Delicata Squash Risotto – Sharon Palmer, The Plant Powered Dietitian

If you’re looking for a powerfully flavored, easy meal on a busy night, look no further than this vegan, gluten-free Delicata Squash Risotto. Based on seasonal Delicata squash, which has a thin, tender skin that you can eat (no peeling required), you can create a savory, delicious dinner in about 50 minutes. Delicata squash recipes are among my favorites, as the colorful peel of the squash can highlight your cooking. This risotto recipe adds in sautéed mushrooms, onions, garlic, and sage, with a truffle oil topping and vegan parmesan cheese.

What is Risotto?

Risotto is a classic Italian dish made with a special high-starch, short-grain rice, such as Arborio rice. How do you make risotto? The process of making risotto includes sautéing flavorful additions (such as garlic and mushrooms) in olive oil, creating a flavorful broth (often with a touch of white wine), and slowly rehydrating the Arborio rice as it cooks with broth. You ladle a little bit of broth in the saucepan with the rice at a time, while stirring and allowing it to absorb. The end result is a very creamy, smooth rice, with an al dente, crisp bite. Is risotto gluten-free? Yes, Arborio rice is gluten-free, as long as your ingredients are also gluten-free.

Nutrition Delicata Squash

Like all winter squashes, Delicata squash are packed in slow-digesting carbs, vitamins A and C, fiber, and more–all for a skinny 39 calories and 0 grams of fat per serving. The great thing about cooking with Delicata squash is that you don’t have to peel away all that goodness, which means more fiber and phytochemicals for you.

How to Cook Delicata Squash

All you have to do to cook Delicata squash is split open, scoop out the seeds (which are also edible, and can be roasted), and cook it. You can have roasted Delicata squash by simply placing the squash skin side down on a pan, drizzling it with olive oil and your favorite seasonings, then baking it in the oven until golden brown. Another easy method is boiling it until it’s tender. And, you can sauté it–as we do in this recipe.

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For other one-dish meals, try out some of my favorites:

Veggie Shepherd’s Pie
Chipotle Tomato Rice Power Bowl
Moroccan Chickpea Freekeh Eggplant Skillet
Thai Tempeh Noodle Skillet

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