Risotto is one of my favourite things to cook – and I’d say it’s pretty good (though I say so myself)! This isn’t my original go-to recipe as I still haven’t got round to posting it, but today I want to share our new favourite twist with you: Butternut Squash and Pesto Risotto! This risotto is loaded with vegetables: onions, butternut squash, and peas and the pesto stirred through at the end is an added piece of luxury!
I usually double the recipe below to make leftovers for lunch the next day. The butternut squash and pesto risotto can also be frozen and then defrosted before microwaving – ideal for meal prep!
How to make Risotto a Success
Risotto is very easy to make as long as you have the patience to make it. It is absolutely essential to use a starchy type of rice which will become really creamy if cooked slowly. So using risotto (arborio rice) is an absolute must! To ensure a creamy texture, you must add the stock only a little at a time, allowing the rice to absorb it between each addition. This means it will take about 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked, but it is well worth the wait!
My last tip for making the perfect risotto, is the “magic three minutes” at the end. Take the risotto off the heat once cooked and stir through some butter and parmesan cheese. Then cover the risotto with a lid (or a piece of a tinfoil) and leave to stand for 3 minutes. This will give the butter and parmesan time to melt and the rice to absorb the last of all the flavourful liquid. The “magic three minutes” will result in a super creamy risotto so you will definitely not want to skip this step!
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
If you are looking for more inspiration for delicious dinner recipes make sure to check out some of my other recipes linked below!
- Salmon Fillet in Creamy Leak Sauce and Mashed Potato
- Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Lasagne
- Easy Meatball Spaghetti
- Mediterranean Vegetable and Pesto Pasta
- Vegetable Pulao | Indian Rice Dish
- Easy Cannelloni Recipe
- Healthy Wrap Pizza
- Spiced Cod with Sweetcorn Mash
- Easy Lamb Bhuna
- Butternut Squash Chilli
- Red Lentil Dhal with Crispy Aubergine
Butternut Squash and Pesto Risotto
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 500g butternut squash, cut into cubes
- A little olive oil
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 150g risotto (arborio) rice
- 2 cubes vegetable stock, dissolved in 1 litre boiling water
- 100g frozen peas
- 1 heaped tablespoon green basil pesto
- 30g parmesan cheese, grated
- 15g butter
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with a little baking paper or tinfoil.
- Start by peeling and de-seeding the butternut squash and cut it into roughly 1x1cm cubes. Drizzle with some olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and use your hands to toss and make sure everything is coated in the oil and spices. Roast the butternut squash for 40 minutes, turning half-way through until soft and slightly charred.
- In the meantime, heat a little olive oil in a large, deep frying pan until hot. Add the finely chopped red onion and gently sauté over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until softened.
- Once the onions are soft, add the crushed garlic and risotto rice. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the rice starts to turn slightly translucent.
- In the meantime, dissolve 2 vegetable stock cubes in a litre of boiling water. Start adding liquid to the rice a little at the time, stirring and waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. Continue to do so for 10-15 minutes until most of the stock had been used.
- Once the rice is near the end of its cooking time (taste some to see how hard it is), stir in the frozen peas and roasted butternut squash alongside a little more liquid.
- Once the rice is cooked (it should be al dente, so still have a slight bite to it) add the pesto, parmesan cheese, and butter. Quickly stir through the mix, then remove from the heat and cover the frying pan with a lid (or piece of tinfoil).
- Leave the risotto to sit for three minutes (“the magic three minutes”). Stir the risotto and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
