Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Italian Comfort

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (53)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 side dish servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 35 min

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Ingredients

4 cups vegetable broth
1 large vanilla bean
3 cups peeled cubed (1-inch wide) butternut squash, about 12 ounces
2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon
3/4 cups finely chopped onion (from 1 onion)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

In a medium saucepan, warm the broth over medium-high heat. Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them, and the bean, to the broth. When the broth comes to a simmer reduce the heat to low. Add the butternut squash to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the butternut squash to a side dish. Turn the heat on the broth down to very low and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Discard the vanilla bean. Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the butternut squash, Parmesan, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and salt. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve

immediately.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
Melissa New York, NY 11-19-2009
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Butternut Squash and Vanilla Rice
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

So my market is extremely ghetto and doesn't carry a lot of items (like parmesan cheese wedges or Arborio rice). They didn't... even have medium grain rice! I had to use a regular long grain rice so technically I made Butternut Squash and Vanilla Rice.....but it was delicious! I roasted the squash in the oven like other reviewers recommended. My market also does not carry vanilla beans (of course) so I followed another suggestion and added about 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract to the chicken stock. The result was a yummy, slightly sweet, incredibly comforting sidedish.Read more
recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
Jim Rancho Mirage, CA 11-16-2009
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My first attempt at risotto was not a hit
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I made it exactly to Giada's recipe. The taste was fairly bland and the rice was slightly too al dente. I've read in other... reviews that it takes another two cups of broth to finish the rice correctly. Is that it? Because the rice was still a little crunchy to the taste. What am I doing wrong?Read more
recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
Jenny Washington, DC 11-08-2009
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My husband said it was the best risotto I'd ever made!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We really loved this -- even my two-year-old daughter. The vanilla just made it special, and it's a wonderful fall recipe. ... Highly recommended!Read more
recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
barbara middletown, CT 11-05-2009
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Yummy....
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this several times... I have made it with both chicken broth and veggie broth and prefer the chicken broth. I... replaced the onion with a small shallot.. cooking the shallot, some garlic and chopped fresh sage togethr, then added the arbio some nutmeg and white pepper, then I add wine as my first liquid addition. I like do cook the squash in the liquid as opposed to roasting it, because I like having the squash flavor in the liquid (plus it reduces the clean up a bit). I use only 1/2 of the vanilla bean... you have to be careful not to overcook the squash, taking it out of the liquid while it is still a bit hard. Excellent, as good as you would get in a restaurant. Or so I have been told. I think roasting the squash would be just as good and will give it a different depth of flavor. Read more
recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
BusyMom Bakersfield, CA 11-05-2009
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Family Favorite
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I didn't use the vanilla bean, and it was still spectacular. I also used low sod. chicken broth because I always make it that... way. I have made risotto many times before the 'old fashioned' way and it is always worth the effort. I tried three things differently: I lightly coated the butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roasted at 400 for 30 min. mixing twice thanks to other comments and another recipe. I pureed half the butternut squash and mashed the rest before adding to the risotto; and I chopped 1 TBsp fresh flat leaf parsley instead of chives (add at the end). Oh- and use best quality unsalted butter (Irish butter). Turned out my best ever :) Read more
recipe Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto
kellie magnolia, TX 10-26-2009
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No Vanilla
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I make risotto all the time. I think that the vanilla ruined the flavors of everything else. I recommend to just omit the... vanilla and it will be delicious. Read more