Butternut Squash Risotto With Meyer Lemon Gremolata -- Vegan And Gluten FreeOn Stove Or In Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

Creamy butternut squash risotto is the perfect Christmas
dish for your vegan and gluten-free guests.

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Christmas Menu
I love to serve risotto for the holidays but it is a difficult dish to make when there are a number of things on the menu and you don't feel like stirring for 30 minutes with company sitting at the table. But this year I have my new Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and making risotto is a snap. Once the butternut squash is roasted, scooped from the skin, and mashed (you can do that earlier in the day), just stir it into the cooked risotto which only takes minutes in this pot and requires no stirring! But even if you make risotto the traditional way, this dish is worth the effort. The roasted squash adds a beautiful buttery texture to the risotto and the Meyer lemon gremolata is the perfect topping when you want flavor without a dairy parmesan. 

Make no-stir risotto in the Instant PotIP-DU060 in 5 minute (plus the time it takes to bring to pot up to pressure)!

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Butternut Squash Risotto
Vegan, Gluten Free
(makes 6 servings)

For the risotto
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus some for squash
1 pound of butternut squash
1 or 2 tablespoon Earth Balance or ghee (not vegan), divided*
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 6 cups veggie broth**
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

* Ghee is clarified butter and if it is very pure, does not contain casein or lactose
You will use 1 tablespoon for the pressure cooker method and 2 for the stovetop
** 4 cups for Instant Pot pressure cooker and 6 cups stovetop

For the gremolata
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Zest of half a Meyer lemon
1 clove garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut a butternut squash in half, removing the seeds. Use one pound of it (I had a 2 pound squash and used one half of it). Rub the cut side with olive oil and place, cut side down, on a non-stick roasting pan or a pan lined with a Silpat mat.
Roast until a fork easily pierces through the skin, about 30 to 45 minutes. When cooked, remove the squash from the oven. Let cool a bit and, with a spoon, scoop out the squash. Place in a bowl, mash, cover to keep warm and set aside. 

Roasted butternut squash on a Silpat silicon mat.

Make the gremolata while the squash is roasting. Place the chopped parsley in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the parsley and then grate the Meyer lemon peel. I like to use my Microplane Zester/Grater to do this. Mix together until combined and set aside. 

Parsley, lemon zest and grated garlic combine to make gremolata.

Risotto using the Instant Pot
Using the sauté function on the instant pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the Earth Balance (or ghee). Add the onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. 

Add the rice and stir until coated. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed. Stir in 4 cups of the broth, salt and pepper. 

Hit the off button. Secure the lid and set the manual button to cook under high pressure for 5 minutes. Then, do a quick release.

Carefully remove the lid, tilting it so that the steam comes out the back. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of Earth Balance (or ghee) and the warm, mashed butternut squash. Stir until well combined.

Add warm butternut squash to the cooked risotto

Butternut squash incorporated into the risotto

If it's not warm enough, briefly turn on the sauté function and heat it up, while stirring.

Adjust seasonings and serve immediately in wide, shallow bowls topped with Meyer lemon gremolata.

Per serving: 342 calories, 4.4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 35 mg omega-3 and 308 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, and 215 mg sodium.

Risotto on the stovetop
Heat 6 cups of broth in a small pot and keep warm on low heat.

Place a 12-inch saute pan with at least 3-inch sides over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of Earth Balance (or ghee). Stir in the onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and stir continually until the grains are opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add the hot broth to the rice 1 cup at a time, stirring continually, until each cup is almost absorbed. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes and will use up most or all of the 6 cups of broth.

When the rice is just tender, stir in the remaining tablespoon of the Earth Balance (or ghee) and the mashed butternut squash.

Adjust seasonings and serve immediately in wide shallow bowls topped with Meyer lemon gremolata.

Per serving: 365 calories, 3,6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 35 mg omega-3 and 308 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 64 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, and 232 mg sodium.