Butternut squash-blue cheese risotto is a great combination of flavours for this fall. Although blue cheese is a product people are black or white about… whether you love it or you hate it. It’s understandable, since it’s a quite powerful cheese, and not easy to pair. But if you are on the love side of the spectrum, this is the recipe for you.
On the other end, butternut squash or you could also do it with the leftover of pumpkin you just carved for the kids… is a sweet element which needs a good contrasting element to balance it out. Those 2 together are a match made in heaven, one spicy and sharp and the other sweet and smooth, turns into a dynamic dish when put together. A well balanced dish.
Also, another too often forgotten element which is important in this recipe is the : Black pepper. Yes… the black pepper you always see in the end of every recipe and don’t dare to put too much of. Well in this case, don’t be shy and use it generously, it gives this extra spicy touch to the butternut squash which is irresistable. Especially, freshly cracked pepper is a plus. There is a whole world of black pepper out there, which I’m no specialist of, but if you are a black pepper master, don’t be shy to use your sharpest type for this recipe.
So let’s make this seasonal risotto going!
Butternut squash-blue cheese risotto
Makes 4 portions
Ingredients
500g of arborio rice, or bomba
500g of butternut squash cut into pieces (no skin)
100g of blue cheese (your favorite type)
1 onion finely chopped
1 litre of chicken broth prewarmed
100ml of white wine
1 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 tbsp of olive oil
optional: thyme
salt and black pepper
Directions
Start by roasting the butternut squash in the oven at 180°C (350F) for 30-35 minutes until golden
Blend the butternut squash lightly, or mash it
Add the onion to soften in a big pan with some olive oil and salt at medium-high heat for 5 minutes
Preheat the broth on the side
Add the garlic clove some extra olive oil and the arborio rice to the pan and move until the rice get translucent, about 2 minutes
Bring the heat to high heat and add half the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan
Then always moving, add the broth one ladle at the time and move constantly the rice (this makes it creamy, as it should be) for about 20 minutes
Mid-coccion add the mashed butternut squash and thyme
When the rice is almost done, 1 minute before the end, add the rest of the wine, let it get absorbed partly then take of the fire
Add the blue cheese (keep some for decoration), and check the seasoning (black pepper)
Let cover for 2 minutes to absorb the leftovers of liquid and serve
You should try it if you are into blue cheese. I’m a blue cheese lover also and find it hard to incorporate it in recipes because of it’s powerful taste, but in this dish, it’s simply irresistable. Hope you’ll try!
I’m a blue cheese fan. I’m also a butternut squash fan and I use pepper like there is no tomorrow! This looks like an incredible combination. Must try! Pinning.
I have been planning to make a butternut squash risotto for such a long time, but I somehow never got around doing it… What a great idea to add blue cheese! This will be added to my mental list 😉
12 Comments
Ooh this sounds lovely. I’m a great fan of blue cheese myself and it sounds like a great way to spruce up the mellow sweetness of the squash!
You should try it if you are into blue cheese. I’m a blue cheese lover also and find it hard to incorporate it in recipes because of it’s powerful taste, but in this dish, it’s simply irresistable. Hope you’ll try!
Looks and sounds delicious. I used to hate blue cheese. But that hatred has turned to fondness over the years. Never tried it with squash!
Thanks for the comment Julia!
I’m a blue cheese fan. I’m also a butternut squash fan and I use pepper like there is no tomorrow! This looks like an incredible combination. Must try! Pinning.
Thanks Elaine!
I have been planning to make a butternut squash risotto for such a long time, but I somehow never got around doing it… What a great idea to add blue cheese! This will be added to my mental list 😉
Mental list;) on mine its your kaiserschmarrn
Challenge accepted 😉 let’s see who ticks her item off first 😉
It’s on!
Can’t wait to try this recipe as soon as possible!
It s addictive… be careful;)