Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
This butternut squash risotto recipe tastes incredible! It's also healthier than most and requires practically no stirring. You can bake it all in the oven!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
This butternut risotto recipe is comforting, yet redeeming, and absolutely delicious. It features tender, caramelized cubes of butternut squash throughout.
Unlike most risottos, this one calls for brown short-grain rice instead of white. This yields a super creamy risotto full of whole grain goodness. The lightly nutty brown rice makes this risotto recipe remarkably flavorful, in the best of ways.
The only downside is that brown rice requires more cooking time than white, so I’ve switched from the traditional stovetop method to the oven.
This way, you only have to stir the risotto for a few minutes at the end, rather than for fifty minutes straight. That’s a serious arm workout, by the way.
How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
While the risotto bubbles in the oven, we’ll roast cubed butternut on the top rack until it’s tender and caramelized on the edges.
Then, we’ll stir the rice and butternut together with a splash of white wine, several pats of butter and freshly grated Parmesan.
To take it to the next level, we’ll top it off with crispy fried sage (you’ll learn how to make it in the recipe below). This risotto is heavenly, I tell you. Here’s to healthy, happy eating!
Watch How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
More Irresistible Risotto Recipes to Try
All three of these risotto recipes use the same easy oven-baked cooking method:
- Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano
- Lemony Roasted Cauliflower Risotto
- Spring Pea and Asparagus Risotto
You’ll also enjoy my recipe for Roasted Cherry Tomato and Brown Rice Risotto in my cookbook, Love Real Food. See page 172.
Please let me know how your risotto turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you! Check the notes for a dairy-free/vegan option.
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
This butternut squash risotto recipe tastes incredible! Roasted butternut squash and crispy fried sage take it over the top. This risotto is also healthier than most, since it calls for brown rice instead of white, and requires practically no stirring. You can just bake it all in the oven! Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Butternut squash risotto
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth, divided
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
- 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½” cubes
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese* (about 2 ½ ounces)
- ½ cup dry white wine, optional
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
Fried sage
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 16 to 20 fresh sage leaves, chopped (to yield about ¼ cup chopped fresh sage)
Instructions
- To prepare: Place your oven racks in the lower third and upper third positions (we’re going to bake the risotto on the middle rack and roast the squash on the upper rack at the same time), then preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the butternut squash. Reserve 1 cup broth from your container and set it aside for when the risotto is out of the oven.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-to-large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 3 cups broth and 1 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake on the lower rack until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!
- Immediately after placing the pot of risotto in the oven, toss the cubed butternut with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and arrange the butternut in a single layer on the pan. Roast on the upper rack until the butternut is fork tender and the edges are deeply caramelized, tossing halfway. This took 55 to 60 minutes for me, but start checking for doneness around 40 minutes.
- While the risotto and butternut are in the oven, fry the sage: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage and toss to coat. Let the sage get darker green and crispy (but not brown) before transferring it to a plate covered with a paper towel. Sprinkle the fried sage lightly with salt and set it aside.
- Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine and butter. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, a generous amount of pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Stir in the roasted butternut. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Divide the risotto into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of fried sage. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my cauliflower risotto recipe.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Starchy rice accounts for most of this risotto’s creaminess, so you can skip the dairy or replace it with the following. Replace the butter with vegan butter or a tablespoon or two of additional olive oil, to taste. Skip the Parmesan cheese. You might like to add some nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor.
*A note on Parmesan: I always get a few comments on recipes that include Parmesan (“It’s not vegetarian!”) but Whole Foods actually makes a great animal rennet-free Parmesan. There’s plenty of flavor in here without the Parmesan, if you’d rather leave it out.
If you must use white arborio rice: Bake it for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender to the bite, and proceed as directed.
If you don’t have a Dutch oven: Use a large saucepan instead, then carefully pour the boiling broth and rice mixture into a casserole dish. If the casserole dish has an oven-safe lid, use that; if not, cover it tightly with foil. Bake as directed.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Looks yummy! Can I make this in the slow cooker?
Hi Sarah, This wasn’t designed for a slow cooker, sorry!
I made this recipe with white arborio for dinner last night and it was thoroughly enjoyed. I halved the recipe which was just right for 2 with a some leftover for lunch later this week. Since I had no fresh sage, I added some rubbed sage from my spice drawer to the squash as it was browning and it had great flavour. Thanks Cookie and Kate. Your recipes never disappoint!
I had a butternut squash given to me.i have never cooked one and wasn’t sure what to do with this. The internet gave me this recipe and I am so glad it did! It was delicious, creamy and comforting. My husband wasn’t sure about the squash or the sage…but he gave his seal of approval and asked me to make it again soon! The sage was so flavorful on top, I would add even more next time!
I’m happy you loved it, Sissy. Thank you for your review!
Absolutely Delish! Few ingredients, lots of flavour!
I’m happy you enjoyed it!
Made this today. OMG so good! I made both versions (vegan for my son, adding in nutritional yeast) and they were both delicious!! I’ve only had this at a restaurant and was nervous to make it but it was easy. Definitely a keeper! Thx!
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is my favorite recipe I’ve ever made. It’s not as hands-on as a typical risotto, but ends up being SO much better. This is now my go to recipe when I’m having someone over for dinner— it tastes amazing and I look like a real pro to my dinner guest when I’m frying sage
I’m glad you love it, Daria! Thank you for your review.
Hi! You mentioned that you can substitute the Parmesan with nutritional yeast, but at what ratio? Is it a 1:1 add? Instead of 1 cup Poarmesan use 1 cup nutritional yeast, or less/more? Thanks!
Seth
Hi Seth, I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t say for sure. But, I do know others have said it’s nice.
I’ve been making this risotto for years now, and it’s ALWAYS a hit! Happy to report that it also officially got the baby Madeleine double-fisting seal of approval. :) Thanks so much for your recipes and for the technique for making risotto without all of the stirring! We currently have a shelf full of fall squashes from our CSA, so this recipe will be making several repeat appearances.
Great recipe! If I doubled the recipe, would the cooking time change?
Hi Lennie, It shouldn’t change. But, you can always increase the time if you feel it needs more.
I have made risotto for years, I typically make risotto con zucca( pumpkin/squash) this time of the year, and decided to google one with butternut squash because I have never used that specific squash for my risotto and found this intriguing recipe. I loved how squash was cooked separately and layered in for flavor and texture! It was super easy loved the just put in oven and walk away and approved by everyone in my house even my kid. I made some chicken breasts in pan where herbs cooked and a side of spinach with butter to serve under the chicken! It would also be a great topper for the risotto!
AMAZING! We made it last night with white arobio and it was so decadent. Such a great recipe- thank you!
You’re welcome, Christine! I appreciate your review.
Great recipe! Substitution tip for white Arborio worked perfectly. Delicious and easy way to make risotto.
I’m glad you loved it, Cayla! Thank you for your review.
Delicious! Made it with white orzo because brown wasn’t available in my town, following the note at the end. This was easy and great.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Ned!
Absolutely outstanding! I had to go to 4 different stores before I found fresh sage. It was worth it. I highly recommend just going ahead and frying up all of the sage in the package. You will want it.
P.S. Also delicious without the sage, if you do not have the persistence that I have.
Forgot to give it 5 stars the first time around…
Holy cow. I will admit that I truly had almost no confidence that baking brown rice was going to give me risotto, but I still wanted to give it a try. I’m happy to report that my misgivings were misplaced, and this was actually the best risotto I have ever made. The texture/consistency of the risotto was spot on. The only changes I made were to add thyme, poultry seasoning*, and TJ’s multipurpose umami seasoning blend, and the flavor was amazing. Thank you so much for this recipe!
*seasoning blend intended for poultry – 100% meat-free :)
Hooray! I’m glad you tried it. Thank you for your review, Stevie.
Vegetarian broth. Boxed? from Better than Bullion ? What do you use?
Hi Patti, you will want to use broth – so that is in a box.
I’m horrible at remembering to review things but this was just amazingly delicious!!
We left out the sage because my husband isn’t a sage fan but otherwise followed the recipe and it was delicious! Will definitely make it again.
Thank you for sharing, Kellie! I’m glad you were able to enjoy it.
This was a GREAT and easy dish to prepare. Even my meat-loving boyfriend found it absolutely incredible. I will increase the fried sage, though, because why not! This along with a salad was a perfect dinner. Can’t wait to make it again!
This recipe is fabulous! I added a few additional spices for personal taste, but original recipe is terrific. Baking the risotto in the oven was magical and such a timesaver! Roasting the squash at same time? Brilliant! Trust the process on this ~ it works!
Thank you for sharing, Kris! I’m glad you loved it.
This recipe is incredible! It’s become a staple for my annual fall potluck–I don’t think I’ve ever gotten as many compliments as I have on this dish. The recipe is very well written, the only changes I make are adding a bit more squash and sage. Other than that, I follow as written and it comes out perfectly every time. I really can’t say enough good things about this recipe. Thank you Kate for sharing it with us all!
Hooray! That’s great to hear.
So delicious! Thank you! I doubled the recipe and it made for a long prep and total cooking time, but again, so good! A Waldorf salad with kale & other greens complemented the meal. Welcome Fall!
This recipe is a winner! I love so many of Kate’s recipes and this did not disappoint.
The most time consuming part was chopping up the squash. Once that was done, everything else was easy!
A few things I did differently…
– I used white Arborio medium grain rice because I could not find the kind mentioned in the recipe. It worked great and the cooking time was exactly 40mins. It stuck a little bit to the Dutch oven but wasn’t burnt.
– I didn’t have cooking wine so I skipped that part and it still tasted great
– Sage is a must! Don’t skip it.
– I fried up some kielbasa sausage on the side and it was delicious sprinkled on top once served. It would also probably taste great with a fried egg on top!
This was exceptionally delicious, I made it completely vegan with vegan cheese. It was SO EASY in the oven! The wine and sage was perfect. I added about a 1/2 cup peas for color and texture. Thank you so much!
Amazing!
Delicious…but I like more veggies so I would add peas the next time.
The risotto by itself is delicious and so easy to do. I’ve always avoided making risotto…too labour intensive. The recipe is definitely worth a repeat. Thank you so much. I didn’t have sage so didn’t use that but comments indicate I must try that. I used the white Arborio rice but I’ll have to try it with brown next time.
Thank you for sharing, Melanie!
I’m not sure what oven magic transforms baked brown rice into risotto, but oh my goodness, what a delicious dish. The texture was better than any other stovetop Arborio rice I’ve previously made. The flavors were spot on. This risotto was lighter than a traditional risotto, but every bit as satisfying. In fact, my stomach greatly appreciated this lighter version.
I’m glad you loved it, Stevie!
I’m planning to try this recipe for my vegetarian group for Thanksgiving. How do I reheat this after storing in fridge for a day?
You could try microwave or crockpot. Let me know!
Truly delicious! Used the short-grain brown rice which baked up nicely. The wine gave the risotto a wonderful, “gourmet” flavor. Used about 1/2 cup onion as my small onion equivalent. My only struggle was caramelizing the squash. Perhaps it was too crowded although I used a diced 2 lb squash on a large baking sheet. I was hoping a little “crust” would form on the cubes which did not happen despite a longer bake. I found a gentle folding of the probably over cooked squash worked fine. I did make this recipe the day before, keeping the squash and sage leaves separate from the risotto until serving time. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
Thank you for sharing! Yes, if it’s too crowded on the pan it won’t quite roast the same. I appreciate your feedback, Maret.
Truly delicious! Used the short-grain brown rice which baked up nicely. The wine gave the risotto a wonderful, “gourmet” flavor. Used about 1/2 cup onion as my small onion equivalent. My only struggle was caramelizing the squash. Perhaps it was too crowded although I used a diced 2 lb squash on a large baking sheet. I was hoping a little “crust” would form on the cubes which did not happen despite a longer bake. I found a gentle folding of the probably over cooked squash worked fine. I did make this recipe the day before, keeping the squash and sage leaves separate from the risotto until serving time. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
I do have a question: the photo shows the butternut squash as a top layer rather than actually stirred in. Does that work as well or was that just for illustrative purposes?
Hi! It is mixed in the risotto. I’m glad you will make this one again Maret!
I was wondering two things about this recipe…
1. Can I substitute whole wheat farro for the brown arborio?
2. Can I make this a couple of days ahead? (I was hoping to have this as a side for Thanksgiving)!
Hi! For this to turnout, you need the brown arborio. This makes great leftovers! I hope it was a hit at Thanksgiving.
We made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a huge hit!! Everyone raved about it. I had never made a risotto in the oven before and it turned out better than I even imagined!
Thank you for your review, Bridget!
I made this twice this year (so far) for 2 different Thanksgiving meals and WOW!! So easy and so so so delicious! The leftovers are also fabulous, which is even better! Thank you for such an easy and delicious change up to the traditional holiday table!
Made this for the second time today and it was amazing both times! My first attempt turned out to be a hit at a Friendsgiving. Today we subbed freekah for the brown rice with the same delicious outcome AND all of the added nutritional benefits freekah has to offer! Just added about 10 minutes to the bake time. :)
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Morgan.
This sounds delicious-Can it be made ahead, frozen and thawed and reheated?
Hi Audrey, I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, let me know!
Really good recipe! This is my own personal opinion but I added in some lemon and it made it even more delicious. Make sure to use fresh sage, the stuff I had was not as flavourful but still an amazing recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Andrew! I appreciate your review.
Recipe sounds wonderful from the comments, before I go ahead please can you advise…..I have had butternut squash risotto with pearl barley instead of rice, how can I adapt this recipe to accommodate if at all possible? Kind regards
Hi Annie, this is designed to be make with rice. I don’t have barley instructions. I hope you try it as written!
Delicious. I wish I could add a photo. I would also add less palm cheese, just a touch salty and I would cut my cubes of squash a bit bigger, some caramelized a little too much.Over all, this was delicious. I plan to freeze some, hoping it will defrost well as it is just me.
Absolutely delicious, and quite possibly my favorite dish I’ve ever cooked!
Hello Kate,
This risotto is absolutely delicious and I am so appreciative of the care you take to develop these recipes and share them. My husband and I cook often and we like to make many different types of meals, rather than having a few in rotation. Our go-to source in the past has been the NYT, but I have found that I am much more drawn to your website since your recipes are so vegetable forward. Every recipe that we have followed has been wonderful. Thank you.
Delicious and so easy. I had to use white risotto because that was all I could find. Will make this again soon. My whole family liked it. Used some nutritional yeast to replace Parmesan and then placed some real parmesan on the side for those who can use it.
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it with both white carnaroli (in a pinch) and short grain brown but definitely prefer short grain brown. The only tweak I make is I add the rice to the onions/garlic (before the broth), toast rice for a minute, add the wine at that point and cook until it almost cooks away, then add the broth/water and proceed with the recipe. I love the extra depth of flavour that adds!
Also – I’ve never had fresh sage in the house before when making this but I happened to have some this time so I made the crispy sage and it was SO good! Do not skip! :)
Thanks for an amazing recipe!
I plan to make this and then saw how much sodium is in it: 75% of my daily allotment in one serving. I’m guessing it’s primarily in the vegetable broth, so I’ll use veg broth with low sodium. If you’re sodium-restricted or have blood pressure issues, you might want to modify the recipe. That’s what I’m going to do. It sounds absolutely delicious.
This risotto was one of the most delicious I’ve ever eaten! Love that it’s baked and love the addition of crisped sage. Brown Arborio is fabulous – I had no idea! Thank you … (I used pumpkin)
Absolutely delicious and sooooo easy!
Wow!! I’ve struggled to make creamy risotto in the past, but this is a fool proof way of having delicious creamy vegan risotto. I subbed in nutritional yeast, and it was amazing. Just a few minutes of prep, an hour of smelling the goodness, then boom, ready to go. This will constantly be on my rotation. Thank you Kate!
I’m so glad you found this recipe and love it, Margaret!
Wonderful risotto came together beautifully
Thank you
Great to hear, Jenn! I appreciate your review.
I made this using the air fryer for the squash and my rice maker for the risotto. It came out delicious and kept the house cool (I live in Arizona). Easy, yummy and a perfect Fall supper!
I’m glad it turned out well for you, Rachel! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
This was really easy to make and so delicious! I love not standing at the stove and having to stir until my arm is ready to fall off. Great risotto hack!