Butternut Squash Risotto

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 55

Servings: people

Creamy, comforting, and brimming with rich autumn flavors, this Butternut Squash Risotto is the perfect way to warm your table.

Ingredients

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into small dice
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
2½ cups Arborio rice
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

US - Metric

Instructions

Place the broth in a stockpot and keep it at a gentle simmer.
Melt 5 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions. Cook gently for about 10 minutes until soft, translucent but not browned.
Stir in the butternut squash and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until it softens but does not fall apart.
Add the rice and coat it with the butter and vegetables. Cook it slightly to toast it.
Start adding the broth, ladleful at a time, stirring gently until each one has almost been absorbed by the rice. The risotto should be kept to a bare simmer throughout cooking and should not dry out or stick to the bottom of your pot. Add more stock if need be.
Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grain is still firm, and the squash begins to disintegrate.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sage, remaining butter, and all the Parmesan. Stir well and cover.
Let it rest covered for a couple of minutes. Spoon into serving bowl and serve immediately.

Equipment

Risotto Pan

Notes

Risotto must be cooked in broth ladles one at a time, ensuring each addition is fully absorbed before adding more broth.
The risotto should be kept to a bare simmer throughout the cooking process and not dry out.
Cut your butternut squash into small dice to be cooked alongside your rice. It is ok if some pieces will disintegrate.
A rice copper pot is a beautiful gift, but a heavy-bottomed pot will also do the trick. You want a pot that maintains heat distribution without burning your rice.

Nutrition

Giangi's Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.