This creamy and comforting butternut squash risotto is an easy, restaurant-quality dish you can make at home. Inspired by Martha Stewart, it’s rich, velvety, and packed with flavor. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this risotto is flexible—swap in vegetable stock for a vegetarian version or add crispy pancetta for extra depth!
Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch chunks
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 box (32 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken stock, heated
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish
How To Make Butternut Squash Risotto?
- Cook the squash: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the butternut squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the edges start to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Toast the rice and deglaze with wine: Stir in the Arborio rice, ensuring it’s well coated with butter and squash. Pour in the white wine and cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the stock: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 120ml / ½ cup of hot stock at a time, stirring continuously until the liquid is almost fully absorbed before adding the next portion. Repeat this process until the rice is creamy and tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Finish with cheese and herbs: Stir in the grated Parmesan and chopped fresh sage, adjusting seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and let it sit for a minute or two.
- Serve and garnish: Spoon into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and sage, and enjoy warm!
Recipe Tips:
- Use hot stock for the best texture: Always keep the stock warm while cooking. Adding cold stock slows the cooking process and makes the risotto less creamy.
- Stir often but not too much: Stir frequently to release the rice’s starch for creaminess, but don’t overdo it, or the risotto will turn gluey.
- Cut squash evenly for even cooking: Chop the butternut squash into equal-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate and blend perfectly into the risotto.
- Add cheese off the heat: Stir in Parmesan after removing the pan from heat. This prevents the cheese from becoming stringy or clumping together.
- Taste and season at the end: The stock and Parmesan add saltiness, so always taste before adding extra salt to avoid an overly salty risotto.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover butternut squash risotto cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Place the risotto in a pan over low heat. Add a splash of stock or water and stir continuously for 3–5 minutes until it becomes creamy and fully heated.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 350
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Cholesterol: 21mg
- Sodium: 979mg
- Potassium: 300mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 57g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 3g
- Protein: 7g
Check out More Recipes:
Martha Stewart Butternut Squash Risotto
Description
This creamy and comforting butternut squash risotto is an easy, restaurant-quality dish you can make at home. Inspired by Martha Stewart, it’s rich, velvety, and packed with flavor. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this risotto is flexible—swap in vegetable stock for a vegetarian version or add crispy pancetta for extra depth!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook the squash: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the butternut squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the edges start to soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Toast the rice and deglaze with wine: Stir in the Arborio rice, ensuring it’s well coated with butter and squash. Pour in the white wine and cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the stock: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 120ml / ½ cup of hot stock at a time, stirring continuously until the liquid is almost fully absorbed before adding the next portion. Repeat this process until the rice is creamy and tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Finish with cheese and herbs: Stir in the grated Parmesan and chopped fresh sage, adjusting seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and let it sit for a minute or two.
- Serve and garnish: Spoon into bowls, garnish with extra Parmesan and sage, and enjoy warm!
Notes
- Use hot stock for the best texture: Always keep the stock warm while cooking. Adding cold stock slows the cooking process and makes the risotto less creamy.
- Stir often but not too much: Stir frequently to release the rice’s starch for creaminess, but don’t overdo it, or the risotto will turn gluey.
- Cut squash evenly for even cooking: Chop the butternut squash into equal-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate and blend perfectly into the risotto.
- Add cheese off the heat: Stir in Parmesan after removing the pan from heat. This prevents the cheese from becoming stringy or clumping together.
- Taste and season at the end: The stock and Parmesan add saltiness, so always taste before adding extra salt to avoid an overly salty risotto.
Martha Stewart Butternut Squash Risotto