Slow Cooker Risotto with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese
Slow cooker risotto is the easiest way to make risotto. Just as creamy as traditional risotto, with NO stirring required!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium shallots finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine or substitute additional chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 medium butternut squash about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3 1/2-4 cups vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth*
- 1 ½ cups uncooked short grain brown rice see recipe notes for other rice types
- 6 ounces loosely crumbled goat cheese about 1 1/2 cups
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves about 4 large leaves, plus additional for topping
Instructions
- Lightly coat the bottom of a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, salt, and pepper. Sauté until the shallot is soft and translucent but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the shallot mixture to the slow cooker. Add the squash, 3 1/2 cups broth, and rice. Cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours (or on low for 4 to 6 hours), until the rice is tender and creamy. Check the broth level towards the end of the cooking time to ensure the risotto doesn't dry out. If it seems too dry, stir in a bit more broth as needed.
- Stir, then taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired (I added a scant 1/2 teaspoon additional salt). Stir in the goat cheese and fresh sage. Serve immediately, topped with additional fresh sage as desired.
Notes
- To ensure the risotto does not become too salty, purchase broth with a lower amount of sodium (mine had 570mg per serving). You can also purchase unsalted broth, but you will likely need to add additional kosher salt to the recipe to taste.
- The cooking time for this recipe was calculated using short grain brown rice. Short grain white rice (arborio rice), which is more traditional for risotto, can be substituted, but the cooking time may vary. Check your slow cooker at least 1 hour early to ensure the rice does not overcook. I do not recommend long grain rice, as it is not starchy enough to create risotto's classic creamy texture.
- Know thy slow cooker! Every crock pot is a little different, so you may need to adjust your cooking time, depending upon how quickly yours tends to finish recipes. If you use a larger or smaller slow cooker than what is specified in the recipe, that may affect the cooking time too. I also recommend using a programmable slow cooker, like this one, so that if you don’t check it right away, the food doesn’t burn.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat with a bit of chicken broth to keep the risotto from drying out. I have not frozen risotto before but think that it would freeze well for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 8), about 1 heaping cupCalories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 412mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g
