Description
This Butternut Squash Risotto with Sage Brown Butter is a luxurious, comforting dish perfect for fall. Featuring roasted butternut squash, creamy arborio rice, crispy chorizo, and a nutty brown butter sauce with crispy sage leaves, this recipe combines rich flavors and elegant textures for a special yet approachable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 1 butternut squash (roughly 1kg/2lb)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Risotto Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white or rosé wine
- 4 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated
Chorizo and Brown Butter Sage
- 2 oz (50g) chorizo, casing removed and diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- A handful of sage leaves
- Extra grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Roast the Butternut Squash: Preheat your oven to 400F/210C and line an oven tray with baking paper. Slice the squash down the middle into two long halves and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle the cut sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Place the squash cut side down on the tray and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes until very soft and slightly charred.
- Cook the Chorizo: While the squash roasts, heat a large high-sided pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the diced chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes until it is crispy. Remove the chorizo from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Onion and Garlic: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pan and reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. If it browns too fast, add a splash of water to prevent burning. Stir in the crushed garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Toast the Rice and Add Wine: Add the arborio rice to the pan and stir for 2 minutes to lightly toast the grains. Pour in the wine and stir while letting it bubble for a couple of minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add Roasted Squash and Stock: Scoop the flesh from the roasted butternut squash into the pan with the rice; it will naturally break up as you stir. Stir the squash through the rice. Begin adding the hot stock one ladleful at a time, stirring and letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue until all the stock is used and the rice is al dente, tender but with a slight bite.
- Finish the Risotto: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the grated parmesan and gruyere cheeses until the risotto is creamy and well combined.
- Make the Sage Brown Butter: In a small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir constantly as the butter foams and turns a golden brown color with nutty aroma and small brown specks. Carefully add the sage leaves and toss for about 1 minute until the sage crisps up. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Divide the risotto among plates, top with the crispy chorizo, then spoon over the sage brown butter along with the crispy sage leaves. Finish with extra grated parmesan cheese and serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe is an all-in-one pot meal packed with comforting fall flavors and is elegant enough for special occasions.
- Prepare the crispy chorizo and start cooking the onions while the squash roasts to save time.
- You can substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian if you omit chorizo.
- If your onions start browning too fast, add a splash of water to ensure they cook gently and become translucent without burning.
- Use good quality parmesan and gruyere for best creamy flavor in the risotto.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 350 g
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
