Butternut Squash Risotto With Parmesan Cheese 

By

I love a good risotto, but this Butternut Squash Risotto With Parmesan Cheese has to be my favorite. It’s super creamy and made with the most delicious ingredients – it’s an Italian food blogger’s dream come true! I’m going to show you how easy this dish is to make at home so you can enjoy it on your own time. 

How to make this meal 

Butternut Squash Risotto is a tasty and healthy dish. The risotto has a deliciously rich flavor without any dairy or meat products, making it vegan-friendly! It’s also gluten free (depending on the pasta you decide to use) and paleo friendly. 

Butternut Squash Risotto recipe

The butternut squash in this recipe makes for an incredibly creamy texture that most people find irresistibly delicious. To make your Butternut Squash Risotto even more flavorful, consider adding mushrooms sauteed with garlic at the beginning of cooking time, as well as some red pepper flakes if desired. And don’t forget about getting creative with your toppings – I recommend trying out brown butter drizzled over top before serving! 

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup of arborio rice 
  • 1/2 medium size butternut squash 
  • 4-5 cups of vegetable broth 
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, whatever you would drink 
  • 1 cup onion, chopped 
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped 
  • 1 Tbsp of fresh chopped thyme 
  • 1 Tbsp of fresh chopped sage leaves 
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese 
  • 1/3 cup fresh grated gruyere cheese 
  • 1 Tbsp of butter 
  • 4 Tbsp of olive oil 
  • salt and pepper to taste 

Step by step Cooking Instructions 

How to make Butternut Squash Risotto

  1. In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add in onions and garlic. Cook for about five minutes or until onion becomes translucent. 
  2. Add rice to the mixture and toast it with spices for another minute or so. 
  3. Slowly pour in vegetable broth and wine while stirring constantly; make sure you scrape up any bits from bottom of pot as well as getting all liquid on top mixed into the dish. Bring this entire mixture to a simmer before reducing heat to low (or just below). Cover with lid but leave small opening at edge of lid to allow steam out, then cook risotto 20 – 25 minutes or until rice is soft enough that it has absorbed most liquid in pan without being overly wet.  
  4. Remove from heat and stir in squash, Parmesan Cheese, salt & pepper to taste. Mix well before transferring mixture into a bowl or plate; garnish with more cheese if desired! 

Tips and Tricks 

Simple Butternut Squash Risotto recipe

  • The best time to make this meal is in the fall or winter. 
  • Make sure you use Arborio rice for a creamy texture and feel. You could also substitute other types of short grain rice if desired. 
  • Use fresh squash for maximum flavor, but frozen squash may be substituted as well with some adjustments (add more stock or water). 
  • Warming up your skillet before adding oil will help prevent sticking while cooking risotto and ensure that it doesn’t get too greasy on top! Be careful not to burn any bits from stirring constantly though – stir slowly only until hot, then turn heat off so there isn’t constant contact between pan & pot. Place lid over entire skillet/pan once liquid is added. 
  • For the cheese, I recommend using parmesan or Italian blend to bring out a nice flavor in this dish. 
  • A medium sized butternut squash will yield about two cups of cubed squash and a cup of puree (use both!). 

Conclusion 

I hope you enjoyed this butternut squash risotto recipe! It’s a great vegetarian option for any meal and it can be made vegan by substituting vegetable stock instead of chicken. If you like, try some more recipes from my blog to get your kitchen in the fall spirit such as pumpkin pie or roasted apple cider soup. Happy cooking! 

Jennifer Glover
Latest posts by Jennifer Glover (see all)