Using Tillamook’s Sharp Cheddar cheese shreds, this hearty risotto is stuffed inside of some halved butternut squashes and baked to perfection. Read on for the recipe.
- 2 Butternut squash halved and roasted (see directions below)
- ● 4 cups of chicken broth
- ● 2 cups of risotto
- ● 1 TBSP of minced garlic
- ● 2 TBSP of Tillamook Unsalted Butter
- ● 1 and 1 ½ cups of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds separated
- ● ½ cup of golden raisins
- ● 3 pieces of thick cut bacon cooked and chopped
- ● 4 leaves of fresh sage torn
- ● Roasted butternut squash from hallowed out boats (see directions below)
- ● Salt & pepper to taste
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Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
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Carefully halve your butternut squash and place seed side up on the baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes. While the butternut squash is cooking start your risotto (directions below).
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After 15 minutes, remove the squash and flip them over on the baking sheet. Place back in oven to continue roasting for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the flesh is tender but not mushy.
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Remove from the oven and scoop out the seeds with a spoon into the trash. Grab a bowl and hull out the butternut squash so that about ¾ of an inch of butternut squash flesh is left in the interior so that the risotto has a sturdy base to sit in.
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Bring four cups of chicken broth to a boil in a deep pan over high heat. Once boiling, add your risotto , bring the mixture back to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes.
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When the risotto is finished, fluff with a fork and promptly add your minced garlic, butter and 1 ½ cups of Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cheese has melted and incorporated.
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When the cheese is melted, add your raisins, bacon, sage, and butternut squash from the hulled halves and gently stir to combine.
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Using a metal spoon, stuff your butternut squash halves with the risotto mixture and top with more Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shreds. Repeat until all four halves are filled and topped with cheese.
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Reduce oven temp to 375°F and place the butternut squash in the middle of the oven just until the cheese starts to melt on the top.
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Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Be careful not to overcook your butternut squash in the initial roasting phase so that you have a sturdy base for the risotto. The risotto with butternut squash was delicious on its own, but for a fun twist on serving it, I decided to use the leftover halves of squash when it was plated.