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Butternut Squash & Goats Cheese Risotto
Butternut squash risotto with goat’s cheese is one of my favourite cold-weather dinners. The roasted squash adds sweetness, the risotto is rich and creamy, and the goat’s cheese gives it that perfect tangy finish. I love how cosy and satisfying it is, but still light enough to enjoy with a glass of white and a bit of quiet. Whether I’m cooking for myself or sharing with friends, this one’s always a hit – comforting, elegant, and full of flavour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, diced and seeds removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup risotto (arborio) rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups hot chicken stock
- 150g soft goats cheese
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C. Toss the diced butternut squash through 1tbsp olive oil, then spread across a baking tray in a single layer.
- Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes, or until soft and starting to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool.
- Once cool, transfer the soft butternut squash to a blender and add the chicken stock. Blitz until smooth and creamy.
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt together 1tbsp butter and 1tbsp olive oil. Add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes or until starting to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir through the rice, before adding the white wine and stirring through the rice until absorbed - about 2-3 mminutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of butternut chicken stock blend to the rice and stir through. Keep stirring until stock has been absorbed.
- Continue to add stock and stirring through, until all stock has been added to the rice, and rice is rich and creamy.
- Stir through goats cheese and remaining butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
What I Cook With
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 19.4gSaturated Fat: 10.5gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 132mgCarbohydrates: 60.6gFiber: 1.8gSugar: 3gProtein: 12.7g
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Butternut Squash Risotto with Goats Cheese Recipe
Winter is Coming (It’s not even the Equinox yet!)
The other evening I was curled up on the sofa with a big bowl of my favourite butternut squash risotto with goats cheese, and I suddenly noticed how dark it had gotten. It wasn’t even late – just after 8pm – but dusk had already settled in properly, that kind of soft blanket of twilight that reminds you the seasons are shifting. After months of light lingering late into the evening, it was the first moment I realised the nights were beginning to stretch out again, and I’ll be honest, it made me ridiculously happy. I know people mourn the end of summer, but I’m one of those oddballs who gets genuinely excited for colder nights, earlier sunsets, and the excuse to lean fully into comfort food. And this risotto? It tastes better when the world outside feels just a little bit colder.
The first time I ever had butternut squash risotto was actually at my own wedding. Yes. My wedding. You’d think it would be a lovely memory, but honestly, the risotto was just as awful as the day itself. It arrived at the table like a claggy, lukewarm lump and I remember thinking, “Well, at least my dress was nice?” But that disappointing bowl sparked something because the idea was there – it just needed a bit of love. My version is nothing like that wedding day mess. I roast the squash until it’s sweet and golden, thanks to the Maillard Reaction – basically the magic that happens when food gets brown and tasty in the oven. Once roasted, I blitz it with hot chicken stock into this thick, velvety puree that becomes the base for the risotto. It’s not just stock anymore – it’s golden, squash-infused liquid joy.
Because that puree is so much thicker than regular stock, it takes a bit longer for the rice to absorb all the flavour, so don’t panic if things feel slow going. This is risotto, not a 15-minute meal, and the extra time is well worth it. And the best bit? At the very end, once the rice is cooked and glossy and smelling like a dream, in goes the creamy goats cheese. It melts through the risotto and adds this gorgeous tang that perfectly cuts through the sweetness of the squash. Honestly, it’s one of those meals that feels indulgent and nourishing all at once, and it has become a staple as soon as the weather even thinks about turning.
The Comfort of Seasonal Shifts
I’ve always been one of those people who actually prefers the colder half of the year. While everyone else is out chasing the sun, I’m over here counting down to soup season and happily dragging out my jumpers. There’s something about autumn and winter that just fits me better – less pressure, more tea, and food that’s designed to hug you from the inside out. That night on the sofa, risotto in hand, I felt that shift. The air felt heavier, the world outside a little quieter, and the kitchen suddenly became the cosiest place in the house.
It had been one of those days. You know the type – nothing disastrous, just a series of small annoyances that leave you frazzled and ready to retreat. So I did what I always do when life feels a bit too loud: I cooked. There’s something calming about stirring a pot of risotto, adding stock slowly, watching everything transform bit by bit. No rush, no fuss, just a quiet ritual that brings you back to yourself. I had a glass of wine in one hand, wooden spoon in the other, and for the first time that day, I exhaled properly.
I know we’re meant to be efficient in the kitchen – quick meals, fewer ingredients, all that – but sometimes the real magic happens when you let things take time. This risotto asks you to pause – it doesn’t work if you rush it. You’ve got to stand at the stove and stir and taste and just be there. And maybe that’s why I love it so much. It’s not just a meal – it’s a mood, a moment, a quiet little anchor on the days when everything else feels a bit unsteady.
Don’t Panic About the Absorption
Now, the one thing people often worry about with this risotto is that it takes longer than expected to cook. And I get it. You’re standing there, watching the rice, wondering if it’s ever going to absorb all that liquid. You start doubting yourself, thinking maybe you’ve added too much, maybe the rice is broken, maybe it’s all going horribly wrong. It’s not. It’s just working a little harder than usual.
That butternut squash and stock mixture is a lot thicker than water or regular broth, so naturally it takes more time to seep into the rice. The first time I made it, I hovered like an anxious parent, convinced I’d made some rookie error. But then, slowly, it started coming together. The rice softened, the liquid thickened, and before I knew it, the whole thing had transformed into this glossy, golden bowl of autumnal joy. It just needed a little patience.
When it’s ready, you’ll know. The rice should be tender but still have a tiny bit of bite, and the sauce should cling to it like satin. It won’t be sloppy or soupy or stiff – it’ll sit beautifully on a plate and melt in your mouth. Add the goats cheese, give it a gentle stir, and try – just try – not to eat it straight from the pot with the biggest spoon you can find.
Ingredients Breakdown
This risotto might look impressive, but it comes together with a handful of easy-to-find, no-fuss ingredients that all earn their keep. You need some good olive oil and butter – both play a role here, and neither should be skipped unless you’re after disappointment. The butternut squash is the star, peeled and diced so it roasts into sweet, caramelised perfection. Then comes the onion and garlic, diced and minced respectively, because you can’t build flavour without those two doing their thing in the pan.
For the rice, it has to be arborio. It’s what gives risotto that lovely creamy texture without needing cream. You’ll deglaze the pan with a splash of dry white wine – not just for drama, but for depth – and then slowly build it all with hot chicken stock. Not cold. Not lukewarm. Hot. That’s important. Once the rice is perfectly tender and glossy, you’ll fold in some soft goats cheese, which melts down beautifully and gives the dish its signature tangy richness.
Finish everything off with a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Nothing fancy, just a generous pinch of each. They pull the whole thing together, letting all the other ingredients shine without overpowering them. You don’t need anything else. No extras. No garnish. Just honest, comforting flavours that come together to make something truly delicious.
