Easy Butternut Squash Risotto

The Butternut Squash

While I say that I love all winter squashes equally, my true favorite is butternut squash. If you don’t believe me just search ‘butternut squash’ in my recipes! You’ll see a number of different recipes utilizing the sweet squash. This recipe is by far my favorite way to cook butternut squash.

As this risotto is based around the squash, we first need to discuss the preparation. Butternut squash has a beautiful flavor profile. While not quite as sweet as delicate squash or as nutty as acorn squash, it has the perfect balance of the two. As this squash has a naturally nutty aroma, I like to keep the preparation and cooking process as simple as possible. This allows those natural flavors to really shine through!

First, start by slicing your butternut squash in half, length-wise. If you have trouble getting the knife all the way through, I would recommend the microwave method. Simply, poke holes as deep as possible down the sides that you wish to cut through. Then, microwave the squash for about three minutes. The holes will allow the squash to slightly steam, making it easier to cut. Once cut, remove any seeds and use a vegetable peeler to discard the skin. The skin is edible, but we will be pureeing the squash and don’t need the thickness of the skin in the puree.

Next, dice the clean butternut squash into bite-size cubes. Add them to a bowl with a touch of olive oil, maple syrup, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss the squash to evenly coat each cube before spreading over a prepared baking sheet. Bake the squash at 350 degrees for roughly 30 minutes. Once cooked, immediately add the cooked veggie to a food processor. You want to do this while it’s still hot because the steam will be trapped in the processor and help it puree more smoothly. Pulse on high for a max of two minutes before setting to the side.

How to Make the Perfect Risotto

If you’ve checked out my blog before, then you know how I feel about risottos. And if you haven’t, then let’s just say obsessed is an understatement. Risotto is one of my favorite dishes to make! Not only is it inherently gluten-free but it’s also so easy to customize and utilize throughout every season. Arborio rice is the perfect vessel to deliver a decadent dish. All it takes is time, patience and more time.

All good risottos start with the base. The typical base includes: butter/ olive oil, shallots, garlic and wine. First, start by adding a few tablespoons of unsalted butter to a Dutch oven. Melt the butter over medium-low heat before adding your shallot. While you can use a sweet onion, I prefer shallots in risotto recipes as they have the same aroma without the punch that onions tend to pack. Sauté the minced shallot in the melted butter for two minutes before adding the diced garlic. This step is important because if you add the garlic with the shallot, it’ll burn. Add the garlic with three sage leaves and cook down for another two minutes. Sage leaves are such a great addition during autumn! Their nutty aroma pairs beautifully with butternut squash; plus, a little goes a long ways.

Next up is the wine. All you need is one fourth cup of a dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Deglazing the pan essentially removes any “burnt bits” and imparts so much delicious flavor! Once you add the wine, it should be a light brown color. Stir over low heat for two minutes, then remove the sage leaves and add the arborio rice. Toast the rice for a few minutes until all liquid has been absorbed. Now, this next step is the most important part when it comes to making the perfect risotto…

When you add the vegetable broth to the risotto, make sure you only add a half cup at a time and the broth must be warm! It doesn’t need to scolding- simply warm it up by setting it in the microwave for thirty seconds. I know it’ll seem tedious to add a half cup of a time, but I promise it’ll pay off. Going slow and steady with risotto is key; as is stirring continuously. From the moment you add the broth, you need to continue to stir. This will allow the rice to best absorb the liquid. Repeat this process for three and a half cups of vegetable broth. And remember to be patient!

Putting It All Together

Now that the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is fluffy, it’s time to add the butternut squash puree! Use a spatula to pour the puree into the risotto rice. Slowly fold in the puree and watch the risotto turn from a golden brown to a vibrant orange! Continue to stir in the butternut squash into the risotto rice until completely smooth. Then, remove the risotto from heat and stir in the grated parmesan cheese and pepper.

The final piece to this recipe is the mushrooms sautéed in a butter-wine sauce. If you’re not a mushroom lover, you can forgo or add pancetta instead. That being said, I highly recommend adding these mushrooms. Their umami flavor brings the whole recipe together. And if you don’t like mushrooms, I promise that there are few things that a butter-wine sauce can’t fix.

Have you ever heard of Shimeji mushrooms? Well, up until I was researching & recipe testing for this dish- neither had I! They’re not a common type of mushrooms you typically see at the grocery store like button, cremini, or even oyster mushrooms. But they are there! Shimeji mushrooms have a high concentration of amino acids; which, gives them their signature umami flavor. Umami is one of the five “basic” tastes and is characteristics of broths, cooked meats, and mushrooms. It’s associated most often with Asian cooking and can best be described as “savory”. The Shimeji mushrooms have an umami flavor that is both savory and nutty. This flavor profile pairs beautifully with our butternut squash risotto!

Finishing the Dish

So, how do you prepare these mushrooms? Unlike some mushrooms, they require little cleaning beyond washing and patting dry with a paper towel. Add a few tablespoons of butter to a large pan and allow it to melt over medium heat. One of the most important aspects when it comes to cooking mushrooms is making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan when cooking. Even if you think your pan is too big, use that instead of a smaller pan that will overcrowd the mushrooms.

Once the butter is melted, add the Shimeji mushrooms and cook over medium heat for about five minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with a bit of a dry white wine. Like the risotto, this will allow you to scrap off the “burnt bits” from the pan. But remember, don’t discard of them as they are full of flavor! As the wine cooks down, season the mushrooms with dried thyme, pepper and salt. Much like the butternut squash, we aren’t going to season the mushrooms too much as we want that natural umami flavor to be present.

These mushrooms take less than ten minutes to cook. They don’t need to be completely wilted because a little crunch will add texture to the risotto. Cook the mushrooms until they have slightly wilted and browned. Then, remove from heat and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Parsley, butter, and wine is the ultimate pairing! Finally, serve these mushrooms over the butternut squash risotto and enjoy!