Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto
Ready for a bowl of cozy? This butternut squash and sage risotto is the ultimate comfort dish for chilly evenings, and one of my favorite things to cook and eat. We are going to transform simple pantry ingredients, herbs, and fresh butternut squash into a velvety golden bowl of goodness. I’m going to show you how to create a restaurant-worthy meal right at home. This risotto even has a couple of unexpected ingredients that make it extra special. Let’s cook!
You ever have a really long day that was a total drag, and now you just want something homey to eat that makes you forget all about it? Maybe you are looking forward to cooking something special that lets you put your cares behind you as you cook. As a busy sports mom, I am right there with you.
That’s what I want this risotto to be for you. Something that lets you stand at the stove and stir away your troubles, as you look forward to eating something that transports you from the day’s stress into a relaxing evening. It’s so good with a fall salad or with short ribs. This serves 6 as a meal, or 8 as an elevated holiday side dish.
If you’ve made my reader’s favorite risotto with pumpkin and mushrooms, then you know that making risotto is not as hard as it seems and that I have plenty of risotto making tricks up my sleeve. So many of you love that recipe that I had to go and create another one!. I have plenty of step by step photos and instructions for you in this post to make sure this is not as intimidating as you might think.
What You’ll Need For Butternut Squash Risotto With Sage
I’m highlighting a few ingredients here to discuss their importance, as well as those unexpected ingredients I mentioned earlier. Check out the recipe card for the full list!
Arborio rice
This rice is what you will want to use, because it is higher in starch than other varieties. That additional starch is what helps make creamy risotto.
hard cider
I like using dry hard cider instead of wine for this risotto, it pairs nicely with the squash. Be sure to use the rest of the cider to make some comforting beef stew.
mascarpone cheese
I love to add this instead of butter, it adds wonderful richness. Be sure to wait until the end to stir this in. It makes the risotto so creamy!
Amy’s Tips For The Best Butternut Squash Risotto
What makes great risotto? I’ve been making it for years, and I’ll share with you here what I’ve learned.
Don’t let the heat be so high that the liquid evaporates away rather than being absorbed by the rice.
You want the finished risotto to be creamy, not sticky and clumpy. How do you know it’s creamy? If it coats the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, that’s what you want!
Want to make this risotto a bit faster? Here is a time saving tip. Roasting the squash ahead of time means it is ready when you make the risotto, saving time when you actually cook it. Be sure to take the roasted squash out of the refrigerator and let it get to room temp while the risotto cooks.
Add fresh herbs to the stock and keep it warm.. Saute the chopped onion. Add the arborio rice to toast lightly. Add the hard cider.
Gradually add stock and stir consistently. The rice will start to get creamy. Toward the end, you’ll see the grains of rice look softer.
Season the butternut squash, and mash to smooth it out. Add the squash to the risotto.
Stir in the mascarpone. Add the Pecorino Romano cheese and stir.
Risotto Troubleshooting Tips
Amy’s Suggestions For Making This Butternut Squash Risotto Your Own
One thing I love about risotto is its flexibility. If you want to jazz this up a little, here are a few things I love to do:
Top with caramelized onions, sauteed fennel, chopped cooked bacon or pancetta, crumbled goat cheese, or chopped hazelnuts.
I’m glad you stopped by, and I hope you love this butternut squash risotto. If you made this recipe, please leave a rating or comment. I love hearing from you. If you want all the latest updates, be sure to sign up for my email list. Happy Cooking!
Butternut Squash Risotto
This easy Butternut Squash Risotto is the perfect Fall or Winter meal. It is elegant without being stuffy, and makes a great holiday side dish!
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash, (about 3 pounds)
- 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided
- 6 Cups of Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 6 Leaves of Fresh Sage
- 2 Bay Leaves, Fresh or Dried
- 1 Sprig of Fresh Thyme
- 1/2 of Cup Onion, Chopped
- 2 Cups Arborio Rice
- 1/2 Cup of Dry Hard Cider
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of Salt
- 3/4 teaspoon of Pepper
- 1 teaspoon of Dried Sage
- 1/2 cup of Mascarpone Cheese
- 1/3 Cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half and place cut side on a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Brush with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until a fork pierces easily through the thickest part of the squash. Scoop out the flesh, place squash in a bowl, and mash until smooth. You should have two cups or more of puree. If you have more than two cups, refrigerate excess for another use.
- In a large saucepan, place 6 cups of stock, two bay leaves, thyme sprig, and two of the sage leaves and bring to a low simmer.
- Heat a large enameled Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 cup chopped onion, and cook until the onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add 2 cups rice and stir for about two minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the oil and lightly toast. Then add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 cup of hard cider and stir until the cider begins to absorb.
- Then, using a large soup ladle, add about one ladle of broth to the rice at a time from the saucepan, stirring with each addition until liquid is absorbed and rice is soft and creamy. As you add the broth, be sure to maintain a low simmer as it cooks, adjusting the heat slightly up or down if needed. The risotto should not be gummy, but it should be a creamy consistency and easily coat the back of a spoon. This process should take about 20-30 minutes.
- When the rice is finished cooking, remove from heat and chop the remaining fresh sage leaves and them along with the 1 teaspoon of dried sage to the squash, and stir in the remaining salt and pepper. Then add squash mixture to the risotto, stirring thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup of mascarpone cheese and stir, and stir in 1/4 cup of pecorino romano, and serve.
Notes
If you want to reduce prep and cook time, you can roast the squash ahead of time and store it for up to three days in the fridge, or a week in the freezer. If you freeze your squash, be sure to drain off the excess liquid after it is defrosted.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dishes and Sandwiches
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 Servings
- Calories: 189
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 1134.3 mg
- Fat: 7.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
