A truly easy risotto recipe! No standing over the pot stirring and stirring for this dish. This creamy Butternut Squash Risotto recipe is a delicious one pan dinner or side dish. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner or when entertaining family and friends.

easy risotto recipe with butternut squash and green beans

A quick look at this recipe

Recipe Name: Butternut Squash Risotto
Ready In: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook time, 45 minutes total time
Serves: 6
Calories: 334 per serving
Main Ingredients: Butternut squash, Arborio rice, chicken stock, green beans, parmesan cheese
Difficulty: Medium

There is no need to be tied to the stove to make a perfect risotto. With a hands-on time of about 10 minutes followed by another 20 minute simmer, the end result is a creamy rice dish that is a snap to prepare.

The addition of butternut squash and green beans are delicious, colorful, and super flavorful.

The squash has a slightly sweet and nutty taste while the steamed crisp green beans add a bright green splash of color and fresh flavor. A combination of both Parmesan and blue cheeses give this easy risotto recipe a sharp and salty edge.

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Why I love this easy risotto recipe

I was never a fan of making risotto. The slow process of adding cupful by cupful of stock to Arborio rice and stirring constantly while it was almost absorbed seemed laborious to me.

Inevitably I either had the heat too high and the stock was absorbed too quickly. The result was a batch of crunchy, under cooked rice.

Or I had the heat too low. My risotto ended up being a pot of mush after all my stirring and stirring and stirring. When I discovered a no stir recipe, this lazy risotto became a favorite dish.

Ingredients and substitutions

ingredients for an easy risotto recipe - Arborio rice, onion, butternut squash, chicken stock

Reduced sodium chicken stock ~ For a vegetarian dish use reduced sodium vegetable stock.
Salted butter ~ If using unsalted butter, salt to taste.
Onion ~ Yellow or Vidalia onions are my first choice. Skip red onions. When sauteed, they can turn the risotto a purple hue.
Butternut squash ~ Other hard squashes such as acorn, delicata or carnival are delicious substitutes.
Fresh thyme ~ Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme in a pinch.
Arborio rice
Dry white wine ~ Chardonnay, pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc are my favorites.
Green beans ~ Try green peas too.
Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt, black pepper ~ fresh ground is my choice. Do you have a pepper mill?
Blue cheese ~ I also like Gorgonzola or Roquefort in this recipe. For a less pungent cheese, try feta.

What is Arborio rice?

Arborio rice, an Italian short-grain rice, is the superstar in the dish. With its high starch content, it is ideal for any risotto recipe. When cooked, the rice becomes slightly creamy, each grain slightly chewy and firm.

How to make green bean risotto with butternut squash

This easy risotto recipe is perfect for beginners as it needs little attention. It was one of my most popular fall dishes when I was the chef at a quaint gourmet café.

easy risotto recipe with butternut squash

Heat the chicken stock and set aside.

Sauté the vegetables. Sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add in cubed butternut squash and fresh thyme. After a few more minutes of sautéing, stir in the Arborio rice and cook and toast for 2 minutes.

Add the liquids. Pour a few splashes of white wine into the sauté pan and cook until it evaporates.

Now for my favorite step in this easy recipe. Add all of the warm chicken stock all at once. Bring the risotto mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. There is no babysitting this risotto recipe.

Just stir once or twice while the rice soaks up the chicken stock, and the butternut squash cooks to a nutty, earthy deliciousness.

adding green beans and Parmesan cheese to easy rice recipe

Stir in green beans and cheeses. Add steamed green beans, grated Parmesan cheese and crumbled blue cheese. Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper.

top tips

Chicken stock adds rich flavor to this easy rice recipe. To make a vegetarian dish, use vegetable stock.
Cut the butternut squash in bite sized pieces to ensure that it cooks in the same amount time as the rice.
Fresh thyme is my first choice, but dried thyme is an acceptable substitution.

easy rice recipe with butternut squash and green beans

How to reheat risotto

It's best to enjoy risotto as soon as it is prepared. But follow these steps and it will be delicious!

For each cup of risotto, bring about ¼ cup of reduced sodium chicken stock to a boil.
Turn the heat to low and add the risotto. Gently stir until the stock is absorbed and the rice is warmed through.
Serve with additional Parmesan and blue cheeses.