Mimi Harrison's Vegan butternut squash risotto

Beat the Budget’s Vegan butternut squash risotto

This hearty dish of creamy rice and golden butternut squash takes a bit of time and effort to create, but the end result is well worth it...

, 17 August 2020

(48 votes)

Beat the Budget’s Vegan butternut squash risotto

  • 40 Mins

  • Serves: 4

  • Price: 84p per serving

Nutritional Info
Each 641 serving contains

  • Energy

    1663KJ

    397KCAL

    20%

  • Fat

    7.1g

    low

    10%

  • Saturates

    0.6g

    low

    3%

  • Sugars

    12.8g

    low

    14%

  • Salt

    0.83g

    low

    14%
2
of your 5-a-day
of your reference intake.
Typical energy values per 100: 259kJ/62kcal.
Ingredients
  • 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cubed
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • A few sprigs thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
  • 1 1/2tbsp tomato puree
  • 25g Asda Arborio Rice
  • 1 courgette, coarsely grated
  • STORE CUPBOARD
  • 2tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 reduced-salt vegan stock cubes, made up to 1.1L
Method

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.

  • Put the butternut squash on a baking tray, drizzle with 1tbsp of the oil and toss to coat well. Pop in the oven and roast for 30 mins, tossing halfway through.

  • Meanwhile, add the onion to a large pan with the remaining oil. Cook over a medium heat for 5 mins or until softened but not browned.

  • Add the garlic, thyme and tomato puree to the pan, frying the puree at this stage this gives it a more mellow flavour – essential for a tasty risotto.

  • Add the rice to the pan and cook for 1 min to toast.

  • Reserve 1 ladleful of the stock and set aside. Add 1 ladleful to the pan, stirring continuously, and keep stirring until the rice absorbs all the liquid. Repeat, adding 1 ladleful of stock at a time, until it is all used. This process gives the best consistency – and it's quite therapeutic!

  • Put halt the roasted squash in a blender with the reserved stock, then blitz to a puree. Fold into the risotto, along with the grated courgette, then stir to combine.

  • When the rice is fully cooked, fold int he remaining butternut squash or scatter over the top if you prefer. Garnish with thyme leaves and season with freshly ground black – and you're good to go!