Squash Risotto

Submitted by Heather Nauta

"This Squash risotto recipe is one of the best dishes in the history of time. Risotto is an Italian dish where rice is cooked in a broth using a specific technique. Cheese is often added towards the end of the process, although this recipe doesn’t use cheese and it tastes absolutely incredible. As such, it is a perfect recipe for vegans and vegetarians, and this recipe uses squash, which is incredible. Meat-eaters will love it, too."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 2 cups squash, diced
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 -3 tablespoons fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 cup short-grain brown rice
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1⁄2 cup warmed white wine
• 1 pinch black pepper

• optional

• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

directions

1. Boil the squash in a pot. You can also steam it.
2. Heat the water in a pot and maintain it just below a boil.
3. Warm a third pot to medium (last pot, I promise) and add the oil and onion. Coat the onion in oil and cook it until it is translucent, but not browned.
4. If using dried thyme, add it now. Otherwise, the fresh thyme can wait until the very end of this whole process. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil. Pour in the wine and stir until it is all absorbed. Add 2 tsp sea salt. Add the heated water to the rice ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
5. Use all 3 cups of water for a very creamy risotto, or only 2-2½ cups for a sticky risotto.
6. When all the liquid is absorbed, the rice should be soft, but only just cooked (al dente). Then you can stir in the squash.
7. Garnish your squash risotto recipe with cracked black pepper and optionally roasted pumpkin seeds for the best meal ever.

Reviews

[magpie diner]

Very good dish, with a (healthy) creaminess similar to traditional risotto. I decided to use veggie broth instead of plain water, I just felt it was going to need a bit of a flavour boost and I was happy with that sub. I luckily didn't have to cook the squash because I had some previously roasted pumpkin ready to go in the freezer. Other than that I followed the recipe to a T, just had to add about another 1/2 cup of liquid to get the rice cooked. Really tasty and obviously very healthy, I would definitely make again!

 

[iknitok]

I used fresh basil as I prefer it to thyme. Also used vegetable stock which I had just been about to use for soup! Also had to use brown basmati rice as it is low GI... I know, it's not as good for risotto, but I'm diabetic, so needs must. I've never bothered before to add squash (butternut) but did this time and it was beautiful. I should probably have used sweet potato as it is better for diabetics, but sometimes one just has to splurge! Thanks HV for a great recipe.