Butternut Squash Risotto

Image from Cookie and Kate, because I forgot to take my own.

Recipe adapted from: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-butternut-squash-risotto/  

 4  Tablespoons Olive oil, divided

 1  Small onion, chopped

3  Cloves garlic, minced

4  Cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

1.5 Cup water

1.5 Cups arborio rice

1  Small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and chopped into 0.5” cubed

1  Cup grated Parmesan cheese

3  Tablespoons butter, diced

1  Teaspoon salt, more to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Red Pepper flakes, to taste

1.      Before: You can either bake your butternut squash in a separate Dutch oven from the rice, or you can bake it in your kitchen oven. I baked mine in my kitchen oven before I cooked the rice in my Dutch oven.

a.      If baking the squash in a kitchen oven: Preheat oven to 375F. Toss your cubed butternut squash in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your tossed squash on the sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the squash halfway through the bake. Roast until squash is fork tender and the edges are caramelized. Start checking for doneness at 40 minutes. Save and set aside until you are ready to cook your rice in your Dutch oven.

2.      Preheat your Dutch oven to about 350F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in your Dutch oven. Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir until the onion is turning to translucent. Add minced garlic and cook until its fragrant. Will be faster than the onions.

3.      Add 3 cups of broth and 1 cup of water to your Dutch oven. Cover and bring it to a boil, or close to a boil.

4.      Once boiling, stir in the 1.5 cup of arborio rice. Cover and bake until the rice is tender. Most of your moisture will be gone. It will look dry, but the rice will be tender and cooked through. It will take about 60 minutes. I found that I needed to add briquets to the top and the bottom of Dutch oven at about 30 minutes.

5.      Once your rice is cooked, remove the Dutch oven from heat. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining 1 cup of broth, Parmesan, and butter. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the rice is thick and creamy. If you need more liquid, add in the 0.5 cup of water. Stir in salt, lots of pepper and red pepper flakes.

6.      Stir in the roasted cubed butternut squash. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

This was a great risotto recipe! And I found I loved it even more the next day. If you choose vegetable broth, this can be a vegetarian meal.  More adaptations are found on the original recipe I found and adapted at Cookie and Kate. https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-butternut-squash-risotto/