Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut squash risotto in a white bowl on a white table with squash, small bowl of uncooked rice, and basil.

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5 from 1 vote

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 144kcal

Author: Kelly Stilwell

Ingredients

6 Cups Butternut Squash Bite-sized pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
1 teaspoon garlic
1 Cup onion chopped
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 Cups vegetable broth No sugar
2 teaspoons basil fresh, sliced Chiffonade method
1 Cup Arborio rice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º.
Peel and cut butternut squash into bite sized pieces.
Add squash to baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Cook Squash for 25-35 minutes, until it's really soft, even a little golden brown.
While Squash is cooking, pour vegetable broth into a pan and set to boil over medium high heat. Once it reaches a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer.
In a Dutch oven, add the rest of the olive oil (2 tablespoons) and warm over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic, cooking until it's fragrant and translucent.
Add the rice to the onion and garlic, stirring until the edges of the rice become translucent.
Add a cup of the broth to the rice and stir. Let the rice simmer, stirring often. Do not walk away!
Once the liquid has been absorbed, add more broth. Repeat until risotto is al dente to the bite. Al dente rice is chewy, not completely soft.
Just before all liquid is absorbed, add the butternut squash, gently stirring until combined.
Once the risotto is done, serve in a bowl topped with the basil.

Notes

Remember that extra virgin olive oil keeps for about 12 months after it's bottled. I've heard people say this is a marketing tactic. Use old olive oil that has become rancid in a dish you worked hard to make and have it ruined and it will change your mind about using olive oil that is past its prime! I always suggest buying smaller bottles if you don't use a lot of olive oil.

This is one time when cooking a vegetable a little longer than necessary is actually a good thing! The butternut squash caramelizes and become super sweet.

The chiffonade method of cutting the basil just makes for a prettier presentation. Wash and dry basil and remove stems. Roll up several leaves and slice thin.

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