Fall Butternut Squash Risotto
About this Recipe
By: Rachel
The end of summer is bittersweet. It is hard to say goodbye to long, warm, sunny days; to grilling in the backyard with friends, to neighborhood potlucks. It is especially difficult to say goodbye to my gardens. I lovingly tend my plants from seed through harvest, and they reward me with months of fresh produce.
Yet I know that as summer wanes, my favorite season—fall—is coming. With it comes the most beautiful colors . . . and some of my favorite flavors. I look forward to fresh cranberries, roasted butternut squash, aromatic sage, and so much more.
Now, I am an avowed carb-lover. When eating out, I usually seek out decadent stuffed pastas and rich risottos over protein-based dishes. Homemade pastas and risottos are true comfort foods and some of my favorite meals.
This particular risotto is inspired by one I’ve had over and over again at one of my favorite neighborhood haunts. Like slipping into my favorite comfy sweater, it always works and never seems to get old.
Fall Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 cups (700mL) Rich, Delicious, and Worth-It Chicken Stock or Flavorful, Umami Vegetable Stock, or another high-quality chicken or vegetable stock (when not using homemade, I use Better than Bouillon vegetable base)
- 1 tablespoon (15g) butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1 cup (235g) arborio rice
- 1 cup (200g) butternut squash, small dice
- Leaves from one sprig fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup (240mL) dry white wine
- ½ cup (50g) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ¼ cup (55g) Mascarpone cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar (should be fairly thick)
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
- 8 leaves fresh sage
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1
- Heat the stock in a saucepan to a simmer.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the shallot and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Step 2
- Add the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add the arborio rice and sauté for another two minutes while stirring, then add the thyme. Pour in the wine and cook until it has been absorbed. Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, continuing to stir.
- Step 3
- While you continue to cook the risotto, make the garnish. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the sage when melted. Fry the sage until crispy, about 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Remove from heat.
- Step 4
- Continue to add stock to the rice, stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked. The rice should still be firm, and the risotto should be saucy and nearly run on a plate. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the mascarpone.
- Step 5
- Garnish each plate with the fried sage and drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar.
Options:
- You can use another winter squash in lieu of butternut—acorn squash, delicata squash, or whichever variety you like.
Beverage Pairing
By: Olivia
The beauty of this fall risotto and pairing it with wine is how many different places you can take your pairing. If you want to embrace the buttery quality of the squash, you could open up an oak-aged Chardonnay that will mirror that quality. If you’d rather highlight the creaminess of the risotto, try a beautiful white Bordeaux that offers a similar mouthfeel. You could even highlight the herbal aromatics by selecting an aromatic wine like Viognier from the Rhône Valley or Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. Finally, if you’re interested in skin contact white wine aka orange wine, its nutty and honeyed notes would play really well with the nutty character of the squash. See my point? There are a lot of great options!
