Have you made my butternut squash risotto yet?
This risotto is a classic in our house. It’s the perfect way to greet the weekend: something that requires enough stirring and enough attention that you might just stir your weekday worries away. It’s the offering of a blank slate; the beginning of an un-plugged, snuggly, quality weekend.
It’s time to wind down. Pour yourself a glass of wine and start chopping, sautéing and massaging the starch from grains of pearly arborio. Make enough so that you have leftovers: these arancini make a lovely little lunch served with a salad or some sautéed spinach.
The recipe for the portobello cream sauce is below, and could be adapted to drizzle over grilled chicken or vegetables. To make the arancini, cube some good quality mozzarella. Take your leftover risotto and form it into a ball around each cube of cheese. Roll in breadcrumbs and fry in hot olive oil, turning the rice balls so all sides are browned. Remove from the pan and place on paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Serve hot, topped with portobello cream.
***note: these really are best made with day-old risotto. Rather than making the risotto especially for this recipe, you’ll want to make some to eat one night, and extra for arancini the next day.


- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup whole milk or cream
- 2 cups thinly sliced portobello mushrooms
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and allow the starch to cook for a minute or two, stirring consistently. Now whisk in the wine and milk or cream. Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken. Add the mushrooms and allow them to cook in the sauce until they soften.
- Serve over hot arancini.
Love this recipe, never thought about making arancini out of risotto. Looks very tasty!
Thanks Cheri! I didn’t know you could make arancini not out of risotto?!?!?!