Name: Here's how I would make this low-calorie risotto recipe even tastier—and still keep it under 400 calories
Yield: Serves: 2

Birds-eye photo of hand pouring stock from a pan into a pan with risotto rice in it. The other hand is stirring the rice using a wooden spoon

(Image credit: GMVozd / Getty Images)

Serves

Nutrition Per Portion	RDA
Calories	330 Kcal	17%
Fat	2 g	3%
Saturated Fat	1 g	5%
Carbohydrates	68 g	26%

By Lou Mudge

published 6 January 2025

in Recipes

I'm always looking for comforting midweek meals that are tasty, low-calorie and—most importantly—easy to make. This veggie risotto ticks all those boxes, with the roasted butternut squash adding robust flavors, a mere 330 calories, and a simplified method.

However, if you have more time you can follow a more traditional method of making risotto and add more depth of flavor and creaminess.

Rather than simmering your risotto rice and onions in the stock, soften your onions in a hot frying pan first. Add the risotto to the pan to toast before adding a little stock to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the flavorful bits of cooked food that's stuck to the bottom of the pan. Then add a ladle of stock, stirring until the stock is absorbed, before adding another ladle. It's time-consuming, but stirring more frequently will release the starches from the rice for an even creamier sauce.

I also think leeks go beautifully with squash and sage, so I recommend adding this to the onion along with a lot of garlic. A whole leek will add about 50 calories and a clove of garlic adds about 4 calories, with a little oil to fry the onion in you're still under 400 calories.

Low-calorie risotto recipe

Method

Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Spread your diced squash out on a baking sheet and spray lightly with oil (1-2 sprays should be sufficient). Shake to coat with oil then roast for 20-30 minutes, shaking occasionally.
Pour 2½ cups (600ml) water into a sauté pan, crumble your stock cube into it and bring the mixture to a boil. Add your risotto rice and onion and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the stock is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Add more water if necessary.
Just before serving, add the fresh sage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and scatter your roasted butternut squash over the top.

Ingredients

12.3oz (350g) diced butternut squash
Spray oil
1 vegetable stock cube
4.4oz (125g) risotto rice
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2tbsp chopped fresh sage

Lou Mudge is a Health Writer at Future Plc, working across Fit&Well and Coach. She previously worked for Live Science, and regularly writes for Space.com and Pet's Radar. Based in Bath, UK, she has a passion for food, nutrition and health and is eager to demystify diet culture in order to make health and fitness accessible to everybody.

Multiple diagnoses in her early twenties sparked an interest in the gut-brain axis and the impact that diet and exercise can have on both physical and mental health. She was put on the FODMAP elimination diet during this time and learned to adapt recipes to fit these parameters, while retaining core flavors and textures, and now enjoys cooking for gut health.