Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto

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Fall is such a great time of year to cook. The weather is getting a little cooler so you can start to bust out some of those lovely warming dishes that would be absurd to cook during the middle of a scorching summer. The produce at this time of year is brilliant too, with the two theme ingredients in this recipe, Butternut Squash and Mushroom, being at their absolute peak. Butternut Squash and Mushroom risotto is a classic dish that’s been around for as long as I can remember, and this recipe relies on traditional cooking approaches to nail a perfect dish every time

Best Squash and Mushroom for a Risotto?

I do feel this comes down to personal preference, however when it comes to Squash the gold standard has to be Butternut Squash. It is such a sweet flavored vegetable which cuts through brilliantly with this dish. The earthiness of the Squash also pairs exceptionally well with the Mushrooms making it a clear winner

Regarding what mushrooms to choose, again the field is wide open on this one. I’d suggest Cremini Mushrooms and Portabella Mushrooms however Shiitake and Porcini are also good choices. If you want to get a little fancy and splash out some cash then Morel mushrooms would be another brilliant choice. Morels have this amazing nuttiness that tastes beautiful when pan fried with a lot of Butter! For this recipe we’re sticking with the Cremini just to keep things simple

What Stock works well in a Risotto?

Finally, and most importantly is what stock should you use / prepare for your risotto. A great rule of thumb for extracting the most amount of flavor from your dish is to prepare a stock based around the primary ingredients in the dish. So for example, creating a beautifully rich Mushroom Stock using dried mushrooms will just heighten the overall flavor of the Mushrooms in the Risotto.

Similarly, you can also take those Squash or Pumpkin skins and add them into a stock instead of discarding to heighten the Squash flavor. For this recipe we recommend using a simple Vegetable Stock. So easy to prepare and still adds an amazing depth of flavor. It is also easy on the wallet, as you can prepare a beautiful Vegetable stock with ingredients you likely already have in the fridge. Don’t let those old Vegetables go to waste, create a beautiful stock with them!

To dive deeper into making the very best homemade Vegetable Stock we recommend you check out our article here

An alternative Stock that you may find in a lot of Risotto recipes is Chicken Stock. Chicken Stock adds a completely different flavor profile to the Risotto. We really like Chicken Stock in Risottos too, so for something different why not check out our awesome Instant Pot Chicken Broth recipe and give it a try

For the absolute best flavor, always oven roast your Butternut Squash

There is simply no better way to prepare Butternut Squash than to roast it in the oven. Cut the Butternut Squash into small pieces then place it onto a large sheet pan. Give the Squash a generous seasoning of Olive Oil and Salt, then into the oven it goes

You want to roast the Squash until it is cooked all the way through and just starting to caramelize on the outside. You can tell when the Squash is cooked as the outsides will start to turn dark brown and the squash will be tender all the way through when you poke it with a knife

This process of oven roasting the Squash will produce the absolute best flavor. Rich sweet Butternut Squash that will flavor this amazing Risotto. The whole oven roasting process will take about 30 minutes or so, depending on how large you’ve cut your Risotto. Yes, it’s an added step in the process but it is 100% worth it to maximize the flavor of your Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

For the Vegetable Stock

• 5 liters of water (33 fl. oz.)
• 1 large Onion, cut in half
• ½ a Leek, cut lengthways
• 2 Carrots, cut into large pieces
• 5 Cloves of Garlic, whole
• 1 Stick of Celery, cut into large pieces
  
  

For the Risotto

• 1.5 cups Arborio Rice
• 1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 2 cup Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• ½ Red Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 cup White Wine
• Zest of ½ a Lemon
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter (60 grams)
• ½ cup Parsley, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup Frozen Peas
• 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing your Vegetable Stock. Place all the Stock ingredients into a large pot or Dutch Oven and bring to a boil. No need to peel the skin off the vegetables, they will add more flavor so keep them on! Cover then reduce to a simmer and cook for two hours
2. Drain the vegetables from the stock through a fine sieve then place the liquid back into the pot. When you are ready to start cooking the Risotto, heat the Stock so it is warm but not simmering
3. Place the Squash pieces on a large baking tray. Drizzle liberally with Olive Oil and 1 tbsp. of Salt and 1 tsp. of Cumin. Mix the Squash around to ensure an even coating, then roast in the Oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, turning them once. You want the squash to be completely cooked, tender and golden but not too dark

4. Begin the Risotto by melting Butter in a large frying pan or Cast-Iron Skillet over a medium heat. Once the Butter has melted add the Onion and Mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes. Once the vegetables have started to caramelize add the Garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes
5. Add the Rice and stir for a few minutes, ensuring the Rice starts to begin cooking slightly and incorporates throughout the rest of the mixture
6. Pour in the White Wine and cook until there is barely any liquid left in the pan, should be about 3-5 minutes. Add 1 tsp. Salt and ½ tsp. Pepper
7. Reduce the heat to a medium / low temperature then begin adding your stock slowly. Add in about ¾ a cup of Stock at a time and continuously stir the pan so that the rice incorporates all of the liquid. Once the liquid is absorbed into the rice, add another cup of Stock
8. Continue this process for about 25 – 30 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed approximately 4 cups of Stock. At this point test the rice to ensure it is cooked. When cooked it should be nice and tender but still have a little bite to it, and the overall Risotto is a silky texture that is still a little runny
9. Add in the Frozen Peas, Parmesan Cheese, Lemon Zest and Lemon Juice. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients for another minute, then remove from heat and add Parsley. Check seasoning again before serving
10. Serve a generous helping onto a plate and let the Risotto ‘settle’ into the plate. If it’s the right consistency it will spread out slowly across the plate. Finish by adding a generous portion of the Roasted Squash on top. If desired, grate some more Parmesan cheese on top then serve!
    
    

If you enjoyed this recipe feel free to check out some other amazing Dinner dishes to warm you up on a cold night. Here are some of our favorites!:

• Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Hanger Steak Frites
• Crispy Sweet and Sour Pork
• Beef and Guinness Pie
  
  

Happy Cooking!