This Roasted Squash and Cranberry Brown Rice Risotto is a hearty and flavorful dish that's perfect for a cozy meal. With the combination of roasted butternut squash, tart cranberries, and creamy brown rice, this risotto is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients. Whether you're preparing it for a family dinner or a special occasion, this recipe will surely impress with its rich flavors and beautiful presentation.
2tablespoonolive oildivided (see below for oil free option)
2cupsbutternut squashpeeled and cut into half inch cubes
½cupfresh or frozen cranberries
1onionsroughly chopped
1cupcorn kernelsfresh or frozen
4clovesgarlicchopped
1teaspoonfresh sagechopped (about 3 leaves)
Juice of ½ lemon
1tablespoonsauerkraut
⅓cupnutritional yeast
½teaspoonsea salt
2tablespoonslow sodium canned cannellini or great northern beans
1cupplain unsweetened oat milk
2 ½cupscooked short grain brown rice
Freshly cracked pepperoptional
Sunflower Parmesanoptional
Microgreensoptional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the cranberries to one side of the baking sheet and the squash to another, keep them separate so the cranberry color doesn’t bleed onto the squash. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the squash and cranberries, season lightly with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss the squash and cranberries to coat, keeping them separated. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the squash is fork tender and the cranberries have burst and just started to brown. The cranberries will sweat juice midway through cooking but it will dry up by the time roasting is finished.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and corn and saute for 3-5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the corn is cooked through. Be careful not to char the corn. Add The garlic and sage and saute one additional minute until fragrant. Transfer to a blender, add the lemon juice, sauerkraut, nutritional yeast, salt, beans, and milk. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Add the cooked rice to the skillet the onions and corn were cooked in. Add the cream from the blender and squash to the rice and stir to combine. Add the cranberries last and stir just enough to combine, do not over stir, to avoid juice from the cranberries turning the risotto red.
Portion into 4 bowls and garnish with fresh cracked pepper, parmesan, and microgreens, if desired.
Notes
OIL FREE OPTION: Omit the oil and saute the vegetables in 2 tablespoons of water or low sodium vegetable broth. Add more liquid as needed. Omit the oil from the roasting and dry roast the squash and cranberries.