Baked Butternut Brown Rice Risotto

Fresh sage and Asiago cheese really balance out the sweetness of the squash and the brown rice gives it a nutty taste, creating a savory, comforting, creamy rice dish that I just want to snuggle up with as the chill of December settles upon us. This risotto is baked to simplify the process … there’s just a little bit of stirring at the end to make this gorgeous rice dish beautifully creamy.

A friend of mine gave me some beautiful butternut and acorn squash from her garden … her squash went crazy this year and she has loads of them! Typically I’m more of a summer squash than a winter squash person. Winter squash is typically a bit too sweet for my tastes. I know, I’m weird.

But Butternut squash is so beautiful … and when I discovered fresh sage STILL growing in my mother’s garden at Thanksgiving, I decided I needed to bring some of this lovely herb home to compliment the butternut squash.

Risotto seemed like the perfect thing to make … I really really love risotto. It’s so creamy and dreamy and wonderful! … so I took my baked brown rice risotto recipe and adapted it for butternut squash.

Baked Butternut Brown Rice Risotto

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 3 - 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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For the rice:

• 1 teaspoon avocado (or olive) oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
• 3/4 cup brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water

To finish:

• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup cooked butternut squash
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese
• A pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prep a butternut squash by slicing in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, then set the squash cut side down on a cookie sheet.
2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or oven-safe saute pan, then add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the rice and continue to saute until the rice smells fragrant and is starting to brown. Stir in the broth and water, then cover and bake in the oven for an hour. Set the squash in the oven to bake as well.
3. When the rice and squash are done in the oven, pull the pans out of the oven,. Put the rice pot on the stove and stir up the rice to loosen any stuck to the pan. Then, over medium heat, stir in the wine and stir until the wine is evaporated. Add 1/4 cup water and repeat, then another 1/4 cup water. Taste the rice and repeat if you think it needs more creaminess or moisture add another 1/4 cup water and stir some more. Meanwhile, scoop out 3/4 cup of the squash (saving the rest for another use).
4. Stir in the squash, sage and cheese until melted. Serve warm with extra cheese and/or snipped sage leaves on top.

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Notes

Most of the cooking time for this recipe is “hands off” time … while the squash and rice bake in the oven.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at Foodie Friends Friday, Let’s Get Real Friday, What’s for Dinner Sunday, Weekend Potluck, Happiness is Homemade and Hearth & Soul Bloghop.