Butternut squash risotto is a perfect fall dish that's really creamy and full of great flavors. This dish is great whether you want something small like an appetizer, a side dish, or even a main meal. The roasted squash makes it sweet and goes really well with the creamy rice. It also has garlic, onion, and herbs, plus a little optional white wine to make it extra special.
2ozcream cheese(softened, at room temperature, or mascarpone - *see note)
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Instructions
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add your broth and butternut squash puree. Stir to combine.
Heat over medium-high until the broth mixture just begins to bubble then reduce the heat to simmer. Hold the broth at a simmer over low heat while you prepare the rest of the risotto.
In a separate, large skillet heat your extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) over medium heat. Add in the garlic and onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
Next, add in your Arborio rice to the pan with the garlic and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To deglaze the pan, add in the 2 ounces of white wine (or more broth) and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently for 1 minute.
Next, ladle 1 cup of the broth and squash mixture into the pan with the rice. Stir occasionally and allow the rice to absorb the liquid. Continue to ladle in the broth mixture in ½-cup increments, giving the rice time to absorb the liquid in between each addition (*see note). Stir in the salt, pepper, and ground sage.
After about 15 minutes of cooking, the rice will absorb liquid more slowly so you can reduce your increments to ¼-cup ladles. Begin checking the rice at about 15-16 minutes for an al dente texture. You want the rice to be soft on the outside but still have a somewhat firm center.
Once the rice has reached your desired consistency, remove the pan from the heat and add in the Parmesan cheese and softened cream cheese. Stir until melted and well distributed.
Top with a little of the roasted butternut squash and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately while warm (and in a warm bowl or pasta plate).
Notes
For a vegetarian version, swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth!
When starting your risotto, go ahead and set out the cream cheese as it needs 15-20 minutes to come to room temperature.
If you want to omit the wine, you can deglaze the pan with more broth.
The constant stirring helps to loosen the starch from the rice, which is what creates the creamy texture that risotto is known for!
To store: Keep your risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To reheat: To reheat your risotto add a ¼ cup of broth to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add in your risotto and stir until it is warmed all the way through. If it is too thick, add more broth as needed.