Winter Squash Risotto

Name: Winter Squash Risotto
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced; 3 cups chopped peeled butternut, hubbard, red kuri or kabocha squash (1/2-inch pieces); 2 cups shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced; ½ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads, (optional); 1 cup arborio rice; 1/2 cup dry white wine, or dry vermouth; ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

9 Ratings
9 Reviews

Sweet winter squash and earthy shiitake mushrooms are delicious in this creamy risotto.

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Source: EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2007

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Recipe Summary test

total:

1 hr

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
Place broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not simmering.

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Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in squash and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, salt, pepper and saffron (if using); cook for 30 seconds. Add rice; stir until translucent, about 1 minute. Add wine (or vermouth) and cook, stirring, until almost absorbed by the rice, about 1 minute.
Step 3
Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all the liquid has been absorbed, until the rice is tender and creamy, 30 to 40 minutes total. (You may have some broth left.) Remove from the heat and stir in cheese.

Tips

Note: Literally the dried stigma from Crocus sativus, saffron is the world's most expensive spice. Over 75,000 flowers are required for each pound of saffron. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. It's used sparingly to add golden yellow color and flavor to a wide variety of Middle Eastern, African and European-inspired foods. Find it in the specialty-herb section of large supermarkets, gourmet-food shops and tienda.com. Wrapped in foil and placed in a container with a tight-fitting lid, it will keep in a cool, dry place for several years.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:

about 1 1/2 cups

Per Serving:

405 calories; protein 12.4g; carbohydrates 64.1g; dietary fiber 4.9g; sugars 6.4g; fat 10.1g; saturated fat 2.6g; cholesterol 8.6mg; vitamin a iu 11398.1IU; vitamin c 24.4mg; folate 57.3mcg; calcium 147.7mg; iron 2.2mg; magnesium 57.8mg; potassium 787.8mg; sodium 1174.1mg; thiamin 0.2mg.

Exchanges:

2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 fat

9 Ratings

5 star values: 9
4 star values: 0
3 star values: 0
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 0

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Natalie Chapla

10/12/2018

I've made this recipe numerous times... YUM, YUM!!!! Used delicata squash tonight (usually use butternut). Delicious as always!!!!

EatingWell Member

10/27/2013

Loved this recipe I roasted the squash first, which made it easier to cut and also allowed the sweet flavor of the squash to infuse the risotto. Pros: Healthy and Delicious Cons: None

rheyman@ameritech.net

10/27/2013

Loved this recipeI roasted the squash first, which made it easier to cut and also allowed the sweet flavor of the squash to infuse the risotto.Pros: Healthy and DeliciousCons: None

Yelena Y.

11/26/2011

My first risotto I'm new to this, and I think I did everything right, and it was delicious. I doubled the rice portion and tripled the mushroom portion because I had a surplus of both. I feel like the squash doesn't add much to the recipe, but it's also my first time experimenting with butternut squash. I did what others recommended - I parboiled the squash, and I think it may have been better if I made much smaller cubes of the squash. Pros: Easy and delicious Cons: May need larger portions

EatingWell User

11/23/2011

Came out great Followed the recipe with a few minor changes. I did listen to previous reviews and cut the squash up smaller. Cooked it for longer than 5 minutes, just to make sure it would be cooked all the way by the end. Used baby bella mushrooms instead. Even though it's not eating well, I added two tablespoons of butter when I added the cheese at the end. Pros: Budget friendly

EatingWell Member

06/09/2011

Tasty and easy! I really loved this recipe. This was my first risotto recipe that I made it myself and I absolutely loved it. The risotto came out very flavorful and creamy - it did take time to cook up but recipe and ingredients are simple enough that I didnt' have to buy any extra herbs and seasoning that i might not use again. Great budget saver! Pros: healthy, great lunch and dinner Cons: it's time consuming to cut up kuri kabocha

undergroundbee@yahoo.com

06/09/2011

Tasty and easy!I really loved this recipe. This was my first risotto recipe that I made it myself and I absolutely loved it. The risotto came out very flavorful and creamy - it did take time to cook up but recipe and ingredients are simple enough that I didnt' have to buy any extra herbs and seasoning that i might not use again. Great budget saver!Pros: healthy, great lunch and dinnerCons: it's time consuming to cut up kuri kabocha

hhthomas8@gmail.com

01/31/2011

SO good!I used sauteed summer squash instead of butternut, and added some cooked chicken strips in the last addition of broth. It was great, and a great next-day packed lunch too.Pros: Reheats well, savory and deliciousCons: Takes forever to cook

EatingWell Member

01/31/2011

SO good! I used sauteed summer squash instead of butternut, and added some cooked chicken strips in the last addition of broth. It was great, and a great next-day packed lunch too. Pros: Reheats well, savory and delicious Cons: Takes forever to cook

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Reviews (9)

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Winter Squash Risotto

Gallery

Recipe Summary test

Nutrition Profile:

Ingredients

Directions

Tips

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (9)

All Reviews for Winter Squash Risotto