Butternut Risotto with Apples and Parmesan

Name: Butternut Risotto with Apples and Parmesan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 cups butternut squash cut in ½" dice (or other hard squash variety.); 2 shallots (minced); 1 medium apple (peeled, seeded, diced); ¾ cup arborio rice; 3-4 cups vegetable stock (or low-sodium chicken stock); 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (divided, finely grated); ¾ teaspoon dried sage (crumbled); 2 teaspoons vermouth (optional); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped (optional))

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Inside: Learn the secret to making creamy fall risotto in one pot (no oven required) that tastes restaurant–quality, as well as serving suggestions.

This creamy butternut risotto needs just a few ingredients and comes together in 30 minutes, making it a perfect butternut squash side dish for fall. Diced apples, dried sage, parmesan cheese, and a hint of dry vermouth give this fall risotto a real depth of flavor your family will love.

I make this fall risotto at least a few times each season. I love the sweet squash paired with apples and Parmigiano Reggiano. We often serve it with Herb Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy, Brined Smoked Pork Loin and Eye of Round Roast, but it goes with many other mains.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

It’s all natural, no flavor-packets, food dyes or anything artificial.
The recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
Even squash haters love this butternut squash risotto.
You can use any type of wintry yellow squash, from butternut, to acorn, honeynut to sugar pumpkin.
It’s soft and creamy with an elevated finish, thanks to a splash of dry vermouth (which you can skip, if you don’t have it).

Ingredients for butternut squash risotto:

Olive Oil–use an everyday oil. You don’t need to break out your fancy extra virgin olive oil; it’s for sauteing the butternut squash.
Butter–you don’t need a lot, but the extra richness of a pat of butter will coat the squash and veg with that velvety texture and flavor.
Butternut Squash–or another type of fall or winter squash, such as acorn, honeynut, delicata squash or sugar pumpkin. Dice it into even ½” cubes for even cooking.
Shallots–a cross between garlic and onions, the sharp flavor of these alliums softens when they’re cooked, becoming sweeter. This is the aromatic layer of the fall risotto.
Apple–you can use any type of apple you like, but look for one that doesn’t break down readily when cooking. I like Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala and Honeycrisp. McIntosh are too soft and will break down in the butternut risotto as it cooks.
Arborio or Carnaroli Rice–you can use either starchy, short-grain rice to make squash risotto. Arborio is more commonly stocked in American grocery stores.
Vegetable Stock–or low-sodium chicken broth.
Parmigiano Reggiano–be sure to use the real thing. You can tell by looking at the rind, which spells out “Parmigiano Reggiano” in telltale dots. If you don’t see them, it’s not D.O.P.
Dried Sage–crumble it between your fingers before adding it to the pot; this helps activate the aromas and flavor of the herb.
Dry Vermouth–a fortified wine with a botanical flavor. Do not substitute sweet vermouth in this recipe.
Kosher Salt–or sea salt.
Black Pepper–freshly ground will give you the best flavor.
Parsley–optional, but adds a nice pop of color for garnish.

Step-by-step instructions:

Heat the stock over medium heat in a saucepan and keep it at a low simmer so it is hot. k
Saute the butternut squash over medium heat in the butter and oil for 5-6 minutes or until slightly softened.
Add the shallots and apples to the pot and stir, cooking for one minute.
Add the rice and stir to combine.
Stir in about 1 cup of the hot broth and stir constantly for 5-6 minutes or until the liquid is nearly evaporated.
Add more broth about ½ cup at a time, stirring regularly. Don’t add more stock until the previous addition has been mostly absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes of adding the broth, stirring and simmering before the rice is tender.
Stir in the sage, salt and pepper after the rice has been cooking for about 10minutes and continue to add stock and stir.
Remove the butternut risotto from the heat and add the grated parmesan cheese and vermouth, if using. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
Transfer the risotto to a serving dish and sprinkle with fresh parsley to serve.

Pro-Tips:

Before starting the risotto, It’s important to have all the components prepped. You’ll also want to have your hot broth at the ready, too.
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or small Dutch oven to cook the risotto. You want a pot that conducts heat evenly without hot spots.
Arborio and Carnaroli rice are shorter, more oval-shaped grains than regular rice. Either is suitable for making an authentic risotto, but home cooks lean towards Arborio, while restaurant chefs prefer Carnaroli. Marcella Hazan, Godmother of Italian cuisine, says, “Carnaroli is the best rice for risotto … Carnaroli doesn’t go from undercooked to overcooked in a second; it is starchy — and it has more finesse than arborio.”
Real Italian parmesan cheese has black dot markings on the rind that spell Parmigiano Reggiano.
Another thing to look for is little whitish blooms within the cheese—amino acid crystals that form with aging. This is completely natural and actually adds a snappy little crunch to the cheese.

Swaps and Variations:

For a different herb flavor, substitute dried sage for a teaspoon of freshly minced rosemary or thyme.
For a vegan butternut risotto, use vegetable broth and swap the parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast, but don’t add the full amount; you won’t need as much. Start with ¼ cup of nutritional yeast and taste until the flavor is right for you.
If you use chicken stock, I recommend using a low-sodium variety; otherwise, it can easily become oversalted.
Add dry white wine or sherry if you don’t have vermouth.

FAQs

How do restaurants make risotto so creamy?

They use Carnaroli rice, which keeps its firmness even after it is cooked, and readily absorbs flavors. Butter, salt and cheese help too.

What is the secret to good risotto?

Patience. You can’t rush risotto. Adding hot stock to the pot a little at a time and constant, slow stirring releases the starches in the grains and gives risotto it’s popular creamy texture. With many home kitchens as the central gathering spot, I sip wine and talk to my guests as I attend this butternut squash side dish. It’s easy.

Make Ahead:

Butternut squash risotto should be made at the last minute for the best flavor. However, you can dice the squash and shallots a few days ahead and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Storage:

Store leftover arborio rice risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Reheating:

To reheat the rice to its former creamy glory, I recommend heating it in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and adding additional hot stock, a few tablespoons at a time, until the rice is hot.

Adding extra parmesan cheese to the squash risotto platter.

You’ll enjoy this butternut squash risotto recipe all fall and winter because it’s simple, delicious and pairs with so many things.

What to serve with butternut risotto?

Serving squash apple risotto with a sprinkle of parsley.

More rice side dishes you’ll love:

Serving squash risotto with extra parmesan cheese.

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