Butternut Squash Risotto Parmesan (Print View)
Creamy Italian risotto with roasted butternut squash and Parmesan cheese, perfect for a cozy meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 small butternut squash (about 1.25 lbs), peeled, seeded, and cut into 0.5-inch cubes
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Grains
04 - 1.5 cups Arborio rice
→ Liquids
05 - 4 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
06 - 0.5 cup dry white wine
07 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Dairy
09 - 0.75 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
→ Seasonings
10 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
11 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Pinch ground nutmeg (optional)
13 - Fresh sage leaves or parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and caramelized. Set aside.
02 - Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Add Arborio rice to the saucepan, stirring often, and cook for 2 minutes until the grains appear glossy and lightly toasted.
04 - Pour in dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice.
05 - Ladle warm vegetable broth into the rice one scoop at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until liquid is nearly absorbed before adding next ladle. Continue for 18 to 20 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - Stir in roasted butternut squash, remaining 1 tablespoon butter, Parmesan cheese, and pinch of nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, then adjust salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan and chopped sage or parsley.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It's the kind of dish that feels impressive but doesn't require fancy techniques, just patience and a wooden spoon.
- One pot (mostly), minimal cleanup, and you end up with something that tastes like you spent all day cooking.
- The roasted squash adds this unexpected depth that regular risotto doesn't quite capture on its own.
02 -
- Constant stirring is not optional, despite what some recipes suggest, because it's the stirring that creates the creamy texture from the rice starch releasing into the liquid.
- If your broth isn't warm when you add it, the rice temperature drops and cooking times stretch out unpredictably, so keep it on its own burner and check it stays steaming.
- The risotto continues cooking slightly from residual heat even after you remove the pan, which is why resting it matters and why you stop cooking it just slightly before it feels done.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan fresh and right before using it, because pre-grated cheese contains anticaking agents that prevent that beautiful creamy melt at the end.
- If risotto seems too thick, a splash of warm broth or water always saves it, but if it's too loose, you've overcooked it slightly and there's not much rescue beyond making a delicious soup out of it.