Incredible Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto

This seriously delicious Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Risotto is an epiphany to me. Who knew you could make creamy, soft and unctuous risotto without stirring your arm off? Who knew you simply had to stick it all in there and flick that switch? I am genuinely shocked but most importantly I am sharing this shortcut to heaven with you guys.

This slow cooker risotto is everything you want it to be. Creamy, meldingly soft and with a cheesy bite. I could not tell the difference between this one and a classic one....I promise.

I LOVE a short cut that doesn't compromise on the real thing. It makes me feel smug as hell. Share in my smugness slow cookers.

Of course you can throw in any veggies that you like but my first recipe that I made this way was with Butternut Squash and it was pretty much perfect.

I buy it frozen and get out the packet a few hours before I intend to chuck it in. It ends up almost melting into the sauce itself and gives it all a lovely colour. Plus no need to peel the big old thing and hack it into bite sized pieces swearing as you go..

I find that midweek I absolutely find it hard to summon up the enthusiasm to get involved in food prep. My children are fighting and spitting at each other as soon as they come through the door and my husband comes home full of the terrible stressful day he has had saving the world.....oh no just at the office.

It is all I can do not to throw a handful of picnic sausages at them and disappear into the garden shed.

Now I can avoid the pressure, chuck it all in the slow cooker and pretend I'm dining somewhere posh instead of this mad house/prison yard.

*There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post*

Slow Cooker Risotto Recipe

The ingredients here are few but classic.

Arborio Rice

This is the rice you need to make the risotto creamy. It is high in starch. Other rice just won't give you that special texture.

Sage Leaves

I use about 2 grams of sage stalks and all. I always, always pair sage and butternut squash. They bring out the best in each other. Try to use fresh if you can. I freeze the leftover sage in a freezer bag if I don't need it again soon.

Parmesan

I always try to use freshly grated parmesan cheese here. I love the tang and deepness of the flavour. In my opinion it brings more than half the flavour punch to the dish.

Butternut Squash

I tend to use frozen butternut squash for easiness. I trim off any peel that has been left behind.

White Wine

I use a dry white wine as that is what I have in my fridge. But I would advise the drier the better.

Garlic Oil

I love the stuff. I use it all the time to bring it's wonderful roasted garlic flavour to the party without having to roast it and squeeze out the garlic cloves. I love to use it in dressings too as it avoids the whole raw garlic flavour that I have come to dislike the older I have got, see my Easy Chicken Caesar Salad. Bit genius actually.

Chicken Stock

I use double strength chicken stock as my preference ( I dissolve two stock cubes or jelly pots instead of 1) but you can use vegetable stock too to keep the dish vegetarian.

Onion

I use half a large spanish onion. You could use red onion but it may colour the risotto a little and being completely superficial, I quite like the orange vibe.

How to Make Slow Cooker Risotto

When you are ready to begin you literally and simply whack it all in to the pot. There is just some stirring to do either end of the cooking and I can so manage that.

• Thaw your frozen butternut squash if using
• Tip in the arborio rice and the tbsp of garlic oil
• Stir until the rice is completely coated.
• Put all the other ingredients into the pot and give it all a gentle stir
• Place the lid on and flick the switch to high
• Cook for about 3 hours.
• Remove the sage
• Add the butter and parmesan cheese and stir for a minute until the whole thing looks so good you want to roll around in it. Add more stock if you think it needs it.
• Season to taste.
• Serve with some extra parmesan.

Slow Cooker Risotto Tips

• Add mushrooms and omit the butternut squash and sage for a perfect mushroom risotto. I would recommend about 225g chestnut mushrooms and 50 grams of dried porcini mushrooms. Add the water you soaked  the dried mushrooms in to the risotto too.
• Add more stock at the end if the rice seems like it needs it. The rice can vary in thirstiness!
• To reheat leftovers I store the leftovers in the slow cooker pot in the fridge. I then pop the container back in the slow cooker heating stand and reheat until piping hot. I always add some more water or stock and a litttle more parmesan to refresh the flavours. You can also reheat in the microwave.
• Try to eat it straight away when it is at it's creamiest.

If you like this Slow Cooker Risotto then you might like.....

• Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole
• Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta
• Slow Cooker Savoury Mince
• Slow Cooker Spaghetti Bolognese
• Slow Cooker Roast Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
• Easy Vegetable Lasagne

PIN SLOW COOKER BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO FOR LATER

Please do let me know how you've got on if you do follow this recipe in the comments below. I love a good old hairy chinwag.