Healthy, tasty and vegan, this creamy roasted butternut squash risotto is simply fall in a bowl. Wish i had remembered to sprinkle some toasted pine nuts on top before I took the photos.

There’s no denying the magic that some crispy fried sage can bring to a comforting dish like this, but peppery arugula is not too shabby when trying to stay both healthy and delicious.

This is a simple recipe that comes together fairly quickly and works great as a side dish or a main meal. Topped with crispy tofu or a mix of roasted veggies and mushrooms, this risotto has the potential to be a real show stopper.

As soon as wild chanterelles start making their appearance at the farmers market I’m all over them. Sautéed quickly with some leeks and a splash of white wine, then stirred in the risotto just before serving with the roasted caramelized butternut on top. Pure awesomeness, not to be ignored!

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:30

Total Time:40

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium size butternut squash
1 organic lemon zested and juiced
1 cup baby arugula -organic
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch sea salt -to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
5-6 cup vegetable stock (hot and low sodium)
1 1/2 cup carnarolli risotto rice
1/2 leek -sliced and rinsed well
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/3 cup pine nuts -toasted

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 450”F. Peel the butternut squash, discard the seeds and cut the flesh into 1 inch cubes. Toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Gently flip them over and roast an additional 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
Meanwhile in a large skillet heat up 2 tbsp of the oliv eoil and saute the leeks with a pinch of sea salt until translucent. Stir in the rice to and start adding the hot stock, a ladle at a time, just enough to cover the grains of rice. Keep the rice cooking at a gentle simmer while adding the hot stock and stirring often. Repeat until the rice is cooked through but still al dente. ( about the 25-30 minutes)
Take 3/4 c of the roasted butternut squash cubes and roughly mash them with a fork. Add them to the pan with the risotto, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, half of the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir well until everything is incorporated. Adjust seasonings to your taste with sea salt and more lemon juice. Stir in the arugula (reserving a few leaves for garnish ) and cover with a lid. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving with the remaining butternut squash on top and garnished with a few arugula leaves. Sprinkle with the pine nuts.