one-pan butternut squash risotto with parmesan sage crisps

While many are gearing up for winter and the holidays, I’m a firm believer in taking a few weeks to settle fully into the underappreciated subseason that is late fall. Bare tree branches are backlit by gray sky, dusk falls early, and for a moment between Halloween and the holiday season, energy dips to a soothing frequency.

It’s a perfect time to make risotto: standing at a warm stove, slowly stirring broth into rice and waiting patiently for the liquid to be absorbed. 

You might be inclined to overdub this mindless task with a podcast or a playlist or a phone call you’ve been meaning to make. But if you can, consider it an opportunity for mindful monotasking—giving your sole focus to the sounds of the bubbling broth, the smells of garlic and toasted parmesan, the sight of bright orange squash slowly melting into the risotto. 

However you choose to pass the cooking time, you’ll be left with a warm bowl of savory rice porridge, to be eaten slowly with a spoon as the long evening stretches ahead of you.  

Watch the video!

Serves 2

Ingredients

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, divided

1 heaping teaspoon finely chopped sage 

kosher salt and black pepper 

2 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water

parmesan rind (optional, but recommended for xtra umami)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes (should be about 2 heaping cups of cubed squash or about 15 ounces)

2 or 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 cup arborio rice

1/4 cup dry white wine (or 2 tbsp white wine vinegar + 2 tbsp water)

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into four cubes

Directions

1. Peel and chop the squash, onion, and garlic and set aside.

2. Combine the sage and 1/2 cup grated  parmesan in a small bowl and season with black pepper. Divide the cheese into two flat circles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside.

3. Pour the vegetable broth and water into a small pot with the parmesan rind (if using) and bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened. Then add in the cubed squash, sliced garlic, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for about 7 minutes.

5. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the rice smells slightly toasty. 

6. Add the wine (or vinegar-water mix) to the saucepan. Stir for a minute until the wine has been absorbed by the rice and the sharp alcohol/vinegar smell has cooked off.

7. Add the heated broth a ladleful at a time, stirring until it gets absorbed by the rice before adding the next ladleful. While the risotto cooks, send the piles of cheese to the oven for about 8 minutes or until they look golden and crispy (but not burned!).

8. Once the broth is gone, test the rice to make sure it is tender and cooked through. When you drag a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pot, the risotto should run back together rather than stay separate. Add more broth or water as needed if the risotto is too stiff.

9. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the butter, 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan, and a hit of black pepper. Taste and season with salt or more pepper as needed.

10. Divide the risotto into serving bowls and top each with a parmesan sage crisp.