Butternut Squash Risotto
This risotto has me all sorts of happy. Its velvety and creamy, its filling and satisfying, it’s oh so decadent. Risotto in itself is rich and delicious, but this combination is a little sweet from the roasted squash and a little bit salty from the pancetta. Adding pine nuts at the end add a toasty flavor and a little crunch.
I’m always sad to see spring and summer go each year taking so much good fresh produce with them. But I’m quickly reminded of recipes like this that use winter root vegetables and I’m quick to get in the spirit of winter hibernation.
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Serves 3-4.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butternut squash, cubed
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts
- 1/4 cup pancetta, cubed
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine (room temperature)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 ounces havarti cheese or fontina cheese
- Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Cut and peel the butternut squash. Cut the squash into 1/2 inch cubes for 1 cup (roughly – they don’t have to be perfect cubes). (If you don’t know how to cut that squash…head to YouTube and there are helpful videos.)
- Drizzle the squash with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spread the squash in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes.
- While the squash roasts, heat a large stainless steel skillet. Add 1/4 cup of cubed pancetta to the skillet. (There should be enough grease in the pancetta to prevent it from sticking, but if not, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook for about 4-5 minutes until the pancetta is crispy and cooked through. Remove it from the heat and place on a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
- Return the skillet to the heat and add 2 Tbsp of pine nuts. Toast over medium low heat until the pine nuts start to turn brown, about 3 minutes. Be careful to not burn the nuts. Remove them and set aside.
- Add 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock to a saucepan. Heat until the stock becomes warm then keep on low heat.
- Peel and dice 1 onion and mince 2-3 cloves of garlic.
- In the same stainless steel skillet melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of rice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of white wine and stir until it is absorbed. (You want the wine to be room temperature so it doesn’t reduce the temperature of your skillet.)
- Keep the skillet on a low to medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and stir using a wooden spoon or spatula. I prefer to stir from the outside of the pan folding the rice in on itself as I circle the pan. This way you cover the entire pan and ensure the rice is not sticking.
- When the liquid is almost fully absorbed, add an additional 1/2 cup of stock. Continue stirring the entire time.
- Continue adding all of the stock in batches. You want the rice to start to puff and be a consistent color through the entire grain. It takes about 35-40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to add all of the liquid at once. Taste a grain of rice if you think it’s done. If there is still a crunch – keep adding liquid.
- When the rice looks done or just about done, stir in the Havarti cheese (or other soft cheese).
- Add the roasted squash, pancetta, and pine nuts. Stir gently so the squash doesn’t become mashed into the risotto.
- Serve immediately.
Using this risotto as a base you can incorporate various ingredients in place of the squash and pancetta. Stir in fresh spinach or roasted tomatoes to lighten the dish. Or, add a mix of roasted mushrooms. Try different types of cheese to bring out different flavors. Soft cheeses work best because they melt into the rice adding a creaminess.
The pancetta adds a nice salty balance to the creamy rice. If you want to make it vegetarian you can skip it, but you may need to add an additional pinch of salt.
Use the Extra Ingredients
Add the extra pancetta to scrambled eggs or any pasta dishes for an extra salty, crunchy flavor.
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