I love making risotto, it's a lovely dish to cook and I find it relaxing slowly stirring it over half an hour and watching it get thicker and more delicious. There is also usually plenty of wine left (if using wine) to enjoy a little glass while cooking!
There is something so nourishing about a risotto. It can be a lovely warming dish to have in the winter but by adding some bright and tasty vegetables it can easily be turned into a lovely nutritious summer meal.
This risotto is a firm favourite in my family and is my son's number 1 favourite dish!
I love making it because it's a no fuss dish that can all be done in one dish (you can add the butternut squash straight to the pan to cook but roasting it really does bring out the sweet and nutty flavour better).
You can easily make this dairy free by using more nutritional yeast rather than the parmesan and you can swap the butternut squash or the peas for another vegetable of you want, it's very versatile!
Serves: family of 4
Ingredients:
300g risotto rice
1 1/2 litres of vegetable or chicken stock
3 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion
2 garlic cloves
125ml white wine (optional)
1/2 butternut squash (around 500g)
100g peas (if using frozen, defrost before using)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
40g parmesan (plus parmesan to grate on top)
handful of parsley
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Peel and chop the butternut squash into small chunks and add to a roasting tray with 2 tbsp's of olive oil. Add tray to oven and roast for 30 minutes until soft and slightly browning around the edges, stir once half way through.
Meanwhile chop the onions finely and add to a pan on a medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil, saute for 5-8 minutes until soft, finely chop the garlic and add to the pan for the final minute. Then stir in the risotto rice and allow the to cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to smell toasted. Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated.
Then start to slowly add the stock, a ladle or 2 at a time, you want the rice to just be covered, keep slowly stirring the rice as you go over a low-medium heat and adding the stock as needed. The risotto should start to turn creamy after 25-30 minutes, you want the rice to be al dente (cooked but with a slight bite to it).
Once ready add the nutritional yeast and the parmesan, then slowly stir in the roasted butternut squash and the peas. Season with salt and pepper where needed (I usually season the adults portion once served).
Top with grated parmesan and some chopped parsley.
Enjoy!
This dish is gluten free
It can be made dairy free by removing the substituting the parmesan for more nutritional yeast)
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