This butternut squash risotto was inspired by the fact that I think Thanksgiving needs a few more rice-based dishes. And this absolutely does not have to be a Thanksgiving recipe for you, it can be an anytime recipe, but if you want to add it into your Thanksgiving roster – it would be honored.
This butternut squash risotto is creamy, easy and unlike any other butternut squash risottos you might see on the internet. In this recipe, instead of adding a butternut squash purée before or after the risotto process, we add a butternut squash “broth” during the process. This gives this risotto a gorgeous yellow color, and you get the deep, nutty sweetness of the risotto throughout. It might be my favorite way to eat risotto, but it’s definitely my favorite way to get rice on the table for Thanksgiving.
Table of contents
What is risotto?
Risotto is an Italian rice dish that is cooked slowly until creamy. It is usually made from Arborio, a short-grain, starchy rice that releases its creaminess as it is slowly cooked with liquid and other seasonings. Risotto is often seen as intimidating because of the skill level you need to make it, but it really is quite approachable. I think the biggest hurdle when making a risotto is the time factor. It is a time commitment to get the rice juuuuust right, but when you get it, you’ll get a jaw-droppingly delicious risotto.
Ingredients you’ll need for this butternut squash risotto
What I love about risotto is that it is a shockingly delicious result, but you get a huge depth of flavor from just a few ingredients. In this recipe I offer the option to make a parsley oil garnish, but you can also serve this risotto as-is, it’s delicious either way. Here is everything you’ll need for this recipe:
For the parsley oil
- 2 cups fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
For the butternut squash risotto
- 1/2 of a large butternut squash, about 1 lb of raw squash
- 1 small head of garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups Arborio rice or Japanese short grain sushi rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 Tbsp. heavy cream or cashew cream
- 4 ounces fresh parmesan, for grating
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to make the broth for this butternut squash risotto
The best part of this recipe is the butternut squash “broth” – it’s what gives this recipe its ~secret sauce~…quite literally.
To make this broth you first want to roast your squash until very tender, about 25 minutes at 425°F. Do this while also roasting a head of garlic to squeeze into your blender.
Add the cooked squash, garlic, vegetable broth and 2 cups of water to a blender and blend for about 1 minute. You want this to look like a smooth, watery broth. Once it’s ready, you’re ready to start the risotto process!
How to start this butternut squash risotto
Now, risotto is a time commitment, not a scary skill-commitment, so don’t be afraid! I have kind of wordy instructions to make sure you understand what is happening and why, so here is a full step-by-step breakdown:
- Add the butternut broth to a pot and put it on medium heat. Let it come to a simmer and then lower the heat so that it is kept warm but not boiling.
- In a large, high-sided sauté pan, add the 6 tbsp of olive oil and bring it to medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and stir. Cook the onion for 6-8 minutes or until soft.
- Add a generous splash of water to the pan to help the onion cook until it is transluscent. The water should evaporate in about 5 minutes, and the onion should be soft and almost “melted.” If the onion still has some bite to it, add another splash of water and repeat.
- Add in the rice and stir to coat in the oil and onion. This is pre-cooking the rice, so that when you begin the risotto process, the rice will cook evenly in the broth. Cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, or until the outside edges of the rice are clear, and the rice makes a clattering sound when it hits the edges of the pan.
- Add in the wine, stir to combine, and let the wine reduce. Season with salt.
The risotto process
- Now is the time to begin the risotto process. Using a cup to scoop from the other pot, add about 3/4 cup of the warm butternut broth to the rice. Stir to combine the broth with the rice. You’ll see the rice being to absorb the broth and thicken. This is due to both “agitating” the starches of the rice through stirring, and through absorption of the liquid. The liquid should be gone after about 2-3 minutes, add another scoop and continue to repeat the process.
- Stir, add broth, and stir for the next 15-25 minutes or so. When you are almost done with your broth, and when the rice looks like it has doubled in size, begin to taste. You want the rice to be soft, cooked through and not chalky in the center. You might not need all the broth to get to this state, so taste early and be sure not to overcook!
- When the risotto is ready, remove it from the heat and gently stir in the heavy cream. It will continue to thicken as it is off the heat, so make sure it’s more liquidy than you plan for when you take it off the heat.
- Transfer to your preferred serving dish and top with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper. Serve warm!
Looking for recipes similar to this butternut squash risotto?
Here are some other amazing comfort foods!
And that’s it for this butternut squash risotto!
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Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients
For the optional parsley oil:
- 2 cups fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
For the butternut squash risotto:
- 1/2 of a large butternut squash about 1 lb of raw squash
- 1 small head of garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion finely chopped
- 2 cups Arborio rice or Japanese short grain sushi rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 Tbsp. heavy cream or cashew cream
- 4 ounces fresh parmesan for grating
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the squash in half and set one half aside for another use.
- Cut off the top of the garlic and wrap tightly in foil.
- Place the squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add the garlic and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is soft.
- Add the cooked squash (it should yield about 2 cups) and garlic to a blender. Add the vegetable stock, 2 cups of water and 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Blend until smooth. It will be very watery, think of it as a butternut-broth.
- Add this butternut broth to a pot and put it on medium heat. Let it come to a simmer and then lower the heat so that it is kept warm but not boiling.
- In a large, high-sided sauté pan, add the 6 tbsp of olive oil and bring it to medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and stir. Cook the onion for 6-8 minutes or until soft.
- Add a generous splash of water to the pan to help the onion cook until it is transluscent. The water should evaporate in about 5 minutes, and the onion should be soft and almost "melted." If the onion still has some bite to it, add another splash of water and repeat.
- Add in the rice and stir to coat in the oil and onion. This is pre-cooking the rice, so that when you begin the risotto process, the rice will cook evenly in the broth. Cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, or until the outside edges of the rice are clear, and the rice makes a clattering sound when it hits the edges of the pan.
- Add in the wine, stir to combine, and let the wine reduce. Season with salt.
- Now is the time to begin the risotto process. Using a cup to scoop from the other pot, add about 3/4 cup of the warm butternut broth to the rice. Stir to combine the broth with the rice. You'll see the rice being to absorb the broth and thicken. This is due to both "agitating" the starches of the rice through stirring, and through absorption of the liquid. The liquid should be gone after about 2-3 minutes, add another scoop and continue to repeat the process.
- Stir, add broth, and stir for the next 15-25 minutes or so. When you are almost done with your broth, and when the rice looks like it has doubled in size, begin to taste. You want the rice to be soft, cooked through and not chalky in the center. You might not need all the broth to get to this state, so taste early and be sure not to overcook!
- When the risotto is ready, remove it from the heat and gently stir in the heavy cream. It will continue to thicken as it is off the heat, so make sure it's more liquidy than you plan for when you take it off the heat.
- Transfer to your preferred serving dish and top with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper. Serve warm!
For the optional parsley oil garnish:
- If you plan on making the parsley oil, it can be done either ahead of time or during the cooking process. First blanch the parsley by submerging it in boiling salted water for 30 seconds to a minute, then immediately transfer it to an ice bath.
- Squeeze any liquid out of the parsley and transfer it to a blender. Add the juice from one lemon, the olive oil and a pinch of salt Blend until very smooth.
- Strain this through a sieve to get a clear, bright-green oil. You can use this immediately or store it in your fridge for up to a week.
Hello. This looks AMAZING and would love to consider serving it for our thanksgiving dinner! I have been made to believe Risotto can be tricky for a large crowd (10) because it must be served immediately. Is this also the case with your risotto? How far in advance (within same day ) could it be made?
Hello! So this does continue to thicken as it sits, like most risottos, but if you are ok with moving it to a casserole dish and adding a splash of warm broth right before serving, I’d say it can be made up to 3 hours ahead and stored in the fridge. To reheat, place in an oven and then add a scoop of very warm broth in to loosen the grains right before serving.
Super tasty! Made vegan so did not add parm but was amazing without.
This was soooooo good🙏🍷
I’m so happy you liked it! <33
Hi. Are we scooping the flesh out from the skin before pureeing? I was hoping to make this tonight.
Yes! No skin needed 🙂
Yey cannot wait!!!
Well, this was DELICIOUS. So rich and has such an incredible flavor from the butternut squash. My squash took about 40 minutes to soften enough to scoop out of the skin and blend. Wow… YUMMY.
I’m so thrilled you made it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review <33