Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Risotto
I love a rich and creamy risotto. It’s comforting, it adapts to the seasons, it’s so much more than just rice. And this risotto contains a can of pureed pumpkin, chunks of butternut squash, and a spice blend that adds loads of flavor. The creamy, salty parmesan and the bite from the arborio rice combined with the sweet pumpkin and savory spice blend make for a delicious depth of flavor.
Ras el hanout, which is a spice blend consisting of various combinations of cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and cloves, perfectly complements the pumpkin and squash, but in a savory and complex way that adds so much more than the basic pumpkin spice (for which, of course, I have nothing but love). If you don’t have ras el hanout on hand (I got a bag off Amazon), you can simply make a combination of the spices you do have from the list above. The actual spices that make up ras el hanout vary quite a bit so don’t think about it too hard.
In addition to delicious sweet flavor and creamy texture, the pumpkin and squash add a healthy kick to this recipe by providing potassium and beta-carotene, as well as vitamins E, C and some B vitamins. I use vegetable broth making this a vegetarian dish, but any chicken or beef stock would also work.
Although risotto calls for plenty of stirring, I use that time to clean as I go in between stirs, and to make a salad or other accompaniment to the meal.
This is perfect to make alongside a salad that also uses butternut squash, like my fall salad with lemon tahini vinaigrette. If using a three pound squash, about two thirds of the squash goes into the risotto, while the remaining squash goes into the salad.
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- 1 1/2 - 2 cups butternut squash
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons butter 1 of the 3 reserved for the end
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon pepper
- 2 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 7 cups vegetable broth steaming, but not quite simmering
- 1 can pumpkin puree
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut butternut squash into even bite-size pieces. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on squash and toss with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to evenly coat. Lay squash on even layer of sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes, or until squash is tender.
- Heat two tablespoons each of butter and olive oil over a medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add ras al hanout, and stir well for a minute or two.
- Add the rice and toast for about two minutes. Then add the salt, pepper, and cup of wine. Stir constantly until liquid has cooked in.
- Keep the vegetable broth in a saucepan with steam coming off the liquid, but not quite simmering. Add broth to rice mixture, about a cup at a time. Stir the rice regularly, and once the liquid has cooked in, add the next cup of broth. Continue until all of the broth has been added to the rice.
- While the last cup of broth is cooking into the rice, turn the heat down to low so that the rice keeps a free-flowing consistency that doesn't get too dry.
- Add the can of pumpkin to the risotto and stir in thoroughly.
- Stir in the cup of cheese and remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Stir in the butternut squash pieces until combined, then serve immediately.
When I make this recipe, I use about a three-pound squash, seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Although this recipe only calls for 1 1/2 to 2 cups of squash, the remaining squash can be used for a salad, another recipe, or just eaten on its own.Â