Recipe 24: Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

We had some friends over for dinner last night for "mussel night." My boyfriend still eats fish products, and this is one of his favorite meals to make for all of our friends. I had to make a dish that I could eat, yet a side dish that everyone else would enjoy. I had a butternut squash that my boyfriend brought from his garden at his work. I've made butternut squash risotto before I was vegan with lots of cheese, and I must say I enjoyed this recipe better! It was lighter, still creamy, and the sage made it so flavorful. Everyone loved it and requested that I make it again for our next party!

Butternut Squash Risotto

(Makes 4 servings)
Adapted from Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice (mine yielded 4 cups of diced squash)
• 4-5 cups hot vegetable stock (you could use water, but a stock is far more preferable for better flavor)
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Cashew "cheese"
(optional) made by blending together:

• 1/4 cup cashews,
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup of water 
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the butternut squash, onion, a pinch of salt, and some ground black pepper.
2. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until the squash starts to soften and caramelize. 
3. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and stir it with the squash until it begins to turn opaque, about 1 minute. Season again with salt and pepper.
4. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until the wine's almost evaporated. (Be careful not to burn the rice and make sure your are stirring frequently and watching the rice.) 
5. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock and stir it in. Once the stock has almost evaporated, add another 1/2 cup. Repeat until the rice is cooked. It took me about 35 minutes. Don't forget to season again with salt and pepper at the end. You might need more or less stock, and you basically want the rice to be tender yet slightly toothy, or al dente. In other words, you don't want mushy rice. You also don't want the rice to be dry and lumpy. It should be smooth and creamy.
6. Now add the cashew "cheese", if you're using it, and stir it in. Immediately add the sage and mix. Turn off the heat.
7. Serve Hot.

Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto

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