Step 1

Cut off the top and bottom 1/2 inch of the butternut squash. Then, use a vegetable peeler to peel the entire squash. Afterwards, proceed to cut it in half vertically, and scoop out the seeds. Dice into bite-sized pieces - you will need around 1/2 a butternut squash, or 2 cups, for this recipe.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the cubed butternut squash to the tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden.

Step 3

Meanwhile, melt the vegan butter in a flat-bottomed pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding the cumin and garlic powder and cooking for 2 more minutes.

Step 4

Add the arborio rice and allow to cook for around 3 minutes to brown the rice slightly. Then, start pouring in the vegetable stock around 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until it fully absorbs before adding more stock. The whole process should take around 20 minutes.

Step 5

Once you have used up all the vegetable stock minus 1 cup, add the turmeric, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, vegan cheese, asparagus, the roasted butternut squash and the rest of the stock. Continue stirring for another 5 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green.

Step 6

At the last minute, stir in the the spinach and lemon juice. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.