Recipe: Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Makes 2 servings

This is a lighter, veggie-style risotto for cozy nights. It couldn’t be easier to make.

Olive oil
2 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus a pinch to cook rice
2 cups spinach or chopped kale
1 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups shredded Gruyère or Parmesan (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons dried sage, or 12 fresh leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the squash cubes and cook until browned on all sides.

Meanwhile, combine 3 cups of water with the rice and a generous pinch of sea salt in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cover, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice absorbs all the water, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the spinach to the squash and sauté until it begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. When rice is done, add it to the skillet along with the stock, the cheese, if using, and the parsley and sage.

Stir until the cheese melts, the stock is absorbed, and the mixture is well combined. Season with the remaining salt and the black pepper and garnish with chopped parsley.

Excerpted from Simply Real Eating. Copyright 2020 by Sarah Adler. Photographs copyright 2020 by Carina Skrobecki Photography. Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved.