Roasted Garlic And Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

Risotto is a classic Italian dish known for its creamy and rich texture, savory flavor, and somewhat intricate cooking method. You cook risotto by gradually adding hot liquid while stirring arborio rice constantly, and this slow-cooking method allows the rice to release its starches, creating a creamy consistency without the need for heavy cream. Parmesan cheese contributes to the savory aspect of risotto, resulting in a rice-based dish that doesn't really taste like rice at all.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for roasted garlic and butternut squash risotto and says, "Risotto can be made so many ways, but the combination of the sweet, nutty notes from the roasted garlic and the caramelized sweetness of the squash creates a comforting and satisfying dish." It does take a fair amount of time of active stirring to bring this dish together but the end result is worth the effort. So grab your favorite wooden spoon and let's get cooking!

To make this recipe, you'll need a head of garlic, butternut squash, shallot, and fresh sage from the produce department. "You can buy the squash whole and cut it up yourself, or opt for the precut version to save on time," Hahn remarks.

Then for the risotto you'll need some arborio rice, broth, butter, wine, and Parmesan cheese. "Arborio rice is a key ingredient for making risotto. It has a high starch content which creates a creamy consistency. Another long grain rice will work but you won't get the texture that risotto is known for," Hahn says. To finish things off you'll need some cooking basics — olive oil, salt, and pepper which you probably have in your pantry.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Cut off about ½ inch of the pointed end of the garlic head.

Brush it with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and salt lightly.

Loosely wrap in foil and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes and let it cool.

Add the squash to a large bowl.

Toss with the remaining olive oil and remaining salt.

Pour the squash onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are browning.

Pour the broth into a pot and warm up on medium heat, then lower it to a simmer.

Add the butter to a separate pot over medium heat.

Add the shallots and saute for about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to toast the rice for about 2 minutes.

Now add the wine and stir for 1 minute.

Keeping the heat on medium, add the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. It should take about 30-40 minutes to use up all of the broth.

When all of the broth has been absorbed, add the cooked squash, Parmesan, sage, remaining salt, and pepper.

Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the shell and stir into the mixture.

Serve the roasted garlic and butternut squash risotto.

There are a few ways to customize this delicious risotto. First off, you can easily make this recipe vegan or tweak it to suit your dietary needs. You'll want to make sure to use vegetable broth if you go the vegan route. "When buying vegetable broth I always look for the low-sodium choice because in most cases I am adding salt to the recipe anyway and I don't want the recipe overly salty," Hahn remarks. Then you'll want to substitute the butter and Parmesan with dairy-free versions. "You won't notice a difference in using these options," Hahn shares.

We're using wine in this recipe because it will add a bit of acidity to balance out the richness, but if you prefer to keep this dish alcohol-free, you can just replace the wine with more broth. If you want to include the wine, the marsala variety will add a nutty, caramelized flavor and white wine will add a sweeter, crisp flavor.

We've added fresh sage to this recipe which has a woodsy taste with a hint of pine and mint. If you're not a fan of that flavor you can go for fresh thyme or rosemary. "Dried varieties will work also but using fresh herbs adds a stronger punch of flavor," Hahn says.

Roasted garlic and butternut squash risotto is a rich and flavorful dish that pairs well with a variety of main entrees. It will go nicely with any type of protein like grilled or roasted chicken, miso salmon, steak, or even seared tofu. "You can go with something very simple because the risotto is rich and buttery with enough flavor for the entire meal," Hahn remarks.

If you plan on making this risotto part of your holiday menu, it will pair well with any classic fare like prime rib, turkey, mashed potatoes, soup, steamed vegetables, and salad. "The nice thing about making this for a holiday meal is you can make it the day before and just store it in the fridge so it's ready to heat up and join the other items on the table," Hahn shares.

Whether you prefer meat, seafood, or vegetarian options, there are many delicious choices that can harmonize with the flavors of roasted garlic and butternut squash risotto.