Our favorite fall date-night dinner. This herb, squash, and leek-filled risotto is a great healthy option for the holidays. Gluten free, vegan option.
A few years ago, Jack and I spent Thanksgiving alone, just the two of us. We had always traveled throughout the holiday season, exhaustingly flying around to visit both families. But this one particular year we decided enough was enough, and we made the bold move to stay home.
To buck tradition even further, there was no turkey, no trimmings… instead we made this butternut squash risotto and Jack’s signature seared scallops.
“Thanksgiving Risotto” might not have caught on as an annual tradition, but it was delicious and made for a memorable night. That and the half bottle of wine that I spilled on the wall. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I knocked over a just-opened bottle of red wine… then I somehow caught it quickly enough for it not to spill on the floor but to leave a big spatter mark on the wall.
You know a fun night happened when you wake up the next morning to find red wine all over your kitchen wall…
Butternut Squash & Leek Risotto
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup butternut squash cubes (about 1 cm)
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- ¼ cup veggie broth
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 large leek, sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup organic arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups veggie broth, more as needed
- 1-2 tablespoons earth balance butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped sage
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
- ¼ – ½ cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese (omit if vegan)
- A few pinches of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- First, start your butternut squash: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butternut squash cubes and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until they start to brown, gently flipping, to get color on the other sides, about 5 minutes. Before they start to brown too much, add the veggie broth and stir. Reduce heat to low. Cook until they are tender and cooked through, approximately 20 minutes. If the broth cooks down before they are done, add some more (or some water) to keep them from burning.
- When the squash is at least half done, start your risotto: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, half the leeks, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent but not browning, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for about 2 more minutes. Add the rice and mix it together with the onions so the dry rice toasts a little bit, about 1 minute. Add the wine, scrape up anything that’s sticking to the pan, and let the wine simmer down for another minute.
- Add the broth 1 ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Each time the liquid cooks down, add another ladle full. Before you add the last ladle of broth, add the cooked butternut squash, the remainder of the leeks, a pat of butter, sage, rosemary, and grated cheese. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately. Top with pine nuts, if desired, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
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Hi! How do you think this recipe would be with other types of squash? I have acorn and delicata on hand and want to make something like this with them 🙂
Great recipe, very well-balanced and perfect for fall! I roasted half of my squash in the oven with sage, salt, and pepper instead of cooking it and added air-fried parsnip chips on top as well and it tasted absolutely delicious!
We just made this for dinner the other night and it was delicious! Such a great combo. We used frozen organic butternut squash cubes and they worked great. Also, bought your book yesterday – excited to read through!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the risotto! Thank you for letting me know that it worked out with frozen butternut squash – that’s so convenient 🙂
I love this recipe, and would love even more to use it in an article for a school project. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions about it for me. What is its nutritional value? also how much roughly would it cost to make per serve? do you have any tips about switching ingredients to meet dietary requirements of others?
Also another thing would you please give me permission to use your photos in my article, they are so artistic and I would hate to try and photograph myself and not look as amazing. Just incase you were wondering this wont actually be published, it it purely for a school assessment.
Many thanks in advance 🙂
I love this recipe, and would love even more to use it in an article for a school project. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions about it for me. What is its nutritional value? also how much roughly would it cost to make per serve? do you have any tips about switching ingredients to meet dietary requirements of others?
Also another thing would you please give me permission to use your photos in my article, they are so artistic and I would hate to try and photograph myself and not look as amazing. Just incase you were wondering this wont actually be published, it it purely for a school assessment.
Beautiful blog! We made this dish last night, and while it didn’t look as pretty as the pictures, it was tasty! A little heavy on the sage for us though, next time I’ll reduce it by 1/2 and increase the butternut squash by at least twice.
Just finished this meal. Very good! Went well with the pumpkin beer I brewed this fall. Wife and son enjoyed it. I think it is the first rice dish our 2yr old has liked. 2 for 2 on the recipes I’ve tried from your site!
Hi John – so glad you all liked it, thanks for sharing!!
This looks amazing! I have always been intimidated by risotto but I think I’ll give it a try!
Is the “signature seared scallop” recipe on this blog somewhere?!
Hi Kara, let me know how it goes!
The scallops aren’t on the blog, this is his method (it’s really simple). I think he uses coconut oil instead of the butter and olive oil: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/seared-scallops-recipe.html
Risotto is my ultimate comfort food – and this recipe looks like it will hit the spot! Definitely trying it. Thanks!