Roasted squash risotto is one of the coziest things you’ll experience. And hey, I get it; if you’ve never made risotto before, it can be a bit daunting. But stick around; I’m going to walk you through this step by step, so you end up with perfect risotto every single time. My roasted squash risotto starts with roasting squash halves – no shocker there! I happen to find a few honeynut squashes at my local farmers market, and I kid you not; I jumped at the opportunity to make soup, risotto and am planning to store a bit more in the freezer for later. You can certainly use butternut squash in place of the honeynut if it’s not available in your area. Start by roasting the squash with a little olive oil, a tablespoon of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and cayenne. When the squash is roasted, buttery, and tender, we’ll remove it from the oven and scoop out all that golden goodness. Creamy, rich, and undoubtedly satisfying.
What is risotto?
Risotto is a dish that is commonly made in Northern Italy and is typically gluten-free. It’s short-grain rice cooked in broth that is added slowly as the rice releases starch to create a creamy, rice pudding-like texture. Common ingredients in risotto are grated cheese, butter, and onions.
Ingredients for Roasted Squash Risotto:
Squash: You can use both honeynut squash and butternut squash for this recipe. If you use butternut squash the flavor changes slightly and it’s called a butternut squash risotto! Start by slicing the squash down the center and removing seeds and ‘guts’ as I call it. Then we’ll season the squash and roast it. By roasting them in the skin, we avoid peeling the squash entirely!Olive Oil: You’ll need olive oil to drizzle on the squash and well as to fry the sage and to saute the aromatics. Seasonings: We’ll use salt, pepper, cayenne, and a hint of saffron. I know saffron isn’t something that everyone keeps at home, so it’s an optional ingredient. But if you happen to have some in the pantry, it works wonders with this recipe.Maple Syrup: Just a drizzle to help promote the natural sweetness of the squash.Stock or Broth: You can use vegetable broth or chicken broth for this recipe. I suggest opting for low sodium stock so that you can control the sodium in the risotto! You can always season with more salt later, but you can pull any out.Fresh sage leaves: We’ll fry the sage in the olive oil and use it as the garnish. By frying it in the same oil as we’ll use to cook the aromatics, you’re just adding more layers of flavor to the dish.Shallots: shallots give this recipe plenty of flavor! You can also replace the shallots with minced yellow onions, however, I do feel the shallots give this risotto a better taste.Garlic: You can use as little or as much as you like. I like it at about 4 cloves for this recipe so that it doesn’t overpower all the other delicate flavors in this recipe.Arborio Rice: Arborio is a short grain rice with a high starch content. This is what makes it the perfect rice to use when you’re making risotto. Ideally, you want to use rice that has a higher starch content because that’s what gives risotto that ultra creamy texture it’s known for. Also, when it comes to risotto, you don’t rinse your rice – which if you’re Asian or Middle Eastern, you know it totally goes against everything we’ve ever been taught!Shredded Cheese: I use two kinds here. The first is shredded gruyere cheese and the second is pecorino romano. Both of these cheeses add a delicious, nutty flavor to the risotto. You can use parmesan cheese and fontina as substitutes if you happen to have those on hand already.Unsalted butter: I’m someone that often says to use salted butter over the unsalted variety. But with an abundance of salty ingredients, like chicken stock, seasoned squash, and two varieties of cheeses, it’s better to err on the side of caution here and use unsalted butter for this recipe.
How to make squash risotto
Tips for making better risotto:
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Cheese: Fontina works well as a substitute for gruyere cheese. Parmesan can also be used in place of the pecorino romano!Leftovers: If you anticipate leftovers, I suggest hanging on to any remaining stock (in the refrigerator.) I reheat a splash of stock in a skillet until simmering, then add the amount of risotto to reheat and allow it to simmer in the stock until the rice soaks it all up the liquid and warms through; works beautifully!
