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There’s nothing cozier than a creamy bowl of pumpkin risotto on a crisp fall night. This recipe is rich and comforting, yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner. You only need a handful of pantry staples to make a dish that feels restaurant-worthy.
Pumpkin risotto is a flavorful vegetarian dish that works as a main course or side dish. It’s packed with delicious fall flavors and turns out so incredibly creamy. It’s great for family dinners or the holidays.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy & comforting: classic risotto texture with all the fall flavors you will need.
- Easy to adapt: Can be made vegetarian, vegan, or richer with bacon or sausage.
- Simple but impressive: perfect for dinner parties or a cozy night in.
Recipe Overview
Tips before you get started
- Use warm broth: Cold broth makes risotto cook unevenly.
- Stir often, but not constantly: Mixing too much makes it gummy.
- Taste as you go: Risotto is done when the rice is tender but still slightly al dente.
- Add liquid slowly: This helps build that creamy texture naturally.
- Don’t rinse the rice: Many rice recipes instruct you to rinse the rice, but in risotto, the extra starch is what makes this super creamy.
- Toast the rice: Be sure to follow the instructions and toast the arborio rice while sautéing the garlic. This process infuses it with flavor and helps to create a barrier around the grains, so that it absorbs the liquid slowly, which keeps the rice from becoming soggy and mushy.
Ingredients needed
- Arborio rice: This is the best rice for creamy risotto. Do not use regular white rice or brown rice. It will not cook the same way.
- Pumpkin Puree: You can use roasted pumpkin for maximum flavor. I used canned puree for a quick and easy option.
- Onion & garlic: Builds up the savory base.
- Vegetable or chicken stock: Should be warmed for better absorption.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated makes it extra creamy, but store-bought will also work.
- Olive oil: Or avocado oil.
- Fresh sage or thyme: to garnish.
- Salt & black pepper: to taste.
💡 Substitutions: Swap pumpkin for butternut squash. For a vegan version, use nutritional yeast.
How to make pumpkin risotto
1️⃣ Sauté the Onions
Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onions until golden and caramelized, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes. Set aside half of the onions to use as a topping.
2️⃣ Simmer the pumpkin sauce
While the onions cook, heat the stock in a saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. Add in the pumpkin puree and stir well to combine. Keep the stock mixture over low heat.
✏️ The stock mixture must remain warm.
3️⃣ Cook garlic and rice
To the remaining onions from the skillet, add the garlic and rice, and sauté for 1 minute.
✏️ You can toast the rice another minute here.
4️⃣ Add pumpkin stock mixture to rice
Start adding the pumpkin stock one ladle at a time, stirring after each until fully absorbed. It should take you around 20-25 minutes to finish all the stock.
✏️ Don’t rush this process and add the pumpkin mixture all at once.
5️⃣ Finish with Parmesan cheese
Once the rice is cooked and plumped, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and ground pepper if needed, and top each serving with the remaining caramelized onions. Garnish with fresh thyme or other freshly chopped herbs, if desired.
Variations
- Add protein: Stir in crispy pancetta, sausage, or grilled chicken.
- Make it vegetarian: Use veggie broth and skip meat garnishes.
- Vegan-friendly: Swap Parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast or vegan cheese.
- Mushroom twist: Add sautéed mushrooms for extra umami flavor.
Frequently asked questions
This makes a satisfying vegetarian main dish served with a fresh green side salad or roasted vegetables. You could also serve this as a side dish with parmesan oven-roasted chicken breast or crispy baked salmon if you want more protein.
Arborio is the classic choice, but Carnaroli or Vialone Nano also work and can even make creamier results.
It keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. Add a splash of warm broth before serving to loosen it.
Storage & Reheating
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing pumpkin risotto. Risotto loses its texture when frozen.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stove with a splash of broth or water to bring back creaminess. You can also reheat using the microwave.
More savory pumpkin recipes
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta
- Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
- Pumpkin Spice Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Turkey Pumpkin Chili
- White Bean Pumpkin Chili
- Easy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
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Creamy Pumpkin Risotto (Easy & Comforting Fall Dinner)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, or avocado oil
- 2 medium onions, halved and sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, warm
- 2 cups pumpkin puree
- kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/4 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Optional:
- fresh thyme or herbs of choice, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and cook the 2 medium onions until golden and caramelized, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes. Set aside half of the onions to use as a topping.
- While the onions cook, heat the 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock in a saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering. Add in the 2 cups pumpkin puree and stir well to combine. Keep the stock mixture over low heat.
- To the remaining onions from the skillet, add the 3-4 garlic cloves and 1 1/4 cup arborio rice, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Start adding the pumpkin stock one ladle at a time, stirring after each until fully absorbed. It should take you around 20-25 minutes to finish all the stock.
- Once the rice is cooked and plumped, stir in the 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and pepper if needed, and top each serving with the remaining caramelized onions.
- Garnish with fresh thyme or other fresh thyme or herbs of choice, if desired.
Notes
- Instead of pumpkin puree, you can use butternut squash puree.
- Use any stock of your choice.
- Avocado oil will work in place of olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
