Winter Squash Risotto Sage (Printable Version)

Creamy risotto blending sweet winter squash, fresh sage, and Parmesan for warm, savory flavors.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 1/2 lbs winter squash (e.g., butternut or acorn), peeled and diced
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Grains

04 - 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

→ Liquids

05 - 5 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
06 - 1 cup dry white wine

→ Dairy

07 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
08 - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Oils

13 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and chopped sage leaves, sauté for 1 minute until aromatic.
03 - Add diced winter squash, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Stir in Arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes, allowing grains to toast lightly.
05 - Pour in the dry white wine and simmer, stirring, until mostly absorbed.
06 - Add warm vegetable broth one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue until rice is creamy and al dente, about 20 to 25 minutes. You may not need all the broth.
07 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, if using, until smooth and creamy.
08 - Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve garnished with extra sage and additional Parmesan if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like someone who knows you made it, but comes together in under an hour.
  • The squash softens into the rice so completely that it becomes part of the creaminess itself.
  • One pot, one evening, and your kitchen smells like a cozy Italian restaurant on the coldest night.
02 -
  • Never stop stirring during the broth stage—the constant motion is what draws the starch from the rice and makes it creamy; if you leave it alone, it becomes rice soup instead.
  • If your broth is cold, the cooking time stretches and the rice turns gummy; keeping it simmering in a separate pot is the difference between success and frustration.
  • Adding everything at once at the end instead of gradually will result in a gluey mass instead of something creamy; add the butter, cheese, and cream with intention and you'll feel it come together.
03 -
  • Keep your broth simmering in a separate pot on the back burner throughout cooking—this single detail is the difference between risotto and rice porridge.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh, not from a shaker; the difference in how it melts and tastes is remarkable and worth the thirty seconds it takes.

Return