Hands-Free Baked Butternut Squash Risotto (No Stirring!) Recipe
This hands-free baked butternut squash risotto turns Arborio rice, tender squash, garlic, shallot, and thyme into a creamy, comforting meal—without standing at the stove to stir. Finish it with white wine, butter, Parmesan, and nutmeg for a glossy, savory-sweet risotto ready in about an hour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Risotto
- 2½ cups vegetable stock or broth, plus 1–1½ cups more for finishing
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups or 20 ounces)
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 8–10 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with twine, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ½ cup dry, unoaked white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if desired
- ¼–½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven and stock.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center. Warm 2½ cups of vegetable stock in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Assemble the risotto.
Add the Arborio rice, diced butternut squash, shallot, garlic, and thyme to a Dutch oven or another large oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid. Pour the warm stock over the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Bake until the rice is al dente.
Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes, checking for doneness around 35 minutes. The rice should be mostly tender with a slight bite at the center. A little loose stock in the pot is fine; it will be absorbed as you finish the risotto.
- Finish the risotto.
Carefully remove the lid. Add the white wine, butter, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Stir vigorously until the squash breaks down slightly and the risotto becomes creamy and glossy. If it is too thick, stir in additional vegetable stock a splash at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Serve.
Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with extra grated Parmesan or chopped fresh herbs, if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Cut the squash into roughly ½-inch cubes so it cooks through during the baking time.
- Begin checking the rice around 35 minutes; oven temperatures and pot styles can affect how quickly it cooks.
- For the best texture, stir vigorously after baking to help the squash break down and the ingredients emulsify into a creamy risotto.
- Add the extra stock gradually. About ½ cup is often enough to loosen the risotto, but the amount can vary.
- Use a tightly covered, oven-safe Dutch oven or pot. If using dried thyme instead of fresh, add 2 teaspoons.
- For a strictly vegetarian version, use Parmesan made with vegetarian rennet.
