Simple Squash Risotto Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Break down the squash. Cut the stem end off the squash, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from one half. Reserve the other half for another use. Slice the squash lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick, then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Cook the squash. Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a simmer. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes. Use a wooden spoon to partially mash the squash, pressing it against the side of the pan.
• Make the risotto. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Add a ladleful of hot stock to the rice and cook, stirring, until absorbed. (Don't add too much stock at once, and make sure it is hot; otherwise, it will stop the cooking process.) Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding more.
• About halfway through, add more salt and pepper to taste. The entire cooking process takes about 20 minutes; start tasting for doneness after about 15 minutes. If you've used all of the stock and the rice is not yet al dente, heat a few cups of water and add ladlefuls as you did with the stock until the dish is done. The risotto is done when you can drag the spoon through the center of the pan and make a clean line in the rice for a few seconds. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
• Serve the risotto. Transfer to serving bowls or a platter and top with Parmesan and parsley. Never leave finished risotto in the pan-it will keep cooking into a mush.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until edges soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add rice; stir to coat. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total.
• Stir in Parmesan, sage, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve immediately, garnished with more Parmesan and sage, if desired.

SIMPLE SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel the squash and separate the bulbous seed-bearing section from the slender end. Chop the slender end into 2cm cubes, toss in half the oil, season lightly and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and soft in the centre, about 30 mins. Cut the bulb in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon - you can keep these to toast in the oven and sprinkle over salads. Chop the flesh into 2cm pieces. Warm the vegetable stock in a small pan, set over a low heat. Drop in squash and leave to gently poach.
• While the squash is roasting, warm a medium-size frying pan over a gentle heat. Add the remaining olive oil and half the butter, followed by the onion. Cover and cook for 3 mins until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the celery, garlic, herbs and a few turns of pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover again and cook for a further 2 mins. Increase the heat slightly and stir in the rice. Stir, uncovered, for about 5 mins - this will help to develop the toasty aroma of the rice without burning the veg.
• Turn up the heat, stir in the wine and let it bubble away to almost nothing. Reduce the heat and start adding the stock. Add one ladle at a time, stirring gently but constantly during each addition. The idea is to encourage the rice to absorb the liquid and soften, but also give up its starch to thicken the remaining broth. Don't stir too aggressively or you will end up with a pan of mush. When the stock has been absorbed, it's time to add the next ladleful and so on. It will take about 15 mins to reach the final ladle of stock. By this time the squash in the stock should have softened. Mash it up with the remaining stock and stir into the risotto.
• Turn off the heat, dot the top of the risotto with remaining butter and most of the Parmesan, cover, leave to rest for 2 mins, then stir through and check the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the roasted squash and leftover Parmesan on top. Serve with crusty bread and Sautéed spinach (below).

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place squash cubes into a steamer basket in a saucepan. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow to steam until the squash is tender (10 to 15 minutes), then drain, and mash in a bowl with a fork.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir for 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking and stirring until the rice is glossy from the butter, and the onion begins to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes more.
• Pour in the white wine; cook, stirring constantly, until it has evaporated. Stir in the mashed squash and 1/3 of the hot chicken stock; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until the chicken stock has been absorbed by the rice, 5 to 7 minutes. Add half of the remaining chicken stock, and continue stirring until it has been absorbed. Finally, pour in the remaining stock, and continue stirring until the risotto is creamy. Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

WINTER SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut squash into medium size pieces, scrape out seeds and stringy flesh and discard. Steam cleaned pieces of squash for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Remove skin and mash smooth. Place stock in a saucepan and heat until simmering. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, fry bacon piece until crisp. Remove bacon, leaving grease in the pan. Crumble bacon for use as a garnish and set aside. Add oil and shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 5 minutes over moderately high heat. Stir slowly but constantly. This will "toast" the rice and start to turn it slightly golden and feel loose and dry. You should start to hear the rice "click." Add the wine all at once to the rice and cook over fairly high heat to boil it down. When the rice is almost dry, stir in 1 cup of stock and mashed squash. Simmer until the sock is absorbed. Continue adding stock 1 cup at a time and stirring until rice becomes creamy while the grains remain separate and firm, but not hard in the center of the grain. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and rosemary and stir. Stir in the butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Place in individual serving bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese, crumbled bacon and a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy! Yield: 4 to 6 main course servings
• Hints for success: The pot must be heavy on the bottom to keep the temperature even during the cooking process. Arborio is a short grained rice. It is very starchy, which is necessary to produce the desired result of a creamy risotto. Look for a fat opaque center in the rice, known as "LaPerla," this indicates a good starch content. Wine is the first liquid to be added to the rice. The first liquid will be absorbed totally and the acid in the wine balances the starch and adds flavor.
• Toasting the rice seals in the flavor. There should be about 3 times the amount of stock as rice. Make sure the stock is very hot. The stock is added slowly to the rice and releases the starch gradually, creating a creamy texture. Constant stirring is needed to produce the best results

SIMPLE BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375. Cut the neck off the squash, then split both the neck and body in half. Remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Spread with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place cut side down into a baking dish and bake 45 minutes or until the flesh can be pierced by a fork.
• Allow to cool, then scoop out the flesh. You can mash the flesh for a heartier (but still creamy) texture, or puree it in a food processor.
• Place the chicken stock in a saucepan and warm.
• Heat a 3-4 quart saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add rice and stir. Add warmed stock one ladle full at a time, stirring continuously after each addition until all liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock until you have used it all and the rice is soft. Add the squash and stir until heated through.
• Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper. Top with chopped fresh parsley or Parmesan cheese, if desired.

ACORN SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place acorn squash cut-side down on a large microwave-safe plate. Cook in the microwave until very soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool until easily handled, about 5 minutes.
• Peel squash, discarding skin. Combine squash flesh, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary in a bowl; mash to combine.
• Pour vegetable broth into a saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice until coated with butter. Pour in wine, stirring until reduced, about 3 minutes.
• Ladle 1/3 of the vegetable broth into the pot; cook and stir until absorbed. Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly, until rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
• Stir fontina cheese and Parmesan cheese into the rice until melted. Add mashed squash and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir until butter is melted and squash is heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add the diced squash and blanch 5 minutes. Transfer squash to ice water, drain and refrigerate.
• In a large, heavy skillet over low heat, warm olive oil and add onions. Saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes; do not brown. Add rice, stir and saute 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt and white pepper. Stir slowly with a wooden spoon. After the wine has been absorbed, add 1 cup chicken stock. Stir gently until the stock has been absorbed. Remove pan from heat.
• Brush a baking sheet with oil, and quickly spread the risotto on the sheet in an even layer. Cover with waxed paper, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
• To serve, remove the risotto from the refrigerator 20 minutes before finishing the dish. In a medium saucepan, combine the squash with 1 tablespoon butter, and reheat gently. In a small saucepan, bring the 2 remaining cups of chicken stock to a simmer. Place a large saute pan or skillet over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter. Add risotto, and stir to loosen the grains. Add 1 cup chicken stock, and stir until entirely absorbed. Add the remaining cup of stock, and repeat.
• When the risotto is chewy yet fully cooked, add the hot squash. Gently toss to combine, and then add the 2 remaining tablespoons butter, Parmesan cheese and cream. Stir, add the sage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Boil the squash in a pot. You can also steam it.
• Heat the water in a pot and maintain it just below a boil.
• Warm a third pot to medium (last pot, I promise) and add the oil and onion. Coat the onion in oil and cook it until it is translucent, but not browned.
• If using dried thyme, add it now. Otherwise, the fresh thyme can wait until the very end of this whole process. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil. Pour in the wine and stir until it is all absorbed. Add 2 tsp sea salt. Add the heated water to the rice ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
• Use all 3 cups of water for a very creamy risotto, or only 2-2½ cups for a sticky risotto.
• When all the liquid is absorbed, the rice should be soft, but only just cooked (al dente). Then you can stir in the squash.
• Garnish your squash risotto recipe with cracked black pepper and optionally roasted pumpkin seeds for the best meal ever.

SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat half the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
• Add the squash, vegetables and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, to soften slightly.
• Add the rice, stir then add half the hot stock and stir occasionally. When all the liquid has been absorbed, gradually add the remaining stock, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender yet saucy; about 20 minutes.
• Whizz the hazelnuts in a processor until finely ground.
• Heat the remaining butter in another pan and add the ground hazelnuts. Fry for a few minutes to brown, then stir into the risotto. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH "RISOTTO" RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Place an oven rack at the bottom of the oven and another at the top. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large oven-safe pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until starting to brown.
• Add the garlic and rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
• Add the rice and 4 cups (960 ml) of vegetable broth, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover.
• Place the risotto on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 70 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. (It will appear dry, but you'll be adding moisture back later in the recipe.)
• Add the butternut squash to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
• Place the squash on the top rack of the oven, above the risotto. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the edges of the squash begin to brown and caramelize.
• Make the fried sage garnish, if using: In a small pot or pan over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil for the sage leaves to sit in. Once hot, carefully place a few leaves into the oil with tongs. Fry for 10-20 seconds, until the leaves are crispy but not browned.
• Carefully remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.
• Remove the risotto from the oven. Add the remaining vegetable broth, the Parmesan, and butter. Stir until creamy. (The liquid will absorb into the rice as you stir).
• Add the butternut squash and stir to incorporate.
• Serve immediately with fried sage for garnish.
• Enjoy!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH OVEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Place squash in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast on a lower oven rack 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring broth and water to a simmer; keep hot. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until tender. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until rice is coated., Stir in beer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cook and stir until beer is absorbed. Stir in 4 cups hot broth mixture. Place Dutch oven on an oven rack above squash; bake, covered, 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender but firm to the bite, risotto is creamy and liquid is almost absorbed., Remove Dutch oven from oven. Add butter, chili powder, nutmeg and remaining broth mixture. Stir vigorously until blended and liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in roasted squash and cheese. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH ROASTED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread on the baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan or a wide saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add one third of the squash, the garlic, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and the garlic fragrant, about 1 minute, and add the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock, enough to just cover the rice and squash. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add the sage and another ladleful of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked al dente. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Add the remaining roasted squash and another 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and immediately remove from the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste one last time and adjust salt. The rice should be creamy. Serve at once.