A comforting autumn risotto with sweet roasted squash and fragrant sage. Mash a little squash into the rice for a creamy finish, keeping the rest in golden chunks.

Try our butternut squash. The weight below refers to prepared flesh, so allow extra for skin and seeds.

Serves 4 | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes | Vegetarian with suitable cheese and stock

Ingredients

• 700g squash flesh, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 sage leaves, finely sliced
• 300g risotto rice
• 1.2 litres hot vegetable stock, plus extra if needed
• 30g butter
• 50g vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
• 1–2 tsp lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash with 1 tbsp oil and seasoning. Roast for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and golden.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a wide, deep pan. Soften the onion over a gentle heat for 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir regularly until mostly absorbed.
4. Keep adding stock a ladleful at a time, allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Cook for about 20–25 minutes, until the rice is tender with a slight bite. You may not need all the stock, or you may need a little extra.
5. Mash one-third of the roasted squash and stir it into the rice. Gently fold in the remaining chunks, butter and cheese. Add enough stock to keep the risotto loose and spoonable.
6. Take off the heat, cover and rest for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and seasoning to taste, then serve straight away.

Kitchen tip: For a plant-based version, use olive oil instead of butter and a suitable plant-based alternative to the cheese.