Creamy Wild Rice Baked Risotto with Butternut, Apple & Parmesan

Name: Creamy Wild Rice Baked Risotto with Butternut, Apple & Parmesan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 2 cups butternut squash (, 1-inch cubes); ½ cup diced Pink Lady apple; 2 shallots (, chopped); 2 cloves garlic (, chopped); 3 ½ cups low sodium veggie broth; 2 tablespoon white miso; ½ cup white wine; 1 cup wild rice; 2 inch sprig of thyme; ¼ cup heavy cream; ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese; ½ cup parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts; 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Learn how to bake wild rice risotto with butternut squash, apples, and parmesan for a creamy, hands off dinner that still looks like you tried.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
You’ll need a 4 to 6 quart oven-safe stovetop-safe pot with a tight fitting lid, like a dutch oven. Your little Le Creuset era.
Warm 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat to brown, stirring occasionally and watching it like a messy reunion episode. After the butter melts and starts bubbling, white foam will appear as the water cooks off. The milk solids will sink and begin to caramelize. That is the Maillard reaction, also known as the flavor glow up. Set the browned butter aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, warm, and add 2 cups of butternut squash. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes until seared. Add ½ cup diced Pink Lady apple and cook for another five minutes. Set aside.
Add the 2 chopped shallots and 2 chopped cloves of garlic and more oil if needed. Cook for 5 minutes until the onions have softened and just browned.
Add 1 cup of the vegetable stock and 2 tablespoons of white miso, then whisk to combine. You are making a salty, savory spa bath for the rice.
Add the browned butter back along with the remaining broth and ½ cup of white wine.
Add 1 cup of rinsed and drained wild rice and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. This is the part where things start smelling like you got this.
Toss in a 2-inch sprig of fresh thyme, cover, and place the pot in the warmed oven.
Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees F. Then give the mixture a good stir and bake for another 30 minutes until the wild rice is done. See notes below wild rice.
Return the pot to the stovetop but leave the oven on. We are not done with her.
Slowly mix in ¼ cup of heavy cream. Then fold in ¼ cup shredded pecorino cheese and ½ cup parmesan cheese.
Fold in the seared butternut squash and apples, cover, and return the mixture to the oven.
Turn off the oven and leave the risotto in for at least 5 minutes so that the mixture and the squash and apples are evenly warmed.
Remove from the oven, top it off with 2 tablespoons of chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley and serve.
Claim this as your signature fall dish and enjoy!

Storage Tips:

How to Store Wild Rice

Keep uncooked wild rice in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place, like where you store your family secrets. It will keep for 2 years.

How to Store Apples

They look great on the counter in a bowl but apples keep longer when cold. Store them in a loosely open bag in the fridge for months.

Jerry’s Hacks:

Oh Health, Yah!

Wild rice has less calories than some other rice options, yet high in protein and fiber. It’s rich in manganese, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus, and it contains B vitamins.