Butternut Squash Risotto (Risotto alla Zucca)
Butternut squash risotto is creamy Italian rice cooked slowly in warm broth, then finished with roasted squash, butter and Parmigiano. In Italy it is called risotto alla zucca, and it shows up on tables all over the north as soon as the weather turns cold. It takes about an hour, most of it hands off while the squash roasts.
Here is how we make it. We roast the squash first so it tastes sweet and a little caramelized, not watery. Then we mash half of it into the rice so the whole pot turns golden, and fold the rest in at the end so you still get soft, whole pieces in every bite. Crispy fried sage on top finishes it off.
Why Roast the Squash First
A lot of recipes simmer raw squash right in the risotto. It works, but the squash tastes flat and adds extra water to the pot. Roasting it at a high heat does two things. It cooks off moisture, and it browns the edges, which brings out the natural sugar in the squash.
Splitting the squash is the other trick. Half gets mashed and stirred into the rice partway through cooking. That gives you the color and the flavor all the way through. The other half goes in whole at the very end, so the pieces stay tender and don’t fall apart from all the stirring.
If you can only find a pumpkin, use a small sugar pie pumpkin. Big carving pumpkins are too watery. Kabocha squash also works well and is even a little sweeter.
The Right Rice for Risotto
Risotto needs a short, fat Italian rice with a lot of starch. That starch is what makes risotto creamy without any cream. Here are the two you can find in most stores:
- Carnaroli: Our first choice. It holds its shape better, turns extra creamy and is harder to overcook.
- Arborio: The easiest to find and still very good. Watch it closely at the end, because it goes soft faster.
Never rinse risotto rice. Rinsing washes away the starch you need. Long grain rice and basmati won’t work here either. They stay separate and never turn creamy.
How to Make Butternut Squash Risotto
The full recipe with amounts is in the recipe card below. Here is the method at a glance:
- Roast the squash at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, then mash half of it.
- Keep the broth hot in a saucepan on the back of the stove.
- Fry the sage in olive oil until crisp, then cook the onion in that same oil.
- Toast the rice for 2 minutes, then add the wine.
- Add the broth one ladle at a time, stirring often, and stir in the mashed squash halfway through.
- Finish off the heat with cold butter and Parmigiano, then fold in the roasted squash cubes.
You do not have to stir without stopping. Stir often, every 30 seconds or so, so the rice rubs together and releases its starch. That is what makes it creamy. The whole cooking time on the stove is about 18 to 20 minutes once the rice goes in.
The Secret Is the Mantecatura
Italians have a word for the last step of every risotto: mantecatura. It means taking the pot off the heat and beating in cold butter and cheese until the rice turns glossy and silky. Most home cooks skip it or just stir the cheese in gently. Don’t. Beat it hard with a wooden spoon for a full minute.
The butter has to be cold, and the pot has to be off the heat. That way the butter and cheese blend into the starchy liquid instead of turning greasy. Then cover the pot and let it rest for 2 minutes before serving. A finished risotto should be loose enough to spread into a flat layer on the plate. In Italy they call that all’onda, “like a wave.”
Common Risotto Mistakes and How to Fix Them
- Cold broth. Adding cold broth stops the cooking every time. Keep it at a bare simmer the whole way through.
- Adding all the broth at once. You end up with boiled rice, not risotto. One ladle at a time is the rule.
- Risotto too thick or gluey. It kept cooking after you tasted it. Stir in a splash of hot broth right before serving.
- Rice still chalky in the middle. Keep going. Add another ladle or two of broth and cook a few minutes more. If you run out of broth, use hot water.
- Bland flavor. Taste and salt at the end, after the cheese goes in. Low-sodium broth and Parmigiano both change how much salt you need.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Use vegetable broth. True Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet, so pick a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you.
- Dairy-free: Use vegetable broth, finish with a good olive oil instead of butter, and skip the cheese. It will be less creamy but still tasty.
- With pancetta or sausage: Brown diced pancetta or crumbled Italian sausage in the pan first, set it aside, and fold it back in at the end.
- With gorgonzola: Swap a third of the Parmigiano for crumbled gorgonzola. Squash and gorgonzola are a classic pair, the same one we use in our pumpkin and gorgonzola lasagna.
What to Serve With It and How to Store It
In Italy, risotto is usually its own course. As a main dish, serve it with a simple green salad with lemon and olive oil, or a plate of roasted vegetables. It also works as a side next to roast chicken or pork.
Risotto is best right away. Leftovers keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it in a pan over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until it loosens up again. Or do what Italian cooks do with leftover risotto and turn it into arancini, fried rice balls with a cheesy center.
If you love this one, try our creamy mushroom risotto, a classic risotto con porcini, or the golden saffron risotto alla Milanese. For another fall squash dish, see our pasta with clams and pumpkin.
Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe
Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients
For the roasted squash
- 1 medium butternut squash about 2 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the risotto
- 5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated, plus more for serving
- 1 pinch nutmeg optional
- kosher salt to taste
For the crispy sage
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Toss the squash cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the salt and the pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until soft and browned on the edges.
- Scoop half of the roasted squash into a bowl and mash it with a fork into a rough puree. Keep the other half of the cubes whole for the end.
- Pour the broth into a saucepan and keep it at a bare simmer on a back burner. Hot broth keeps the rice cooking evenly.
- For the sage, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Fry the sage leaves for 20 to 30 seconds, just until crisp but still green. Move them to a paper towel. Leave the sage oil in the pan.
- Cook the onion in the sage oil with a pinch of salt over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until soft but not browned.
- Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the edges of the grains look clear. Pour in the wine and stir until it is almost gone.
- Add one ladle of hot broth and stir until most of it is absorbed. Keep adding broth one ladle at a time, stirring often, for about 16 to 18 minutes. After about 10 minutes, stir in the mashed squash.
- Taste the rice. It is done when it is tender with a small bite in the center and the risotto moves like a slow wave when you shake the pan. Add a splash more broth if it looks stiff.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add the cold butter, the Parmigiano and the nutmeg, if using, and beat hard with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute until glossy. Cover and rest for 2 minutes.
- Fold in the roasted squash cubes and season with salt. Serve right away in warm bowls, topped with the crispy sage and more Parmigiano.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Butternut squash is sweet, a little nutty and turns creamy when cooked, so it blends right into the rice. Roasting it first gives it more flavor and keeps the risotto from getting watery.
Sage, Parmigiano, butter, a splash of white wine and a pinch of nutmeg are the classic partners. Pancetta, Italian sausage or gorgonzola are good additions if you want something richer.
Yes, use a small sugar pie pumpkin or a kabocha squash and roast it the same way. Skip large carving pumpkins, which are watery and bland.
No. Stir often, about every 30 seconds, and add the hot broth one ladle at a time. Constant stirring is not needed, but walking away for long stretches will make the rice stick and cook unevenly.
Roast the squash up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. The risotto itself is best made right before serving. If you must, cook it about three quarters of the way, spread it on a sheet pan to cool, then finish it with hot broth when you are ready to eat.
