A truly easy risotto recipe! No standing over the pot stirring and stirring for this dish. This creamy Butternut Squash Risotto recipe is a delicious one pan dinner or side dish. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner or when entertaining family and friends.
A quick look at this recipe
- Recipe Name: Butternut Squash Risotto
- Ready In: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook time, 45 minutes total time
- Serves: 6
- Calories: 334 per serving
- Main Ingredients: Butternut squash, Arborio rice, chicken stock, green beans, parmesan cheese
- Difficulty: Medium
There is no need to be tied to the stove to make a perfect risotto. With a hands-on time of about 10 minutes followed by another 20 minute simmer, the end result is a creamy rice dish that is a snap to prepare.
The addition of butternut squash and green beans are delicious, colorful, and super flavorful.
The squash has a slightly sweet and nutty taste while the steamed crisp green beans add a bright green splash of color and fresh flavor. A combination of both Parmesan and blue cheeses give this easy risotto recipe a sharp and salty edge.
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Why I love this easy risotto recipe
I was never a fan of making risotto. The slow process of adding cupful by cupful of stock to Arborio rice and stirring constantly while it was almost absorbed seemed laborious to me.
Inevitably I either had the heat too high and the stock was absorbed too quickly. The result was a batch of crunchy, under cooked rice.
Or I had the heat too low. My risotto ended up being a pot of mush after all my stirring and stirring and stirring. When I discovered a no stir recipe, this lazy risotto became a favorite dish.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Reduced sodium chicken stock ~ For a vegetarian dish use reduced sodium vegetable stock.
- Salted butter ~ If using unsalted butter, salt to taste.
- Onion ~ Yellow or Vidalia onions are my first choice. Skip red onions. When sauteed, they can turn the risotto a purple hue.
- Butternut squash ~ Other hard squashes such as acorn, delicata or carnival are delicious substitutes.
- Fresh thyme ~ Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme in a pinch.
- Arborio rice
- Dry white wine ~ Chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are my favorites.
- Green beans ~ Try green peas too.
- Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt, black pepper ~ fresh ground is my choice. Do you have a pepper mill?
- Blue cheese ~ I also like Gorgonzola or Roquefort in this recipe. For a less pungent cheese, try feta.
What is Arborio rice?
Arborio rice, an Italian short-grain rice, is the superstar in the dish. With its high starch content, it is ideal for any risotto recipe. When cooked, the rice becomes slightly creamy, each grain slightly chewy and firm.
How to make green bean risotto with butternut squash
This easy risotto recipe is perfect for beginners as it needs little attention. It was one of my most popular fall dishes when I was the chef at a quaint gourmet café.
Heat the chicken stock and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables. Sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add in cubed butternut squash and fresh thyme. After a few more minutes of sautéing, stir in the Arborio rice and cook and toast for 2 minutes.
Add the liquids. Pour a few splashes of white wine into the sauté pan and cook until it evaporates.
Now for my favorite step in this easy recipe. Add all of the warm chicken stock all at once. Bring the risotto mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. There is no babysitting this risotto recipe.
Just stir once or twice while the rice soaks up the chicken stock, and the butternut squash cooks to a nutty, earthy deliciousness.
Stir in green beans and cheeses. Add steamed green beans, grated Parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese. Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Amy's top tips
- Chicken stock adds rich flavor to this easy rice recipe. To make a vegetarian dish, use vegetable stock.
- Cut the butternut squash in bite sized pieces to ensure that it cooks in the same amount time as the rice.
- Fresh thyme is my first choice, but dried thyme is an acceptable substitution.
How to reheat risotto
It's best to enjoy risotto as soon as it is prepared. But follow these steps and it will be delicious!
- For each cup of risotto, bring about ¼ cup of reduced sodium chicken stock to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low and add the risotto. Gently stir until the stock is absorbed and the rice is warmed through.
- Serve with additional Parmesan and blue cheeses.
One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 ¼ cups reduced sodium chicken stock or reduced sodium vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme divided
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 1 ½ cups green beans cut in 1-inch pieces and steamed
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- Bring stock to boil in large saucepan then turn off heat, cover and set aside.
- Melt the butter in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the butternut squash and 2 teaspoons of thyme and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. The squash should just begin to turn golden brown on the edges.
- Add the Arborio rice and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add wine and simmer until evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the warm stock all at once and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the risotto uncovered for 20 to 22 minutes. Stir once or twice. The rice will be just tender, and the risotto will be creamy. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let the risotto sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir the green beans and Parmesan cheese into the risotto. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the risotto with blue cheese and remaining 2 teaspoons of thyme and serve.
Video
Notes
- Chicken stock adds rich flavor to this easy risotto recipe. To make vegan or vegetarian risotto, use vegetable stock.
- Cut the butternut squash in bite sized pieces to ensure that it cooks in the same amount time as the rice.
- Fresh thyme is my first choice, but dried thyme is an acceptable substitution.
Nutrition
Melissa says
Made this tonight and loved it! Used frozen butternut squash and it turned out great. Also, no bleu cheese for me.
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe Melissa 🙂
Dennis says
My family loves risotto and the addition of the butternut squash made this their new favorite risotto!
Amy Casey says
I'm so glad your family enjoyed my recipe Dennis.
Veronika says
This is such an easy and delicious recipe! It's perfectly balanced and makes a simple meal look fancy!
Amy Casey says
Fancy enough for company!
Amanda Dixon says
This is such a great risotto! I love the sweetness of the butternut squash. It makes for such a great fall dinner.
Amy Casey says
Thanks Amanda!