Butternut Squash Risotto recipe

Originally posted April 11, 2014

This is a hearty dish perfect for late fall or winter. It’s also wonderful with any root vegetable like turnip, carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, and sweet potato. If you don’t want to bother cutting the squash many stores offer it pre-cut.

If you want to add more nutrition to the dish, add 1 can of drained and rinsed cannellini or garbanzo beans at the end and cook another 3 to 5 minutes.

This dish is naturally gluten-free, just make sure the broth is labeled gluten-free.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• Olive oil
• 2 – 3 shallots, minced (can substitute 1 onion, chopped)
• Ground pepper
• 1 – 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
• About 2 cups of butternut squash, or about ½ of a large squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, heated
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or butter substitute
• Chopped fresh sage or thyme

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1. Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté the shallots with pepper until soft and golden. Add garlic and salt and stir for 1 minute.
2. Add squash and cook until squash begins to soften, stirring. Add the rice and stir. Cook together for 2 to 3 minutes then add the wine or sherry. Cook until wine/sherry is absorbed.
3. Stir in enough broth to cover the squash and stir, keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding next and until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still firm, about 18 minutes.
4. Add butter at the end to add extra creaminess, and chopped sage or thyme for flavor. If you don’t have fresh herbs, add ½ tsp of one or the other in step 1 when you add the shallots.