO A CAKE DISH. Use an oven-safe lid if the casserole dish has one; if not, cover it tightly with foil. Bake according to the package directions.