Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Here I am with more orange food. This sweet and savory (and wildly delicious) butternut squash and sage risotto is made with bacon with just a touch of heat from cayenne pepper.

It's so good and will leave you feeling satisfied.

How to make butternut squash and risotto

Featured Ingredients

Butternut Squash:

• Butternut squash: Half of a small butternut squash that you'll roast until tender.
• Stock: To puree the squash.
• Maple syrup: To sweeten it just a tad.
• Spices: Nutmeg, cayenne and salt.

Risotto:

• Bacon: Crispy bacon to sprinkle on top of the risotto.
• Sage: Fried until it's crispy.
• Shallot: To flavor the risotto.
• Arborio rice: To only rice to use to make risotto!
• Parmesan: Freshly grated as a topping.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place squash cubes on a greased baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt.
3. Roast for 25-35 minutes, until soft and caramelized on the edges.
4. Transfer squash to a blender.
5. Add the stock, maple syrup, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and puree until very smooth (mixture should be watery).
6. Place squash sauce in a saucepan on low heat to keep it warm.
7. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon pieces until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to drain.
8. Fry sage leaves in the bacon fat until crispy. Place on the paper towel to dry.
9. Add shallot to the bacon fat and stir for 30-60 seconds.
10. Stir in arborio rice, salt and black pepper and bring to medium-high heat.
11. Add a ladle of squash sauce, stirring constantly, until liquid is absorbed, then add another ladle.
12. Continue stirring and adding a ladle of squash sauce and allowing liquid to absorb, until all the sauce is used up and the rice is al dente.
13. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
14. Serve risotto with crispy bacon and sage pieces and Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• For the butternut squash: You can use any type of roasted/cooked squash, sweet potato or pumpkin for this recipe.
  • Try this recipe with canned butternut squash, sweet potato for a short cut.
  • Or, try with frozen cubed butternut squash or sweet potato for a short cut; simply follow the package directions for steaming it first.
• For the stock: Use any kind of stock you like, such as vegetable or chicken.
  • Use homemade stock, if you'd like.
• For the bacon: For a shortcut, use precooked, prechopped bacon.
• For the shallot: Use minced white or yellow onion instead.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make this gluten free: This recipe does not contain gluten.
  • Be sure all ingredients you choose are gluten free.
• To make this dairy free: Do not use the Parmesan.
• To make this vegan: Skip the bacon.
  • Use vegetable stock.
• To make this nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts.
  • Be sure all ingredients you choose are nut free.
• To make this egg free: This recipe does not contain eggs.

Squash recipes to make this fall:

• Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese
• Roasted Delicata Squash with Walnut Crumble
• Butternut Squash Carbonara
• Roasted Acorn Squash Salad
• Hasselback Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Butter
• Butternut Squash Apple Soup

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