Butternut squash risotto (with sausage and sage) is a gorgeously delicious meal with all the best fall feels. It’s as warm and cozy as dinner gets.
Every time I write about risotto I’m reminded of how magical it is. Whether you make it in the Instant Pot or on the stove top this roasted butternut squash risotto with sausage and fresh sage is a winner. It’s a dinner my family has loved for years. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
I would buy an Instant Pot JUST for the risotto! It’s that good, and that quick. I’ve made it countless times and it comes out amazing every time. Instant Pot risotto is better than the classic stove top risotto, and better than most restaurant risottos. Plus it’s about a thousand times easier.
But I realize not all of you have an Instant Pot, so I’ll give stove top directions in this post as well.
What’s in this post:
What You’ll Need for Butternut Squash Risotto
Once you have the basic recipe proportions you can make any risotto in the world.
- arborio rice
- don’t make this recipe if you don’t have arborio rice. Only arborio rice will work. Look for it right in the regular rice section of your supermarket.
- olive oil
- butternut squash
- we’ll cube and roast the butternut squash separately and stir it into the risotto at the end.
- Italian sausage
- shallot
- white wine
- you can also use dry sherry or dry vermouth to get a wonderful depth of flavor. If you don’t want to use alcohol you can use more stock.
- chicken stock
- pumpkin puree
- this is optional but gives more squash flavor and a lovely golden color to the rice itself.
- parmesan cheese
- fresh sage
Why We Use Arborio Rice for Risotto
Arborio rice is a plump short-grain, starchy rice variety primarily grown in Italy. It’s famous for its ability to absorb liquids while maintaining a firm, creamy texture, making it perfect for risotto. Short-grain, high-starch rice varieties like Arborio, (also Carnaroli or Vialone Nano) have a special type of starch called amylopectin which is released during cooking and creates the creamy consistency we love in risotto.
Your store will hopefully have choices of arborio rice, and I suggest going with an imported brand. Otherwise, American Arborio is fine. But please, don’t make this with regular rice ~ you’ll regret it!
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Risotto Method
This step by step guide should help you feel comfortable navigating the Instant Pot for this recipe. Note you will roast the squash in the oven separately and add it at the end.
- Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE. It should default to the NORMAL sauté setting.
- Brown the sausage in the pot, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks.
- Add olive oil and shallots to the pot and saute for a minute or two to soften them, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the rice and pumpkin to the pot and stir to combine everything. Toast the rice for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine, stirring as it evaporates, and scraping up any bits from the bottom. Then add the stock.
- Press CANCEL to end the saute function.
- Lock the lid on the machine and set the vent to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and use the +- buttons to set to 6 minutes.
- The machine will come up to pressure, and then beep as it starts the 6 minute timer.
- When the timer sounds at the end of the 6 minutes of pressure cooking do nothing for another 5 minutes to allow the pressure to come down naturally.
- Then release the pressure valve to allow the rest of the pressure to come down.
- Once the machine has de-pressurized, carefully open the lid, there will be steam.
- Add roasted butternut squash, cheese, and sage to the pot and stir well. Taste to add salt and pepper, if you like.
- Serve hot with more cheese and sage leaves to garnish.
Stove Top Butternut Squash Risotto Method
With the stove top method you will need 2-3 times more stock, or up to 6 cups. Note you will roast the squash in the oven separately and add it at the end.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat.
- Brown the sausage in the pot, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks.
- Add olive oil and shallots to the pot and sauté for a minute or two to soften them, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the rice and pumpkin to the pot and stir to combine everything. Toast the rice for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine, stirring as it evaporates.
- Slowly ladle hot stock into the pan, stirring each addition until it has been absorbed by the rice.
- Keep adding stock, little by little, waiting for it to be absorbed before moving onto the next, until the grains of rice are tender and starchy ~ this can take 30 minutes or more. Keep the pan hot enough, but not too hot. The stock should be simmering gently in the pan at all times.
- When the rice is tender, stir in the roasted butternut squash, cheese, and sage. Taste to add salt and pepper, if you like.
- Serve hot with more cheese and sage leaves to garnish.
Butternut Squash Risotto Faqs
Yes, however butternut is one of the easiest squashes to cut into cubes for roasting, so I think it works best in this recipe. But any cubed and roasted squash will work.
Yes, for sure, this will make a delicious vegetarian risotto, just leave out the sausage and use vegetable stock.
Ideally risotto should be eaten immediately for best texture, which is why I love the Instant Pot method. With that machine you can make it before dinner and leave it on the KEEP WARM setting for up to an hour. For stove top risotto it’s a bit more difficult, but you could refrigerate and then gently rewarm with a little more stock on the stove.
Regular long-grain rice, like jasmine or basmati have a different texture when cooked. The grains cook up soft, not firm, and remain separate and fluffy, making them unsuitable for creating the creamy, texture that defines a risotto.
Salad, for sure. I’d go with a simple Caesar or a colorful Chopped Italian Salad. If you really want to make a bigger meal, serve focaccia bread. Of course every great meal needs a great dessert, so how about Nutella Tiramisu? Not feeling that grand? I’d go for Thin and Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies, everybody loves them!
Butternut Squash Risotto
Equipment
- 6 qt Instant Pot (optional) Buy it here
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut in ½ inch dice.
- 2 raw Italian sausages
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large shallot (you can substitute onion) minced
- 1 cup arborio rice, heaped
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup white wine, dry sherry, or dry vermouth
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 4 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage leaves, cut in thin ribbons
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
garnish
- Parmesan cheese
- fresh sage
Instructions
Roasting the squash
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Arrange on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender. Set aside; you will be adding this to the risotto at the very end.
Instant Pot Risotto Instructions
- Plug in the Instant Pot and press SAUTE.
- Remove the sausage from its casing and brown it in the pot, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the remaining olive oil with the shallots to the pot and saute for a minute or two to soften them, stirring almost constantly. Add the rice and pumpkin and toast for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine, stirring as it evaporates, and scraping up any bits from the bottom. Then add the stock and give everything another stir.
- Press CANCEL to end the saute function.Lock the lid on the machine and set the vent to SEALING.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and use the +- buttons to set the time to 6 minutes. The machine will come up to pressure, and then beep as it starts the 6 minute timer.
- When the timer signals the cooking is done, do nothing for another 5 minutes to allow the pressure to come down naturally.
- Then release the pressure valve by setting it to VENTING to allow the rest of the pressure to come down. Once the machine has de-pressurized, carefully unlock and open the lid; there will be steam.
- Add the roasted butternut squash, cheese, and sage to the pot and stir well.
- Taste to add salt and pepper, if you like. (I did not find the need to add salt.)
- Serve hot with more cheese and sage leaves to garnish.
Stove Top Risotto Instructions
- Note: the stove top method will require 2-3 times more stock, or up to 6 cups.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat. Brown the sausage in the pot, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks.Â
- Add the remaining olive oil with the shallots to the pot and sauté for a minute or two to soften them, stirring almost constantly.
- Add the rice and pumpkin to the pot and stir to combine everything. Toast the rice for a minute or so, stirring constantly.
- Deglaze the pot with the white wine, stirring as it evaporates, and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Slowly ladle hot stock into the pan, stirring each addition until it has been absorbed by the rice. Keep adding stock, little by little, waiting for it to be absorbed before moving onto the next, until the grains of rice are tender and starchy ~ this could take 30 minutes or more. Keep the pan hot enough, but not too hot. The stock should be simmering gently in the pan at all times.
- When the rice is tender, stir in the roasted butternut squash, cheese, and sage. Taste to add salt and pepper, if you like.
- Serve hot with more cheese and sage leaves to garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
More Risotto Recipes
- Italian Wedding Risotto
- Instant Pot Wild Mushroom Risotto
- Saffron Risotto with Roasted Asparagus
- Instant Pot Cheddar Risotto with Fresh Sage
- Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
- 6 Minute Instant Pot Lobster Risotto
I had my instapot sitting on the kitchen floor for two years! When I read this recipe , it sounded sooo delicious I said that’s it! I’m using that thing once and for all! I’m so glad I did! This was the best risotto I ever had! Enter than any restaurant I’ve been to! My husband gave it a 10 out of 10. I used a high quality risotto as recommended! What a great start to instapot cooking! Thank you Sue for another great recipe!
I couldn’t be happier to hear this Darlene, I’m SO glad you got that IP off the floor (now if I can just do the same thing with my air fryer…)
Made this tonite in the instant pot and its a keeper!! I do want to let you know the recipe instructions leave out the arborio rice in the ingredients section and also in the procedure, in the IP instructions. I figured it out but wanted to let you know!! THANK YOU!! YUM!!
So happy you loved this Suzi, and the rice is in there now, sorry for the omission.
Thanks for the quick reply and just thought id let you know, I just ate the last of this dish COLD and it was AMAZING!! Definitely keeping this one for Fall and Winter…
How much Arborio rice?
I cup, I heap it a bit.