Butternut squash and cheese risotto recipe
Once you know how to make it, a risotto becomes a weekly staple. This squash and cheese version will be a go-to in the autumn, mix tender chunks of sweet squash through your cheesy rice then garnish with fresh picked thyme and shavings of Parmesan, if you like.
See method- Serves 4
- 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook
- 902 calories / serving
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, about 900g
- 75g (3oz) butter
- 325ml (11fl oz) dry white wine
- 50ml (2fl oz) olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1.5 litres (2½pt) vegetable stock
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic gloves, finely chopped
- ½tsp rubbed sage
- 400g (13oz) risotto rice
- 150g (5oz) goats' cheese
- 50g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 3775kJ 902.0kcal
- Fat
- 39g
- Saturates
- 21g
- Salt
- 4.8g
- Sugars
- 12g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 98.6gProtein 22.8gFibre 5.3g
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.
- Peel the squash and cut in half lengthways. Scrape out the seeds from the bulbous ends and dice the whole squash into 1cm (½in) cubes.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add half of the cubed squash. Cook gently for a few minutes, then add 150ml (¼pt) of the wine. Gently cook until the squash is very soft, about 20 minutes.
- While this is cooking, place the remaining cubes of squash on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the preheated oven. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
- When the squash in the large saucepan is cooked, blend to a purée, season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
- For the risotto, bring the stock to a low simmer. Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over a low-to-medium heat and gently cook the onion and sage for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or so more.
- Add the rice and stir for a few minutes. Add the remaining wine and keep stirring the rice until almost all the liquid bas been absorbed. Add some of the stock and stir continuously until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.
- About 2 minutes before the rice is ready, stir in the squash purée and crumble in the goat’s cheese.
- Meanwhile, reheat the squash cubes and add the Parmesan to the risotto. To serve, top the risotto with the squash cubes from the oven.
- See more Butternut squash recipes
*Inspired by Hannah S. featured in the Realfood Cookbook
**This dish is very indulgent, so it shouldn't be eaten too often. But it's perfect for those special occasions!
