This vegan butternut squash risotto with asparagus and spinach is perfect for a comforting dinner. Cheesy, savory and hearty, this risotto looks and tastes fancy, but is super easy to make for a date night as either a main course or a side dish.
Contents
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butternut squash. Other pumpkin varieties and sweet potatoes also work.
- Olive oil. This will be added to the butternut squash before roasting to really deepen and bring out the flavors.
- Dairy-free butter. This will be used for cooking the risotto. You can also use more olive oil if you wish.
- Onion and garlic. These are added right at the start, to help add flavor.
- Spices: cumin and garlic powder. Adjust the amounts that you use depending on your personal preference.
- Arborio rice. You can use other short grain rice varieties, such as Carnaroli. This is important because short grain rice varieties have a higher starch content, which will create the creamy texture of the risotto.
- Vegetable stock.
- Turmeric to add a vibrant and beautiful orange color.
- Soy sauce. To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari instead. The addition of soy sauce helps to add a great umami flavor that risotto is so known for.
- Nutritional yeast. This ingredient is frequently used in vegan cooking because it helps to add an amazing cheesy flavor to savory dishes like risotto.
- Apple cider vinegar to add a hint of tanginess.
- Vegan cheese. Optional, but very much recommended!
- Asparagus. This is added to risotto dishes very often, helping to add flavor and a great pop of color, too!
- Spinach. I like to stir in a handful to add some extra greens to this dish.
- Lemon juice. This is also added right at the end for a tangy freshness. I would recommend using fresh lemon juice from a whole lemon. Adjust the amount you use to taste.
Recipe
Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
This vegan butternut squash risotto with asparagus is cheesy, savory, and perfectly comforting! It’s perfect for a date night either as a side dish or a main course. You won’t believe this meal is entirely dairy-free!
Equipment
-
Conventional oven
-
Baking tray
-
Large saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ large butternut squash
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup vegan cheese
- 2 cups asparagus chopped
- 3 cups spinach leaves
- 1 lemon juice of
- ½ tsp black pepper or to taste
Instructions
-
Cut off the top and bottom ½ inch of the butternut squash. Then, use a vegetable peeler to peel the entire squash. Afterwards, proceed to cut it in half vertically, and scoop out the seeds. Dice into bite-sized pieces – you will need around ½ a butternut squash, or 2 cups, for this recipe.½ large butternut squash, 1 tbsp olive oil
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the cubed butternut squash to the tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden.
-
Meanwhile, melt the vegan butter in a flat-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding the cumin and garlic powder and cooking for 2 more minutes.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder
-
Add the arborio rice and allow to cook for around 3 minutes to brown the rice slightly. Then, start pouring in the vegetable stock around ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously until it fully absorbs before adding more stock. The whole process should take around 20 minutes.1 ½ cups Arborio rice, 5 cups vegetable stock
-
Once you have used up all the vegetable stock minus 1 cup, add the turmeric, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, vegan cheese, asparagus, the roasted butternut squash and the rest of the stock. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green.1 tsp turmeric, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, ½ cup vegan cheese, 2 cups asparagus
-
At the last minute, stir in the the spinach and lemon juice. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.3 cups spinach leaves, 1 lemon, ½ tsp black pepper
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 13gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 1891mgPotassium: 919mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 13490IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 124mgIron: 8mg
