An Easy to make vegan butternut squash risotto recipe made in the Dutch oven using just a few ingredients. This is the ultimate date night risotto recipe that is fancy looking, but, takes very little effort to make.

This post was originally posted on October 25, 2017 and it was sponsored by Alexia. This new post is not sponsored. Get version 1 details here

Is risotto rice or pasta?

It’s rice!

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!!

Risotto is part of the rice family because it’s grown in the ground and harvested like rice. It’s not made in the kitchen like pasta!

Top view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin
Super easy butternut squash risotto that is best made in the Dutch Oven

Tips for making this risotto

This tips are for making risotto in the Dutch oven.

  • Use only arborio rice and no other kind of rice to make this risotto
  • I used the Dutch oven to make this rice because I wanted it to be as hands-off as possible. Risotto is best when it’s allowed to cook on it’s own.
  • To make your life easier, get the pre-cubed butternut squash from your local grocery store. It takes a lot of elbow grease to cut it yourself.
  • I stirred this risotto only 3 times during the cooking process. It’s tempting to stir it often, but, resist it. The rice will be clumpy if stirred often
  • Slice the mushrooms as thin as possible because they will cook faster and practically melt in your mouth
  • The butternut squash risotto is best served hot. I like to serve it right out of the oven.
Closeup view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin
Look how delicious that risotto looks! And, it’s all vegan!

What is risotto

Risotto is an Italian rice dish. “Riso” in Italian means rice and it’s grown in only place in Italy.

The rice used in most risottos is Arborio rice and it comes from Northern Italy where it’s grown. There are Martelli and Vialone Nano rice are considered the best rice for risotto, but, they are very expensive.

Top view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin
Totally effortless butternut squash risotto recipe

Arborio rice has become the default rice for risottos. It’s a short-grain, white rice that is high in starch, yet, has an aphrodisiac property. That’s why they are so perfect for date night recipes.

Did you know that saffron was used originally in risotto to flavor and color it?

Source: Wikipedia, Walks of Italy and my own experiences

Making risotto without wine

So, we all know that Italians love their wines and they use it in all their cooking! Wine and water are interchangeable for them. It’s a good thing because their pastas and sauces are made that much better because of the wine.

I love cooking with wine too, especially in risottos. It makes the risotto soft and gives it a little bit of acidity.

Also, I discovered that I can make butternut squash outside! I tried a Blackstone griddle grilled butternut squash and it was beyond impressive. Now, life goal is to get a Blackstone!

Closeup view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin
These risotto is a favorite date night dinner to make in the Dutch oven.

But, this time, I made the risotto without any wine. I am trying to cook without alcohol in my recipes so that they are more family friendly.

If you would like to use wine, I suggest dry white wine like a sauvignon blanc. Or, try something a little bold like a pink wine like a pinot noir blanc.

If you have leftover butternut squash, put it into a vegan stuffing recipe.

Common questions for making this recipe

I wanted to make this butternut squash risotto as easy as possible. It was my goal to make sure you can make it without breaking a sweat. Below, I answer a few questions that I think you might have while you make it.

If you have other questions, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me.

Top view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin
Make this mushroom risotto with butternut squash for date night dinner
Do you cover risotto while cooking?

Yes, cover the risotto while it’s baking inside the oven. When making risotto in the Dutch oven, it’s always better to cover it, for two good reasons.
One reason is that it will cook the rice more evenly. Otherwise, the top might get crispy but the bottom may be soggy.
Also, when the rice comes to a boil, it might start to bubble out of the Dutch oven. All the splashing and bubbling into the oven can make for a huge mess.
Who has the time to scrub and clean the inside of the oven anymore?! I know I don’t and I do hate scrubbing.

Why did my risotto turn out sticky?

If your risotto turned out sticky, pat yourself on the back. That is exactly how it should turn out and it’s also the hardest part of making risotto.
Risotto is sticky because of the arborio rice. This short-grain rice doesn’t absorb too much water and it tends to stick to other rice grains in the pan.
So, to achieve the perfect balance of taste and sticky texture is an art form. It depends on 3 important factors:
– Amount of water
– How much stirring you do
– The amount of heat you apply to it.
Cooking in the Dutch oven takes care of all the problems and makes the rice cook perfectly.

Shouldn’t I be using stock instead of water?

Yes, traditional risotto is always made with stock of some kind. Most Italian cooking uses beef stock or chicken stock. You can also use vegetable stock to make this risotto.
If you are a long-time reader, you know that I have a love-hate relationship with stock. You will never see me using it in any of my soup recipes or any other recipe.
So, feel free to use stock instead of water. Just don’t tell me about it! 🙂

Can I freeze it?

No, I don’t recommend freezing butternut squash risotto. When you thaw it, frozen risotto becomes gluey or clumpy. It looses all it’s unique sticky texture.
You can refrigerate risotto, but, use it up within a day or two. To re-heat it, put the rice in a Dutch oven and place it a 300° preheated oven. Bake it in there for about 15 min, depending on how much you have left over.

What can I substitute for the Arborio rice?

Arborio rice is expensive, so, I understand if you want to sub it. What I did when I was testing the recipe was to find prepackaged risotto with flavorings already in it.
Alessi’s mushroom flavored risotto is cheaper than buying the actual risotto, so, you can try it that way. I washed it first in order to remove all the flavorings from it.
You can also try any short-grain rice to make this risotto. It may not have the same texture as risotto, but, it will work when on a budget.

Have I mentioned that I LOOVE my Dutch oven? It cooks everything evenly and quickly!

Top view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin

Suggested side dishes

I have made a butternut squash ravioli and served with this risotto. It’s a fun date night dinner recipe. Roasted Green Beans and Autumn Squash Soup are also great to serve with this vegan risotto.

If you like serving salads with it, try this Spinach salad or kale salad. Pan-fried broccoli or steamed broccoli will be great side dishes and make it a more wholesome meal.

Ingredients in butternut squash risotto

  • Mushrooms
  • Red onions
  • Butternut Squash
  • Arborio rice
  • Spinach
  • Lemon juice and cilantro (or parsley) for garnish

These are just a few ingredients needed to make the risotto. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients as needed.

How to make risotto

Before starting to make this recipe, preheat oven to 450°.

  • Start with spraying the inside of the Dutch oven with a light oil-spray. It will prevent the ingredients from sticking to the base
Inside of Dutch oven being sprayed
  • Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds. It provides a nice aroma to the mushrooms
cumin seeds added to the dutch oven
  • Add 1 cup of finely diced red onions
red onions to the dutch oven
  • Add the finely sliced 8 oz mushrooms next
The author's hand showing the thckness of the mushrooms
  • Grate about 4 cloves of garlic (2 tsp) and add to the dutch oven
grated garlic added to the dutch oven
  • Next, add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Do a quick stir of the ingredients and spread them out. Don’t crowd the mushrooms because they will cook unevenly
olive oil being added to the dutch oven
  • Place the Dutch oven into a 450° preheated oven for 12 min
covered dutch oven
  • Remove from the oven (do not turn off oven) and gently open it. There will be a lot of steam coming out of it, so, be careful.
  • Give it a quick stir before you add 8 oz butternut squash, cubed
cubed butternut squash added to the dutch oven
  • Add 8 oz risotto (arborio rice)
arborio rice added to the dutch oven
  • Add 3.5 cups of water
water added to the dutch oven
  • Flavor it with 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste), 1 Tbsp of oregano and 1/8 tsp of cinnamon. Give it a quick stir
dry spices added to the dutch oven
  • Top with 1 cup of baby spinach but do not stir
spinach added to the dutch oven
  • Close the lid and place the Dutch oven back into the 450° oven. This time, let the risotto cook for 35 min. At about the 20 min mark, give it a gentle stir
  • Remove from the oven and stir gently
completed recipe visible inside the dutch oven

Serve immediately

Top view of a risotto filled white oval plate over a yellow lace napkin

Butternut Squash Risotto

Rini
An easy vegan butternut squash risotto made in the Dutch oven using just a few simple ingredients
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 47 minutes
Total Time 52 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4 people
Calories 388 kcal

Equipment

  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Ingredients
  

For Garnish

  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • cilantro or curly parsley

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450*
  • Start with spraying the inside of the Dutch oven with a light oil-spray
  • Add cumin seeds, red onions, mushrooms and garlic
  • Next, add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • Do a quick stir of the ingredients and spread them out
  • Place the Dutch oven into a 450° preheated oven for 12 min
  • Remove from the oven (do not turn off oven) and gently open it
  • Give it a quick stir before you add the butternut squash
  • Add the arborio rice and water
  • Stir in the salt, oregano and cinnamon
  • Top with 1 cup of baby spinach but do not stir
  • Close the lid and place the Dutch oven back into the 450° oven
  • This time, let the risotto cook for 35 min (Stir at the 20 min mark)
  • Remove from the oven and stir

Garnish with lemon juice and cilantro before serving

    Video

    Notes

    – Nutrition info is approximate
     
    • Use only arborio rice and no other kind of rice to make this risotto
    • I used the Dutch oven to make this rice because I wanted it to be as hands-off as possible. Risotto is best when it’s allowed to cook on it’s own.
    • To make your life easier, get the pre-cubed butternut squash from your local grocery store. It takes a lot of elbow grease to cut it yourself.
    • I stirred this risotto only 3 times during the cooking process. It’s tempting to stir it often, but, resist it. The rice will be clumpy if stirred often
    • Slice the mushrooms as thin as possible because they will cook faster and practically melt in your mouth
    • The butternut squash risotto is best served hot. I like to serve it right out of the oven.
     
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 388kcal
    Keyword How to make vegan risotto, what is risotto
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Version 1

    This butternut squash risotto recipe was originally posted on October 25th, 2017 at 1:09pm. Click here to see the original post

    Overhead view of a casserole dish filled with roasted butternut squash risotto and mushroom sauce

    From time to time, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover

    This recipe went through a complete change. In the original recipe, I used cauliflower rice risotto by Alexa foods. The recipe was delicious in every way.

    But, I want to make a real risotto recipe using arborio rice. So, I kept some of the ingredients the same, but, changed it other ways.

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