Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto (Creamy + Delicious)
This vegan butternut squash risotto is the perfect autumn comfort food. Delicious, creamy, hearty, and indulgent, it's also gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 fresh sage leaves, stems removed and finely chopped
- 1½ cups (300 g) risotto rice
- ½ cup (100 ml) white wine (ideally vegan, optional)
- 1 lemon, zest and juice (remember to grate before juicing)
- 4-5 cups (1-1.2 litres) vegan stock
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ cup (100 ml) plant-based milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) plant-based butter (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). When preparing the butternut squash, it's up to you if you want to peel the skin or not. I always leave it on since it'll soften in the oven and is perfectly edible. Give the squash a quick rinse, cut in half, remove the tough parts of the stem and bottom end, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then chop into 1-inch cubes. (You can roast the seeds as a garnish or snack).
- Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil over a large oven dish, then add the cubed butternut squash and spread evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for around 25 minutes or until tender.
- While the squash is roasting, you can begin preparing the other ingredients. Heat the vegan stock in a saucepan then keep at a very low simmer.
- In a separate large pan, heat the other tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and soften for 3-4 minutes, before adding the chopped garlic and chopped sage. Season with salt and pepper, stir well, and cook for a couple of minutes or until the onion and garlic have softened.
- At this point, turn up the heat and keep stirring the ingredients. Add the risotto rice and stir constantly for a minute or so to avoid it catching on the bottom. The aim here is for the rice to start cracking and turning translucent, which will help it to absorb all the flavours from the liquid. Don't walk away from the pan – it's all hands on deck to keep stirring right now.
- After a minute on high heat, add the white wine and lemon juice (but not the zest). If not using wine, replace this with ½ cup (100 ml) of stock. The liquid will bubble vigorously at first, before calming down. Stir well for a minute and then reduce the heat.
- Start to add ladles of the stock to the rice, stirring regularly. The idea is to 'beat' the rice to help release the starches and make it creamy. Don't drown the rice in stock, but also don't let it dry out too much. 'Sloppy' is the best word I can think of to describe it. The heat should be fairly low throughout, so that the rice is bubbling gently but not boiling.
- Continue this process for around 15 minutes, before adding the nutritional yeast, lemon zest, and plant-based milk. Stir well and cook for another five minutes, adding as much stock as you need to the pan. 1 litre of stock should be enough for 300 grams of rice, but add extra liquid if necessary.
- Once the squash is cooked, remove from the oven and mash half of it in the oven dish. Stir the mash and cubes into the risotto, adding a little more hot water or stock if necessary.
- After the rice has been cooking for a total of 20 minutes, it should be 'al dente'. Each grain should be cooked through but still hold its shape. It may take longer than 20 minutes depending on how hot your stock is and how much you're cooking. Once the rice is creamy and cooked through, adjust the seasoning (I sometimes add a little extra chopped sage) and then turn off the heat.
- Optional step: At this point, I like to stir in a generous spoonful of plant-based butter and then cover with a lid. I find that this gives a nice gloss to the final risotto. After a couple of minutes, remove the lid and stir well.
- Serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, vegan parmesan, roasted squash seeds, and crispy sage leaves (see notes).
Notes
Stock 'cheat' method: Instead of keeping the stock in a separate pan on low heat, you can add stock powder or a crumbled cube to the risotto pan and then gradually pour small amounts of hot water from a boiled kettle.
Crispy sage leaves: Fried sage leaves are a delicious topping for this risotto. To make them, simply heat olive oil in a pan then add the leaves, frying for around 30-45 seconds until crispy (be careful not to burn them). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and sprinkle with a little salt.
Squash cubes: I like decent-sized chunks in the final risotto, but you can cut these smaller if you like (this will also speed up the roasting time).
Quantity: If scaling up the amounts, just be aware that the rice may take longer to cook.
Other winter squash: You can substitute the butternut squash in this recipe for any winter squash, including different varieties of pumpkin. If the squash you’re using has particularly tough skin, you may want to remove this before cooking.
Dried sage: While fresh sage is ideal, you could also use dried. I'd start with one teaspoon and add more to suit your taste. You can either add this to the stock pan or stir it in once you start adding liquid to the risotto rice.
Add more veg: If you want to take this recipe up a notch, add finely chopped carrot (1 medium) and celery (2 sticks) when frying the onion. This trio of veg is what the Italians call a 'soffritto' and it adds more depth to the base.
Texture: After the rice has been cooking for a total of 20 minutes, it should be 'al dente'. Each grain should be cooked through but still hold its shape. If you need to cook it for longer, just be careful not to let it go too mushy.
Pan: If possible, you should use a wide, high-sided pan or skillet to cook risotto. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does help the liquid to evaporate more evenly (and so the rice will cook more evenly).
Make it creamier: Another very easy way to make vegan risotto creamy is to use... vegan cream! Simply stir through some plant-based cream or plant-based crème fraiche at the end.
Make it cheesier: To really make this risotto sing, top it off with some dairy-free cheese. You can try my recipe for vegan parmesan or use a store-bought version. You can also simply top it off with a good pinch of nutritional yeast.
Extra zing: The lemon juice and zest will do a good job of replacing the zing you get from dairy parmesan, but if you want a little extra then try adding a splash of cider vinegar. Start with a couple of teaspoons and then add more to suit your taste.
Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a plant-based milk and vegan stock that are certified or labelled as such (as well as any plant-based cream or crème fraiche you add).
Storage: Risotto is best when it's freshly cooked. The starch in the rice means that storing it results in a gluey, mushy mass. This still tastes great, however, and so your best bet is to turn it into arancini (breaded risotto balls) or risotto fritters. Store in the fridge for up to three days. It is not recommended to freeze cooked risotto.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
- Vegan Beetroot Risotto
- Smoked Tofu Risotto with Lemon & Basil
- Vegan Pea and Mint Risotto
- Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
- Easy Cheesy Pasta Sauce
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
- 12-Minute Tomato and Basil Pasta
Nutrition
Calories: 562kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 12gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 365mgPotassium: 1119mgFiber: 10gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 24256IUVitamin C: 65mgVitamin D: 10µgCalcium: 167mgIron: 6mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto (Creamy + Delicious)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 562
Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Sodium 365mg16%
Potassium 1119mg32%
Carbohydrates 98g33%
Fiber 10g42%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 12g24%
Vitamin A 24256IU485%
Vitamin C 65mg79%
Vitamin D 10µg67%
Calcium 167mg17%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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