Description
This Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto is not only a delight to the eye with its vivid colors of orange and green, but oh what an incredibly smooth and sage-y autumnal flavor it possesses as well! A truly visually magnificent and heavenly flavored risotto! Mangia mia amici!
Ingredients
Units
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- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cups Italian arborio rice
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
- 2 – 4 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes and roasted
- 1/4 cup chopped, fresh sage
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Regiano cheese (Parmesan)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese (optional, but it really tastes better with this)
- salt and white pepper to taste
- Garnish: Chopped, fresh sage, chives, or Italian parsley
Instructions
- On low-medium heat, heat the butter and olive oil together.
- Saute’ onions for about 5 minutes.
- Add and saute’ garlic for about another 5 minutes.
- Place butternut squash cubes on a large baking pan with ‘sides’ so that the cubes don’t fall off the pan.
- Drizzle olive oil all over squash cubes to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle the chopped sage all over the oil-covered squash cubes to evenly coat.
- Roast in a 450 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes.
- Increase the oven heat to “broil” and roast for another 5 – 10 minutes, keeping a close eye on the squash to prevent it from burning.
- If the squash is not dark enough or roasted enough for your preferences, continue to roast until desired. I like to roast vegetables until a dark char appears on the edges of the vegetables.
- Remove squash from the oven and set aside to continue preparing the risotto.
- Add arborio rice to the sauteed onions and garlic; stir thoroughly.
- Begin to add the HOT broth, one cup at a time; stirring the mixture until the liquid is fully absorbed.
- Add another cup of broth, stirring until liquid is absorbed; continue this process, stirring constantly, until all broth is absorbed into the rice.
- The rice will bemuse more creamy as you continue to stir.
- Add the wine, stir until absorbed completely.
- Add the cheese(s) and stir until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Add the cream and stir until creamy.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- TASTE, TASTE, TASTE and add any more of the ingredients that you prefer: more sage? more cheese? more cream? Add whatever your taste preferences desire!
- Garnish: More roasted butternut squash cubes, chopped sage, chives, or Italian parsley.