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Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

5 from 6 reader reviews
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4
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Ingredients

  • 2 lb (908 grams) butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2-inch cubes (4 cups chopped squash)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 6 ½ cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
  • 2 tablespoons light miso
  • 1 large shallot, fine dice (½ cup diced shallot)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ cups arborio rice (DO NOT rinse)
  • 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • vegan parmesan for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash on the baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once the squash cubes are all coated, arrange in a single layer and roast until tender, about 25 minutes.
  • Get the stock ready. Pour stock into a medium saucepan with a lid. Place a ladle to the side. Cover the stock and set it over medium heat on the stove. Bring to a simmer.
  • Place the miso in a small bowl and top it with a ladle of warm stock. Use a whisk to “dissolve” the miso into the stock. Then, pour the miso-enriched stock back into the saucepan. Keep the stock on low heat so that it stays warm and is barely simmering.
  • Set a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and swirl it around. Add the shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and smoked paprika. Stir for 30 seconds.
  • Add the arborio rice and stir to coat in the oil and seasonings for about 30 seconds.
  • Add 2 ladles of warm stock and stir. It should be lightly simmering. When the pan is almost dry, add 2 more ladles of stock. Keep stirring every 30 seconds or so.
  • Repeat this process of stirring, waiting for the pot to almost dry up, and adding 2 ladles of stock until the rice is just tender and the consistency is starting to get creamy. This takes about 25-30 minutes total. You may not need all of the stock!
  • When the rice is creamy and cooked through, add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and stir. Add the roasted butternut squash cubes and stir once more. Give the risotto a taste to check the seasoning, and adjust if necessary (more salt or lemon etc). Serve the risotto hot with vegan parmesan for sprinkling.

Recipe Notes

  • I absolutely love using honey nut squash for this recipe. If you can find some where you live, I urge you to go for it.
  • The heat level under the risotto as you cook and stir is key. It should be lightly simmering.
My vegan butternut squash risotto is such a cozy main! It has about 10 ingredients and takes 1 hour to make. Enriching the warm vegetable stock with miso offers a crucial salty-umami quality to the finished dish.