Butternut Squash Goat Cheese (Printable)
Creamy risotto with roasted squash, tangy goat cheese, Parmesan, and fresh thyme in a hearty blend.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced into 0.4 inch cubes
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
→ Grains
05 - 1½ cups Arborio rice
→ Dairy & Cheese
06 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
07 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Liquids
09 - 4 cups vegetable stock, kept warm
10 - ½ cup dry white wine
→ Oils & Seasonings
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast 20 to 25 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Set aside.
02 - In a large heavy saucepan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in Arborio rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until lightly toasted.
04 - Pour in white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.
05 - Add warm vegetable stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue 18 to 20 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - Gently fold in roasted butternut squash. Remove from heat and stir in goat cheese, Parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter until creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra thyme and goat cheese crumbles if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food but comes together in under an hour with simple ingredients you probably already have.
- The contrast between sweet squash, creamy cheese, and herby undertones makes it elegant enough for dinner guests but easy enough for a weeknight.
- Once you master the basic technique, you can swap in whatever vegetables or cheeses you love.
02 -
- Keep your stock genuinely warm in a separate pot—cold stock shocking the pan will stop the cooking process and give you stodgy rice instead of creamy rice.
- Resist the urge to rush the stirring phase; this constant attention is what coaxes the starch out of the rice and creates that signature risotto texture.
- Add your cheeses after you turn off the heat so they melt gently into the risotto instead of separating or becoming grainy.
03 -
- Buy whole nutmeg and grate just a whisper over the finished dish—it's subtle but adds a warmth that makes people wonder what the secret ingredient is.
- If you're nervous about the rice going mushy, check it at 18 minutes instead of waiting the full 20; it will continue cooking slightly as the pan cools.