Acorn Squash Risotto

Remember when I shared my Butternut Squash Risotto with you last month? I thought that was the best stuff ever since sliced bread! I mean, whoever thought of sliced bread was a genius! Who thinks of this stuff?

Sorry to say, I was wrong about my Butternut Squash Risotto. Well, not entirely wrong, because it really IS all that creamy and more. But I think I'm loving this Acorn Squash Risotto even more!

Plus, I made this batch vegan with a vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

It's a simple recipe with only Arborio rice, onion, olive oil, vegetable broth, wine, acorn squash, Parmesan, and salt and pepper for flavoring. Nothing else. No fancy spices, meats, or herbs. Just the basics.

Do you ever notice that some of the best recipes are the simple ones with basic ingredients?

I think this risotto is even creamier than my Butternut Squash risotto, if that's even possible. 
 

YES!

I like to compare risotto to macaroni and cheese because it's so creamy with a deliciously mild flavor.

This is my new ultimate comfort food!

Acorn Squash Risotto

Recipe by Julie @ Sweet and Spicy Monkey

A deliciously creamy acorn squash risotto served in baked acorn squash halves.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour and 25 minutes (includes baking of acorn squash)
Total time: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings with acorn squash halves, 10-12 servings risotto
Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Extra virgin Olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 2 quarts vegetable broth
• 3 acorn squash, roasted
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 and 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Sea salt & pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
2. Cut acorn squashes in half, top and bottom halves. Remove stem off top half by scraping with your finger or fingernail. They come right off very easily.
3. Remove seeds with a spoon. You can toss the seeds in the trash or bake them like pumpkin seeds to snack on for later.
4. Brush olive oil over fleshy half of squash.
5. Place in a baking dish, fleshy half up. Add about 1/4" of water to bottom of baking dish so squashes don't dry out or burn while cooking.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until squash flesh is soft and lightly browned.
7. Remove from oven.
8. Once cooled, puree the flesh of 1 acorn squash for risotto. Set aside.
9. Pour vegetable broth into a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, turn off heat, and cover. Set aside.
10. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add in onions once oil is heated and sauté onions until they are clear.
11. Stir in rice and sauté until rice is a light brown color.
12. Add wine with 1 cup of vegetable broth, stirring until liquid is absorbed.
13. Gradually add in broth, 2 cups at a time, stirring well until almost all the liquid is absorbed in with the rice.
14. Repeat adding broth, 2 cups at a time, until all of it has been added to rice and risotto is creamy.
15. Stir in acorn squash puree.
16. Remove pan from heat and add in parmesan cheese, stirring well so all cheese is mixed thoroughly.
17. Salt & pepper to taste.
18. Spoon risotto into baked acorn squash halves and serve with grated parmesan cheese over the tops.

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