This warm and hearty parmesan risotto recipe has a cheesy white wine base and gets an added bit of creaminess and flavor from a roasted butternut squash puree.
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Ahhh, risotto. One of the most comforting comfort foods on the planet. Warm, hearty, creamy, cheese-y – and now, butternut squash-y! I’m into it.
The addition of squash and sage to this risotto give it the most wonderful subtle earthy flavor, and the squash pureé lends extra creaminess to an already delicious dish. It’s safe to say I’m more than a little bit obsessed. We all know I’m a fan of trashed-up risotto, and this is DEFINITELY my new favorite.
I had butternut squash on hand, but you could easily substitute pumpkin purée for another fun twist on classic risotto. I loved the sage here as well, but next time I’m tempted to try fresh thyme or rosemary to mix it up a bit. Whatever spin you put on it, you’ll love the warm, winter flavors and the bright, cheery color it brings to the table.
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large clove garlic, diced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped sage, plus extra for garnish
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine (I used a chardonnay)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash purée (follow the same directions for my How to Roast a Pumpkin Tutorial)
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large, deep pot or saucepan (like this one) heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and garlic to oil and sauté until onion is translucent, about two minutes.
- Add sage, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add arborio rice and toast for two or three minutes until the edges of the rice start to look translucent.
- Add white wine to pan and stir to incorporate. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup stock and cook, stirring frequently, until rice has absorbed all stock. Repeat this process, adding 1 cup of stock at a time and letting the rice absorb it in between each addition, until rice is al dente. Taste the rice in between each addition of stock to see if it needs more; the final product should have a slight bite to it and not be mushy, and the rice and stock will have formed a thick, starchy broth.
- Stir butternut squash purée into risotto.
- Add unsalted butter and parmesan cheese to risotto. Stir until butter and cheese have melted completely and all ingredients are incorporated. Taste and add seasoning as necessary.
- Top risotto with extra fresh sage for garnish and serve immediately.
I did not have any parmesean so I used cream cheese. It honestly would have been pretty good even without cheese! This recipe did not disappoint and I will definitely be making it again. I’m thinking this is my new go to potluck dish.
★★★★★
Hey Bonnie, it’s so good – thank you!
This was delectable!! Very similar to what I just had at a fancy pants restaurant. I think I’ll tone down the wine a bit next time, perhaps add more stock. Served with seared scallops. Yum!
I’m so glad you liked it, Annette! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out (and I LOVE the idea of serving it with scallops! Yum!)
Did you pair this risotto recipe with anything else? If not, any suggestions?
I added pumpkin sausage to make it a entree. DELICIOUS
Oooooh that sounds amazing! Love it! So happy you liked the recipe!
Just made it and so good. Wasn’t feeling the sage so i subbed tarragon. Unfortunatly i did over salt, but the flavours are amazing. Also I never have white wine so I tend to add white wine vinegar to my ridottos, but only a tablespoon. The 4 year old loves it and I will be making this again!
I’m so happy you liked it! Love the idea of adding tarragon. Thanks for letting me know how it turned out!