Saffron Butternut Squash Risotto is the perfect summer meal when you add a good rosé and frisee salad with pine nuts & strawberries. Add someone beautiful to look at and you are set.
Here’s what you need:
- 1 Butternut Squash, cleaned and cubed
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 6 Cups Better Than Bouillon, Vegan Chicken Broth
- 6 Tablespoons Margarine
- 2 Large Shallots, minced
- 1 1/2 Cups Risotto Rice
- 1/2 Cup White Wine (you might need more)
- 2 teaspoons Saffron Petals
- 1 Cup Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoons Lemon Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 3/4 Cup Swiss Chard, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon Sumac (you can read more about this spice and substituting it by clicking here)
- 1/2 teaspoon Marjoram
- Vegan Parmesan to sprinkle over the top
Heat oven to 400.
In an oven safe baking dish, toss Squash, Olive Oil and Lemon Pepper and bake until tender. It should take between 10-15 minutes. It may take longer if your squash is cut in larger cubes. Check on it while you make your rice.
In your Dutch oven, melt your Margarine over a medium heat. Once your Margarine is melted, toss in your Shallots and cook while occasionally stirring until tender. Then add Rice and stir until your Rice is coated. Then add Wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of Broth and continue to mix your rice and simmer. Then mix in Saffron, Cumin, Paprika, Sumac and Marjoram and continue to mix your rice while letting it simmer.
Once your Broth is absorbed, add another 1 of Broth and continue to stir. Allow that cup of Broth to be absorbed before adding another cup of Broth. Keep repeating this adding Broth, stirring and letting that cup absorb process until you’ve add all 6 cups of your Broth.
You’ll notice your Rice has a little white center that gradually disappears as the rice cooks. You’ll know your Rice is cooked when you can no longer see that little white core. If for some reason you have reduced your Rice too much – add a little more Wine one tablespoon at a time until your Rice is nice and tender. This whole process should take around 20-25 minutes – it shouldn’t take more than 30.
Then mix in your tender Squash, raw Swiss Chard and Vegan Cheese. Your greens will cook slightly and your Vegan Cheese will melt as you mix it in.
Top with some Vegan Parmesan when you serve it and enjoy with a warm fuzzy feeling… this recipe was created using fond and romantic memories and for us is like sharing a little bit of our love story*.
via Dan and Annie Shannon live in Brooklyn, NY and are the duo behind MeetTheShannons.com. They’ve both worked in animal advocacy on corporate campaigns ranging from promoting fur-free fashion and veganism. For the last few years they’ve have been cooking their way through the Betty Crocker Cookbook making all the recipes vegan and writing their first book Betty Goes Vegan: 500 Recipes for The Modern Family.