Take advantage of the winter squash season by making a hearty butternut risotto. You can serve this veggie risotto as a main dish or a Thanksgiving side dish.

Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe With Sage

Butternut squash risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring butternut squash, a versatile winter squash. To make this version of risotto, roast the squash and add it to the rice as it is cooking. The addition of butternut squash gives the risotto a slight sweetness. Popular garnishes for butternut squash risotto include Parmesan cheese, fresh sage, and parsley.

[Risotto recipes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/risotto-recipes) traditionally call for <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe","linkCopy":"Arborio rice","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>Arborio rice</a>—a rounded, short-grain white rice with a high starch content—though you can substitute carnaroli rice or other grains for an oat or barley risotto. The key to risotto is the cooking method: Sauté the starch and then cook it on low heat as you add ladles of chicken stock. This allows the rice to release its starches gradually, yielding a perfectly al dente result in a creamy sauce.
Follow these tips to make the best butternut squash risotto:

1. __Add the squash at the correct time__. Butternut squash will break down completely into a purée if you add it at the beginning of the cooking process, giving the butternut squash risotto an orange color. If you prefer pieces of butternut squash, add the squash at the end of the cooking process. If you want both puréed butternut squash and butternut squash pieces, add half at the beginning and half at the end.
2. __Remove the risotto from heat before adding dairy__. Take the risotto off the heat before stirring in Parmesan cheese. The fats found in dairy products can break and separate when heated. 
3. __Toss the squash in olive oil__. If you prefer a more caramelized flavor to your butternut squash, toss the winter squash with olive oil on a baking sheet. [Roast the squash](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-and-roast-butternut-squash-plus-5-versatile-butternut-squash-recipes) at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for thirty to forty minutes. 
Take advantage of the winter squash season by making a hearty butternut risotto. You can serve this veggie risotto as a main dish or a Thanksgiving side dish.

Butternut squash risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring butternut squash, a versatile winter squash. To make this version of risotto, roast the squash and add it to the rice as it is cooking. The addition of butternut squash gives the risotto a slight sweetness. Popular garnishes for butternut squash risotto include Parmesan cheese, fresh sage, and parsley.<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/risotto-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/risotto-recipes","linkCopy":"Risotto recipes","category":null}'>Risotto recipes</a> traditionally call for <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe","linkCopy":"Arborio rice","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>Arborio rice</a>—a rounded, short-grain white rice with a high starch content—though you can substitute carnaroli rice or other grains for an oat or barley risotto. The key to risotto is the cooking method: Sauté the starch and then cook it on low heat as you add ladles of chicken stock. This allows the rice to release its starches gradually, yielding a perfectly al dente result in a creamy sauce.

What Is Butternut Squash Risotto? 

Follow these tips to make the best butternut squash risotto:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Add the squash at the correct time. Butternut squash will break down completely into a purée if you add it at the beginning of the cooking process, giving the butternut squash risotto an orange color. If you prefer pieces of butternut squash, add the squash at the end of the cooking process. If you want both puréed butternut squash and butternut squash pieces, add half at the beginning and half at the end. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Remove the risotto from heat before adding dairy. Take the risotto off the heat before stirring in Parmesan cheese. The fats found in dairy products can break and separate when heated. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Toss the squash in olive oil. If you prefer a more caramelized flavor to your butternut squash, toss the winter squash with olive oil on a baking sheet. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-and-roast-butternut-squash-plus-5-versatile-butternut-squash-recipes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-and-roast-butternut-squash-plus-5-versatile-butternut-squash-recipes","linkCopy":"Roast the squash","category":null}'>Roast the squash</a> at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for thirty to forty minutes. </li></ol>

3 Tips for Making Butternut Squash Risotto

Simple Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe 

Take advantage of the winter squash season by making a hearty butternut risotto. You can serve this veggie risotto as a main dish or a Thanksgiving side dish.

Take advantage of the winter squash season by making a hearty butternut risotto. You can serve this veggie risotto as a main dish or a Thanksgiving side dish.
