If you find yourself craving a creamy, flavorful, heartwarming dinner, then this Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto is definitely for you! This risotto is made with roasted butternut squash, white wine, a sprinkle of sage and a surprising, yet delicious, twist of feta cheese. It is as cozy as it sounds.
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How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
Step 1: Roast the Squash
Our first order in making the butternut squash risotto is to roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 450F.
While the oven heats up, prepare the squash by cutting off both ends. Then cut the squash in half horizontally. Cut each half in half vertically to expose the seeds. Scoop out the seeds. Slice 1” thick pieces and then cube each piece. We generally dice these into even smaller pieces to speed up the baking time and to ensure nice crispy squash that we will fold into the risotto and garnish the risotto at the end.
The size of the squash will determine how much squash you yield, but in general you’ll have more than enough for the 6 cups required for this recipe. Alternately, you can buy pre-cubed butternut squash at most grocery stores. It’ll be located in the produce aisles. We like to use this when we’re in a hurry or just don’t feel like taking the time to carve up an entire butternut squash. About two 10-oz bags will yield the 6 cups you will need for this recipe.
You can freeze any leftover butternut squash for another use, like butternut squash ravioli or roasted carrot and butternut squash soup.
Transfer 3 cups of cubed squash to a medium mixing bowl. Coat with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Spread the squash out on a baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining 3 cups of squash using a second baking sheet. Cook the squash for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Put the squash to the side for now, allowing it to cool enough so that you can handle it easily.
Step 2: Cook the Orzo
In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic and cook several minutes until fragrant.
Add the orzo, white wine, and 1 cup of chicken broth. Cook covered for several minutes until the water begins to boil off. Reduce heat to a simmer.
Add chicken broth ½ cup at a time, as needed, until the orzo is tender. Make sure that you let the orzo absorb the broth before adding more to prevent overcooking. In general, it takes about a total of 20 minutes for the orzo to cook to the desired tenderness.
Also, stir the risotto frequently to prevent burning it on the bottom of the pan. I have definitely done this more than once and it’s rather annoying trying to hand pick out the blackened orzo grains!
Step 3: Puree the Butternut Squash & Finish the Risotto
Once your orzo is close to being done, add 3 cups of the roasted butternut squash and 2/3 cup of broth to a food processor or blender and blend about 2 minutes, or until a smooth puree forms.
Finally, combine the cooked orzo, pureed butternut squash, and sage and sprinkle back pepper. Stir well to incorporate and heat for 2 to 3 minutes over the stove.
Lastly, fold in the feta cheese. I choose to mix the feta into the risotto while it is over the stove top. My family prefers to add their feta individually on their own plate. You can do either!
I have found that about 1/3 cup of feta mixed in over the stovetop is the perfect proportion to add some extra depth of flavor and saltiness, without overwhelming the flavor of the butternut squash and white wine. Since the feta is fairly salty, I tend to wait to salt the risotto until this step that way I don’t oversalt the risotto.
Risotto Variations
I liked to switch up my butternut squash risotto from time to time. So, here are a few of my favorite changes:
- Make it Cozier: Add a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg for cozier and sweeter depth of flavor. I suggest no more than 1 tsp of cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg.
- Leafy Greens: Roast a few cups of diced kale in a skillet and mix in with the risotto to add some dark leafy greens. Don’t forget to massage the kale first! I prefer to use higher-heat avocado oil so I can cook my kale at a higher temperature and achieve the nice, crispy char.
- Veggie Lovers: Toss in more veggies. Risotto isn’t typically showcasing tons of veggies, but sometimes you just want that extra kick of veggie goodness. I recommend adding sliced mushrooms, peas, or roasted asparagus. These vegetables will give you the veggie boost without overpowering the butternut squash flavor.
Be sure to drop a comment and/or rating below and let us know what you think about this recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto.
If you want more butternut squash goodness, check out these yummy recipes!
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter
- Roasted Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup
- Refried Butternut Squash Tacos
- Apple Pecan Butternut Squash Boats
Need more squash recipe inspiration, look no further!
Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 6 c butternut squash, cubed, divided
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Butternut Squash Risotto
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 c orzo
- ⅔ c dry white wine
- 3 c low-sodium chicken broth, divided (may not need all)
- ⅓ c feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tsp dried sage leaves
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- salt, to taste
Instructions
Roasted Butternut Squash
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Prepare the squash. Cut off both ends of the squash. Cut the squash in half horizontally and then cut each half in half vertically to expose the seeds. Remove the seeds using a spoon. Cut the squash quarters into 1" thick sections and then 1" cubes. Alternately, you can use pre-cubed squash to save time.
- Toss the squash with 2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. You may need to divide the squash into two batches.
- Spread the squash out on two baking sheets to ensure even roasting. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
- Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.
Butternut Squash Risotto
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pan. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant.
- Add the orzo, ⅔ cup white wine, and 1 cup broth. Let cook covered for about 7 minutes. Once the liquid is absorbed, test the orzo. It should be tender. If it is not fully cooked, add broth ½ cup at a time. Let the liquid absorb and test again. Repeat until the orzo meets desired tenderness. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Once the orzo is close to being done, add about 3 cups of the cooked butternut squash and ⅔ cups of broth in a food processor or blender and blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth.
- Stir butternut squash puree, sage, and black pepper into the orzo. Stir well to incorporate. Let heat 2 to 3 minutes until warmed, stirring frequently.
- Add ⅓ cup of feta cheese. Stir to incorporate. Add salt, if desired, to taste. Stir in half of the remaining cooked squash, reserving the rest for topping. Let warm another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with remaining roasted squash, additional feta cheese, and/or a sprinkle of herbs, as desired.
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