Since I’m obviously on a butternut squash kick this week, I thought I’d share one more recipe. Cutting up a butternut squash is a beastly task and not for the faint of heart. So I usually pull my big girl panties on and dice up a large one to use for two meals that week. Or sometimes my kind husband just does it for me. ;)

This has become Tyler’s absolute favorite meal. We love to serve it with a crispy baguette and broiled asparagus when company comes over. The best part is, it’s vegan and nobody can tell (because I know you all think we are going to serve you celery sticks for dinner!).

Butternut Squash Risotto

Serves 2 (and it literally serves ONLY two. I triple the recipe and make side dishes when we have two friends coming over, and there’s always a bit of extra.) Recipe slightly altered from epicurious.

1 large butternut squash, diced into 1/2″ cubes and roasted until slightly caramelized
1 3/4 cups broth (veggie, chicken, whatever you’ve got)
1/2 cup water
1 onion, diced finely
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. peeled gingerroot, minced
3 T. earth balance (or butter, or olive oil)
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine

In a small saucepan, combine broth and water, and bring to a simmer.

In another saucepan, cook onion, garlic, and ginger in butter/oil over med-low heat until soft. Stir in rice and cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and cook until absorbed. Add 1/4 cup of broth, stirring constantly until completely absorbed. Keep adding 1/4 cup of broth at a time, stirring constantly as each addition is completely absorbed before adding the next. Do this until you’ve added about half of the broth. Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes.

Enjoy!

Hands down, this is my favorite vegan pizza. If I had all the time in the world, I’d make it every week.

I’ve gotta warn ya: this pizza takes a while to make. But! It’s amazing and totally worth it. And because I’ve made it so many times, I’ve got a few tips for you to speed things up.

1. Roast your butternut squash ahead of time. I like to roast mine ahead of time – usually on a quiet Sunday afternoon – and use it in two recipes that week. We prefer tiny, caramelized cubes on this pizza (not the mushy method where you roast it and then scoop it out).

2. Homemade pizza dough is really easy to make, and takes less than an hour from start to finish (five minutes of hands-on time). It’s worth it.

3. For one pizza, you only need about 1/2 of the garlic bean puree. Trust me on this.

4. It seems like a lot of steps – it is! But tackle it in this order and it’s easy: first, earlier in the day, roast your squash. Then in the late afternoon, make your pizza dough. While your dough is rising, make your bean puree and caramelize the onions. Chop your apple and wash your spinach, then assemble it all and pop it in the oven. The timing should work out perfectly.

I’ve adapted this recipe from Chloe Coscarelli’s. (I’ve also added things like roasted garlic, potato slices, and kale to this pizza. It’s a very versatile base recipe.)

Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Apple Pizza

1. Roast your butternut squash:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and carefully chopped into small, 1/2″ pieces

Spread evenly on a large rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 30-45 minutes in a 425-degree oven, turning once or twice to prevent sticking. Cool and refrigerate until use.

2. Make your pizza dough (2 medium pizzas, or 1 large thick crust):
1 T. yeast
1 T. sugar
1 cup very hot water
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 T. olive oil

Begin preheating an oven to 170-degrees and turn off after 1 minute. Combine yeast, sugar, and water in a small bowl; set aside. Combine flour, salt, and oil. When yeast mixture is foamy, combine with flour mixture until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with a dish towel; let rise in the warm oven for 30 minutes to an hour, until doubled in size.

3. Caramelize your onion:
1 large onion, sliced thinly

In a nonstick pan, heat 1 T. oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until soft, golden and caramelized, about 20-30 minutes. (If onion is starting to burn, turn the heat down to medium.)

4. Make your Garlic Bean Puree (double this for 2 pizzas):
1/2 can white beans
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
pinch of pepper
2-3 T. olive oil
water, as needed, to thin it out

Puree in a mini food processor. Set aside.

5. Assemble and bake your pizza:
Preheat the oven to 425-degrees. Turn dough out onto a clean counter, and knead in 1/4 cup of flour at a time until dough is smooth to work with. Roll/press onto a pizza stone or nonstick cookie sheet.

Spread garlic bean puree in a thin layer on top of dough. Arrange caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash, and chopped bits of apple on top. Finish with a thin layer of baby spinach. For a crispier crust, brush the edges with a little bit of olive oil.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool before slicing.