Butternut Squash Risotto Sage (Printable)
Creamy Arborio rice with roasted butternut squash, parmesan, and crispy golden sage leaves.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs), peeled, seeded, and diced into 0.4-inch cubes
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Rice & Broth
04 - 1½ cups Arborio rice
05 - 5 cups vegetable stock, kept warm
→ Dairy
06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
07 - ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Aromatics & Herbs
08 - 12–15 fresh sage leaves
09 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the diced squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until tender and golden. Set aside.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp butter and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sage leaves in a single layer and fry for 1–2 minutes until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
03 - In the same pan, add onion and cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
04 - Add Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until grains are glossy and coated.
05 - Pour in a ladleful of warm vegetable stock, stirring until absorbed. Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition absorb before adding the next, for about 18–20 minutes.
06 - When rice is creamy and al dente, fold in roasted squash. Stir in remaining 2 tbsp butter and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Plate immediately, topping with crispy sage leaves and extra Parmesan if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes impossibly creamy without any cream, which somehow makes it feel less heavy and more luxurious.
- The crispy sage leaves add this unexpected crunch that makes every bite feel like you're doing something special.
- Once you master the technique, you can swap vegetables with whatever the season offers and feel like a different cook each time.
02 -
- If your stock isn't warm, the risotto seizes and the rice cooks unevenly—learned this when I used cold stock straight from the fridge and got crunchy bits in a creamy base.
- Stop stirring the moment the butter and cheese incorporate fully, or the starch releases too much and the risotto becomes gluey instead of flowing and creamy.
03 -
- If risotto seems too thick when you serve it, stir in a splash of warm stock just before plating—risotto continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so it should look slightly loose in the pot.
- Invest in a good wooden spoon with rounded edges—it protects the rice grains from breaking and lets you stir without damaging the dish you've been building.