This roasted butternut squash risotto is one of my favorite easy dishes to make in the fall! It makes a great lunch on its own or a creamy side dish for a more filling meal! I like to use a combination of roasted butternut squash and its smaller, sweeter cousins honeynut squash for the perfect flavor!
Risotto is a classic Italian dish of rice cooked with broth until it reaches a super creamy consistency. It falsely has a reputation of difficult or time consuming to make, but it's actually super simple! It can be a tad annoying because you do have to stir it pretty regularly, but that's it!
Risotto is one of my favorite things to make when I want to impress but also but in minimal effort! It’s incredibly easy to make, has amazing depth of flavor, and just seems fancier than other side options. It's also extremely versatile!
You might also like this mushroom risotto or this pumpkin risotto!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make this roasted butternut squash risotto!
Arborio Rice - This recipe is best if you use rice that’s specifically for risotto! Risotto is traditionally made with short grain rice that has a high starch content. This is what gives risotto that super creamy, luxurious texture! Arborio rice is most common but I’ve also made this recipe with loto rice and paella rice and they work great! But always double check the cooking instructions for your rice. This recipe uses a 1:4 rice to liquid ratio but if your rice uses a 1:3 ratio, you’ll want to reduce the water by 1 cup.
White Cooking Wine - This is completely optional but adds some great flavor to your risotto! I always keep cheap, dry white wine on hand that I use for cooking. It’s amazing how much flavor a $3 bottle of sauvignon blanc can add to a dish!
Vegetable Stock - I always use my homemade vegetable stock when I make risotto for the best flavor!! You can also use store bought vegetable stock, chicken stock, or even water.
Shallot - The mild flavor of shallots are perfect for this wintery risotto. But you could also use half a yellow onion instead.
Butternut Squash - Roasted butternut squash adds a creamy texture and slightly sweet flavor to the risotto!
Honeynut Squash - This is completely optional, but I love mixing in some roasted honeynut squash too! Honeynut squash looks like mini butternut squash with slightly darker flesh. But they have a much more concentrated and slightly sweeter flavor than their larger cousin. They are my absolute favorite winter squash but can be a little hard to find. Depending on where you live, you can find them at most grocery stores and farmers markets in the fall/winter.
Fresh Sage - I like to top the butternut squash risotto with some crispy sage leaves for added crunch, flavor, and they're just a beautiful garnish!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Variations
Vegan Risotto - This butternut squash risotto is already vegetarian but you can also make it vegan by just omitting the Parmesan and swapping the butter for olive oil!
Top with Bacon - This risotto is also delicious topped with crispy bacon or pancetta!
How to Make Risotto
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the butternut squash in half and discard the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and place cut side down on your baking sheet.
Optional: Peel and cut the honeynut squash in half and discard the seeds. Dice into small chunks and place on the same baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake the squash for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the squash is roasting, in a medium pot, heat your vegetable stock over medium heat until simmering (you can also use a microwave if you're lazy like me). Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large skillet or stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat then add in the shallots and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.
Add in the rice and toast, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Then add in the white wine to de-glaze the pan and make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
Add in ½ cup of the warmed vegetable stock and stir the risotto until the stock is completely absorbed, then add in another ½ cup and repeat. Continue to add in the stock ½ cup at a time until it’s all absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
Scoop the roasted butternut squash out of the skin and stir into the risotto until fully combined and creamy then stir in the Parmesan. Gently fold in the roasted honeynut squash. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Crispy Sage Leaves
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a non-stick pan and heat gently over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and watch closely for them to crisp up (about 30 seconds). Remove and set aside.
Top the butternut squash risotto with the crispy sage and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's
Store risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Risotto heats ups easily in the microwave or on the stovetop!
Technically yes, but I don't recommend it. Long grain rice will take a little longer to cook and won’t be as creamy. Follow the same instructions as below but use 3 cups of water instead. You can also add in ¼ cup of heavy cream towards the end to make it extra creamy.
Yes, but it will be a lot less flavorful. If using water, I recommend also using some type of bullion to enhance the flavor.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock, chicken stock is also good
- 1 large butternut squash
- 2 small honeynut squash, optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup white cooking wine
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Crispy Sage
- whole sage leaves
- butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the butternut squash in half and discard the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and place cut side down on your baking sheet.
- Optional: Peel and cut the honeynut squash in half and discard the seeds. Dice into small chunks and place on the same baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Bake the squash for 20-30 minutes or until soft. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the squash is roasting, in a medium size pot heat your vegetable stock over medium heat until simmering (you can also use a microwave if you’re lazy). Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large skillet or stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat then add in the shallots and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Add in the rice and toast, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Then add in the white wine to de-glaze the pan and make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the fresh sage, salt, and pepper.
- Add in ½ cup of the warmed vegetable stock and stir the risotto until the stock is completely absorbed, then add in another ½ cup and repeat. Continue to add in the stock ½ cup at a time until it’s all absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
- Scoop the roasted butternut squash out of the skin and stir into the risotto until fully combined and creamy then stir in the Parmesan. Gently fold in the roasted honeynut squash. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Top with the crispy sage and enjoy!
Crispy Sage
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a non-stick pan and heat gently over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and watch closely for them to crisp up (about 30 seconds). Remove and set aside.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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