Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage (Risotto alla Zucca)
Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage is a classic autumn dish and the ultimate comfort food to serve this fall and winter! An Italian savory dish, this Butternut Squash Risotto is made in one skillet. It’s creamy, delicious, and a real treat! Easy enough to make after a long day at work, and impressive enough to serve guests!
Butternut Squash Risotto…
- Rich and creamy rice with chunks of butternut squash.
- Along with the savory flavors of grated Parmigiano cheese and the aromatic flavor of fresh sage.
- A few fresh ingredients are all you need to make this risotto an outstanding dish to serve for family or guests.
- This is a One-Skillet dish you can whip up in less than 30 minutes!
Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage makes a hearty and filling dish, enough to serve as the main meal.
What kind of rice do we need for our Butternut Squash Risotto?
- We prefer to use Italian imported Arborio rice for all our classic risotto dishes.
- It is Italian short-grain rice that is named after the town of Arborio, located in the Italian region of Piedmont.
- It comes in a variety of superfino rice, and it is high in amylopectin starch which is what gives risotto its creamy texture.
This butternut squash risotto is a real treat! Real comfort food at its BEST!!
Fresh sage and butternut squash really work well together and pair very nicely with creamy Arborio rice.
Before you serve, stir 2 tablespoons of butter into the mixture. It will give this dish the rich and creamier texture it deserves!
Serve it with extra grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
All you need to add is a green salad as a side and a glass of white wine like a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay to complete the dinner.
ENJOY!!
Here are a few Tips:
- Always look for pre-cut packages of butternut squash in your supermarket. It will save a lot of time in the prep work.
- If it come pre-cut? You may need to cut them again into smaller pieces about 1/2-inch thick.
- A small butternut squash usually yields 3 to 4 cups when diced, and if you prefer, you can freeze the remaining cups for future use in soups and stews.
- Can we use other herbs? If you don’t have any sage, you can use fresh basil and Italian parsley.
*Follow our step-by-step directions, or jump down to the bottom for our full recipe card.
Ingredients for Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage (Risotto alla Zucca):
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter – divided
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups butternut squash- peeled, seeded, and diced
- 3/4 cup onion – finely chopped
- 1+ 3/4 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth or water- simmering in a saucepot
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 Tbsp. fresh sage – finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley – finely chopped
Directions How to make Butternut Squash Risotto:
1. First, in a medium saucepan, pour the vegetable broth and heat on low heat.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté deep pan, or large deep skillet, heat add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add squash and chopped onion. Gently sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent, and the squash softens.
3. Add rice and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until rice browns slightly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer on low heat until the liquid evaporates.
4. Add 3 cups of the simmering broth to the rice. Raise the heat; bring to a boil. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, stirring often. As the rice absorbs the broth, you will need to add some more broth each time, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup each time.
5. Continue to cook the rice until tender to the bite. Cooking time is approximately 18 minutes. Be careful not to add too much broth at the end of the cooking time. The rice should be naturally creamy, but not swimming in broth.
6. Stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh sage. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and 2 tablespoons of butter. Serve with more grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
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Additional Delicious BUTTERNUT SQUASH Recipes…
- Healthy Butternut Squash Zucchini Soup
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Butternut Squash Ravioli
- Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Healthy Italian Butternut Sweet Potato Casserole
- Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Carrots with Olive Oil and Pancetta
If you love risotto recipes, you might also enjoy these!
- Best Creamy Lemon Risotto with Baby Peas
- Risotto con Funghi (Mushrooms)
- Creamy Asparagus Risotto
- Spring Risotto with Vegetables ( Risotto Primavera)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Butternut Squash Risotto with Cheese and Sage (Risotto alla Zucca)
Rich and creamy Arborio rice with chunks of butternut squash along with the savory mouth-filling flavor from grated Parmigiano cheese, and the aromatic flavor of fresh sage makes this an outstanding dish to serve on a chilly night. It’s comfort food at its BEST!
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter - divided
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups butternut squash- peeled, seeded, and diced
- 3/4 cup onion - finely chopped
- 1+ 3/4 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 5 to 6 cups vegetable broth- simmering
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 tsp. fresh sage- finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley - finely chopped
Instructions
- First, in a medium saucepan, pour the vegetable broth and heat on low heat.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté deep-pan, or large deep skillet, heat olive oil with 1 tablespoon of butter, over medium heat. Add squash and chopped onion. Gently sauté for about 3 to 4 minutes, until onion becomes translucent.
- Add rice and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until rice browns slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until liquid slightly evaporates, but not entirely.
- Add 3 cups of simmering vegetable broth to the rice. Raise the heat to bring to a low boil. Cook the rice for about 15 minutes, stirring often. As the rice absorbs the broth, you may add more broth in small batches, about 1/2 cup at a time. Continue to cook the rice until tender to the bite.
- Be careful not to add too much broth at the end of the cooking time. The rice should be naturally creamy, not swimming in broth.
- Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh sage. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Serve with more grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
- Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Notes
You can make this Risotto in your pressure cooker, and even in your Instant Pot. But you will still need to saute the vegetables before you add all the liquid to the pot.
I love risotto and make it quite often. This recipe with butternut squash sounds particularly delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for catching up on my recent blog entries! Your visits are always very much appreciated.
I had a problem leaving comments here lately as quite old recipes kept on turning up and I had already left a comment!
Thank you Sandra, I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
I love butternut squash but have never tried making risotto with it. I’ll bet it is delicious!
Yes Susan, I think you will love it with risotto! And so will your family! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
This looks incredible!! Can you make this using an instantpot??
Yes you can! Just follow the directions for risotto on your instant pot. You will need to saute the rice with olive oil, chopped onion and wine for a minute or so, and then toss in the cubed buttermut squash, sage and broth and close the lid and turn on your timer.
I make butternut squash risotto every fall! Such a hearty comfort food.
We do too!! It is the best comfort food! …. thanks Joanne
Risotto is one of my all time favorite eats. This looks yummy.
Some day I will have to make risotto. I don't know why this scares me! Ha ha – your risotto is beautiful!