Fall

Oven Butternut Squash Risotto

by:
January  8, 2014
4
5 Ratings
Oven Butternut Squash Risotto
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Risotto -- mmm. That word conjures so many thoughts. I instantly think of all the amazing risottos I’ve had at restaurants.

That’s right -- at restaurants. Because until now, I’ve always watched chefs make risotto and thought: fussy, time consuming, so easy to mess up.

And then. A friend told me a secret: Instead of standing over the stove and slowly adding liquid, everything can go in a pot and into the oven! I've tried this with mushrooms and with some other vegetable variations, but the butternut squash is definitely our favorite. —Jacky

Test Kitchen Notes

This dish has a quick and simple prep, then goes into the oven and takes care of itself. The end result is a thick risotto full of butternut squash color and flavor. I put in some pieces that were larger than the 1-inch chunks called for; these pieces didn’t blend in fully after cooking, which created a variety of textures that I liked. I definitely want to try this recipe with other vegetables, like mushroom, to take advantage of this flavorful and easy risotto. —Robin

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 butternut squash, halved, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. In a fairly large, oven-safe pot, drizzle olive oil and add the shallots and garlic.
  2. When the shallot has softened, add the rice, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes and stirring constantly.
  3. When the rice is toasted, add in about 1/2 cup of white wine. Season the rice with salt and pepper and let cook until the wine is reduced.
  4. Meanwhile, peel and dice your butternut squash. Then dump the squash and the vegetable stock into the pot and give it a good stir.
  5. Bake, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Dish out in big bowls, topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
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17 Reviews

Caria
Caria February 4, 2018
Came out great. I added some fresh rosemary.
 
Alaina C.
Alaina C. March 5, 2016
This was my very first risotto (even though that's not technically what it is) and it turned out perfectly. I never knew that rice could get so creamy. Am looking forwarding to trying a stovetop version soon, but will definitely be making this again as well. :)
 
Mary E.
Mary E. December 30, 2015
delish added some fresh sage came out nice and creamy like rissoto on the stovetop.
 
Emily
Emily January 12, 2015
This was delicious. I sautéed some mushrooms with the shallot and garlic, and added chopped fresh sage at the end, along with some parmesan. Yum!
 
kumalavula
kumalavula January 4, 2015
this recipe worked like a charm! i added some chopped sage and rosemary, along with truffle salt while sautéing the shallots and toasting the rice. a handful of shredded parmesan cheese was also tossed in before i covered the whole thing and let it cook for longer than the prescribed time but the outcome was pretty great for a low impact food prep sunday.
 
tessga
tessga October 15, 2014
this was really delicious and so easy to throw together, even on a weeknight. I can think of loads of variations too. great technique!
 
Forrest M.
Forrest M. February 17, 2014
Just a heads up, the ingredients list says "Vegetable Broth" while step 4 says "Vegetable Stock." They're not the same!! I recommend using stock and adding a little more seasoning, possibly some herbs.
 
May
May February 8, 2014
This is absolutely delicious, and a doddle to make: we baked ours in our delightful new Esse Ironheart (wood-burning cook-stove), and it's perfect. Served it up with local organic hot Italian sausages, of which, less said the better: can't win 'em all!
 
Rebecca G.
Rebecca G. February 5, 2014
This dish was so easy for someone like myself that is not the best at cooking. Big hit here.
 
artichoke
artichoke February 3, 2014
The minimalist Mark Bittman gave a recipe MANY years ago for risotto that is baked in the oven. That's one of our family favorites.
 
Eva
Eva February 3, 2014
I'm eager to try this, but I just want to put in a plug for traditional (stovetop) risotto. I don't know where the notion that it's fussy or time-consuming came from... it is remarkably simple, forgiving, and done in well under an hour. The only rule is to give it enough liquid that it doesn't dry out on the top––you really don't have to stir it constantly and you can give it a lot of liquid at once, although the stirring helps to release the starches and make it much creamier.

Many restaurants use other tricks to make their risottos luscious: the usual restaurant tricks of butter, cream, and cheese.
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames February 11, 2014
Agree. I'm not sure I'd call this dish "risotto," though it does look very good, and I do intend to use this recipe, to the letter. I'd called it "oven-steamed butternut squash pilaf," as that what it truly is. ;o) P.S. I'm plan to do a head-to-head with these ingredients to confirm that the stove-top, traditional risotto turns out creamier due to the release of the starch into the broth. Stay tuned.
 
Kristy M.
Kristy M. December 25, 2019
Any verdict between the two methods??
 
Dogolaca
Dogolaca February 3, 2014
This is an easy one-pot dish, very comforting texture. the recipe says "one inch pieces" of squash, but that is a little large. Taste is a little bland, so next time I will add something -- herbs or chiles or something.

One extra I added: When you clean the squash, reserve the seeds. While the rice is in the oven, wash the seeds, separating from the stringy stuff. Pat them with a paper towel and arrange in one layer on a small baking sheet. When the rice is cooked, toast the seeds in the hot oven for about ten minutes, until they start to brown. Remove, salt, and sprinkle on the bowls of rice.
 
jbban
jbban January 31, 2014
Do steps 1-3 occur in the oven or on the stove?
 
Fran W.
Fran W. January 31, 2014
on the stove - she's a little sketchy
 
sexyLAMBCHOPx
sexyLAMBCHOPx January 30, 2014
Congrats on the CP. I cant wait to try this oven method.