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Butternut Squash Risotto

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This butternut risotto is the perfect fall comfort food. It is fancy enough for a dinner party but is all the creamy, comforting goodness you want it to be.

bowl of creamy risotto with cubes of butternut squash.

This butternut squash risotto is creamy and delicious.  It is a perfect side dish for any fall meal.

It really highlights the squash with a delicious Parmesan, garlic and sage flavor running throughout.  The results are ready for a dinner party or your holiday table. 

You’ll find it makes a perfect side dish for turkey, ham, a pork roast and more!  It is so good you’ll be ready to make a meal of it by itself!

I have been craving a good risotto ever since the weather cooled down. There is just something about the creamy hearty goodness that just makes you feel better. It is so comforting and I just love the feelings it evokes.

So I picked up one of those big tubs of Arborio rice a few weeks back. I had mushroom risotto on the brain and I was excited to make it.

Then I accidentally put all of the mushrooms in another dish before I had a chance to make the risotto. Don’t worry, I will rectify that soon enough!

butternut squash and shallots being cooked for risotto.

In the meantime I figured it would be fun to try something else. So I went to town on prepping a beautiful butternut squash and some shallots I happened to have on hand.

If you don’t have shallots, don’t worry.  A small onion will work nicely in their place.

Of course a couple of cloves of garlic got wrangled into the pot with some butter as well.  Let me tell you, if the smell of all that goodness cooking in the butter doesn’t draw you in… well I’m just not sure there’s hope for you.

(Kidding, but seriously it is heavenly!) It had me excited to get to the finished product!

toasting arborio rice in dutch oven along with butternut squash chunks.

Once the onions and shallots are soft you add the rice and let it toast for a bit.  Meanwhile make sure your broth or stock is hot, ready and waiting.

At first it will seem like the ratio of veggies to rice is skewed too far towards the veggies but don’t you worry, that will soon change.  The rice will grow as it starts to take up the warm broth.

Once the rice is hot and starts getting a little translucent around the edges add your wine.  Don’t skip the wine, it adds such a good flavor in the finished product!

serving of butternut squash on dinner plate along with slices of ham and a homemade crescent roll.

After that it’s just a matter of adding a ladle of hot broth at a time and stirring the bageebers (that’s the technical term) out of it until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Then add a bit more and repeating the process until the rice is how you like it.

Finishing with a bit of butter and Parmesan never hurt a thing, so go ahead and stir that in at the end.  The process is a bit of work bit it’s certainly not hard. Besides you will have worked up a nice hunger from all of the stirring and the smells will keep you sustained until it’s time to eat.

The finished product is a perfect side dish to almost any meal.  We served ours with ham and homemade crescent rolls.  It would also be perfect with cornish hens, chicken, turkey, pork and more.

Heck, I would be perfectly happy with a bowlful on its own for dinner. It would make a great meatless Monday meal option for sure!

This would make a perfect side dish for a dinner party or your holiday table. Honesty I’d be happy with a nice big bowl for diner!

Have you ever had a risotto that knocked your socks off? What are your favorite flavors for risotto?

bowl of butternut squash risotto with shallots, garlic, sage and Parmesan cheese.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Carlee
This butternut risotto is the perfect fall comfort food. It is fancy enough for a dinner party but is all the creamy, comforting goodness you want it to be.
4.91 from 10 ratings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 251 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 shallots or a small onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • ½ medium-large butternut squash
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tablespoon sage chopped
  • 2 Tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat up the chicken stock to a simmer and hold over medium low heat.
    6 cups chicken stock
  • Peel and chop the shallots and garlic.
    3 shallots, 3 cloves garlic
  • Remove the seeds and peel from the butternut squash and cut into bite sized cubes.
    ½ medium-large butternut squash
  • In a separate large pot, melt 2 Tablespoons butter. Add the shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes and butternut squash. Cook over medium heat until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
    2 Tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • Add the rice and toast until the edges become translucent. Be sure to stir frequently. You don’t want it to take on color, just toast a bit.
    2 cups arborio rice
  • Pour in the wine, using it to deglaze the pan if anything is stuck to the bottom. Cook and stir until the wine is almost all absorbed.
    1 cup white wine
  • Add the sage and a ladle full of hot chicken stock. Stir until that liquid is absorbed. Add another ladle of hot chicken stock and stir until it is absorbed. Continue until the rice is cooked to your liking.
    1 Tablespoon sage
  • Once the rice is soft and creamy and you are satisfied with the texture, remove from the heat. Stir in the finishing butter and Parmesan cheese. Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste and serve.
    2 Tablespoon butter, ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 9gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 441mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g
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Recipe Rating




Jolene

Tuesday 23rd of October 2018

This looks fantastic. I've eaten risotto but never made it at home. Time to change that!

mommar6

Thursday 23rd of November 2017

I love this idea! I would never have thought to put butternut squash in risotto but I'm sure I'll love it!

Carlee

Thursday 30th of November 2017

The textures and flavors really work so well together.

A Day in the Life on the Farm

Wednesday 22nd of November 2017

There is something so soothing to me about making risotto. It gives me calm and comfort both while cooking and while eating.

Carlee

Thursday 30th of November 2017

I kind of like it too, as long as I have the time to focus on it. Soooo good! Thanks, Wendy!

Andrea Nine

Wednesday 22nd of November 2017

I am just loving these Fall Bounty recipes!! The butternut squash mixed with the risotto is such a great idea!! Happiest of Thanksgivings to you sweet friend!! xo

Carlee

Thursday 30th of November 2017

It was so creamy and had those wonderful tastes of thanksgiving with the squash and sage. Mmm! Thank you!