Roast Butternut Squash, Chickpea & Spinach Brown Rice Risotto {Super Easy Vegan Food}

This healthy roast butternut squash, chickpea & spinach risotto is so comforting and tasty. It’s not strictly a risotto, as it’s not made with risotto rice, but that does make it incredibly easy to throw together. Roasted squash is sweet and delicious - definitely by favourite way of cooking it.

A couple of tablespoons of houmous stirred through at the end give a wonderful creamy texture and flavour while keeping this risotto vegan. I freeze almost empty tubs of houmous for this purpose and use straight from the freezer - it just melts in.

if you’re not up for wrestling with a cumbersome fresh butternut squash use frozen pre-prepared squash instead, or try pumpkin. Chickpeas can be substituted for any other beans. You can also switch brown rice for any leftover rice - just make sure it’s piping hot before serving.

To turn up the heat, chuck in a finely chopped chilli with the garlic, or add dried chilli flakes to taste. If you don’t have any dairy-free or vegan dietary requirements it’s absolutely delicious with parmesan cheese grated over to serve.

Roast Squash, Chickpea & Spinach Brown Rice Risotto {Super Easy Vegan Food}

Serves: 2 (but easily doubled)
Time: 30 minutes (start to finish)

Ingredients:

150g brown rice (or leftover cooked rice - see notes)
1 vegetable stock cube
Around half a butternut squash, peeled cut into 1cm cubes
2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra to serve)
1 tsp dried sage
1 clove garlic, crushed
400g can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
100g fresh baby spinach leaves
1-2 tbsp houmous
Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 C / 180 fan / gas mark 6. Get a roasting dish or baking tray ready for roasting your squash. I line mine with baking paper to help with the washing up, but it’s not necessary.
Put the brown rice on to cook according to the instructions on the packet adding the vegetable stock cube to the cooking water.
Toss the peeled and cubed butternut squash in 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Tip onto the baking tray or roasting dish, sprinkle over the sage and roast for around 15-20 minutes until tender and golden.
In a large saucepan, fry the crushed garlic with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the drained chickpeas and fresh baby spinach leaves. Stir until the spinach is just wilted.
Immediately add the rice and half the roast squash, along with the cooking juices from the roasted squash, to the pan. Stir until just combined and season to taste.
Finally stir through enough houmous to give a delicious creamy finish. Serve immediately topped with the remaining roast squash and a drizzle of olive oil if you like.