Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Risotto (Printable)

A creamy dish blending roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, herbs, and Parmesan in tender Arborio rice.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small butternut squash (approximately 1.54 lbs), 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 (approximately 10.6 oz)

→ Dairy & Cheese

06 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
07 - ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1.4 oz)
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 Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss diced butternut squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 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 chopped onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and fresh thyme, cooking for another minute.
03 - Add Arborio rice to the pan and stir continuously for 2 minutes until grains are lightly toasted.
04 - Pour in dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice.
05 - Ladle warm vegetable stock into the rice one portion at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until liquid is mostly absorbed before adding more. Continue this process for 18 to 20 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - Fold in roasted butternut squash. Remove from heat and incorporate goat cheese, Parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir until mixture is creamy and uniform. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Plate immediately, garnishing with additional fresh thyme and goat cheese crumbles if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's fancy enough to serve guests but honest enough to make on a Tuesday night when you just want something warm.
  • The goat cheese gives you that restaurant-quality tang without needing a culinary degree.
  • One pan, no fussy techniques—just you, a wooden spoon, and gradually disappearing stock.
02 -
  • The stock must be warm; cold stock will shock the rice and make it clump instead of cream—I learned this the hard way.
  • Don't walk away during the stirring phase; risotto is a conversation, not a set-it-and-forget-it dish, and it rewards your attention with texture.
  • The residual heat will keep cooking the rice for a minute after you turn off the flame, so finish just slightly before you think it's done.
03 -
  • Prep everything before you start cooking—mise en place is not pretentious, it's practical—so you're never reaching for something while your stock is evaporating.
  • If the risotto feels too thick at the end, a splash of warm water or extra stock brings it back to the right consistency without diluting the flavor.
  • Drink the wine you're cooking with; the ritual of sipping while you stir makes the whole process feel less like a chore and more like an evening.

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