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This creamy Pumpkin Risotto is made with Arborio rice, pumpkin puree, Parmesan cheese, and caramelized onions. It’s rich, comforting, and full of flavor. Serve it as a cozy fall dinner or a holiday side dish.
I love making risotto when the weather gets cooler, and this pumpkin version is a great way to use pumpkin puree in a savory dish. The caramelized onions add so much flavor, and the Parmesan makes it extra creamy without needing any heavy cream. It takes a little patience to cook, but the steps are simple.
Recipe Overview
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Risotto
- Don’t rinse the rice: The starch on the rice helps give risotto its creamy texture.
- Keep the stock warm: Adding cold stock slows down the cooking process.
- Stir frequently: You don’t need to stir nonstop, but regular stirring helps release the starch and keeps the rice from sticking.
- Watch the consistency: The risotto should be creamy and spread slowly when spooned onto a plate. It shouldn’t be dry or stiff.
- Taste the rice before serving: It should be tender with a slight bite in the center. If it’s still hard, add more warm stock and continue cooking.
- Serve right away: Risotto thickens as it cools, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.
Key Ingredients
Full measurements are found further down in the recipe card.
- Arborio rice: This short-grain rice releases starch as it cooks, giving risotto its creamy texture. Carnaroli rice is another good option.
- Pumpkin puree: I use canned pumpkin puree to keep things simple. Make sure you use plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Onions and garlic: The caramelized onions add a slightly sweet flavor that goes really well with the pumpkin.
- Vegetable or chicken stock: Adds flavor and helps cook the rice. Keep it warm while making the risotto.
- Parmesan cheese: Adds a salty, savory flavor and makes the risotto even creamier. Freshly grated works best.
- Olive oil: For cooking the onions and toasting the rice.
- Salt and pepper: Adjust to taste, depending on how salty your stock is.
- Fresh herbs: Thyme or sage makes a nice finishing touch.
How to make pumpkin risotto
Caramelize the onions: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until golden and softened. Set aside half for topping.
Warm the pumpkin mixture: While the onions cook, heat the stock in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth and keep warm over low heat.
Toast the rice: Add the garlic and Arborio rice to the skillet with the remaining onions. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the pumpkin stock: Pour in one ladle of the warm pumpkin mixture at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid has absorbed before adding more. Continue for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender with a slight bite.
Finish and serve: Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. If the risotto looks too thick, add a little more warm stock. Top with the reserved caramelized onions and fresh herbs before serving.
Cooking time can vary, and the rice’s texture matters more than using exactly 4 cups of stock.
Variations
- Add mushrooms: Stir in sautéed mushrooms for extra savory flavor.
- Add protein: Top with grilled chicken, crispy bacon, or cooked sausage.
- Make it vegan: Use vegetable stock and replace the Parmesan with a plant-based alternative.
- Try butternut squash: Swap the pumpkin puree for the same amount of butternut squash puree.
Mistakes To Avoid
- Adding all the stock at once: Add the warm pumpkin stock gradually so the rice cooks evenly and releases its starch.
- Cooking over high heat: Keep the heat around medium to medium-low. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, the rice may still be hard in the center.
- Stopping too soon: Taste the rice before removing it from the heat. If it’s still crunchy, it needs more cooking time and liquid.
- Letting it get too dry: Risotto should be creamy and slightly loose. Add a splash of warm stock if it becomes too thick.
Common Questions
It keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. Add a splash of warm broth before serving to loosen it.
I recommend sticking with arborio rice or another risotto rice, like Carnaroli. Regular long-grain white rice won’t give you the same creamy texture.
Yes! Cook and puree fresh pumpkin until smooth. Use the same amount as canned pumpkin puree. If your homemade pumpkin puree is watery, drain off some of the excess liquid first.
The rice probably needs more cooking time. Add another splash of warm stock and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender.
Risotto tastes best freshly made because it thickens as it sits. You can caramelize the onions and prepare the pumpkin stock mixture ahead of time to make cooking easier.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pumpkin risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Refrigerate promptly after cooking.
- Reheating: Warm in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until creamy and heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing risotto because the rice can become mushy after thawing.
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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Thanks so much for being here and cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and a ⭐️ rating below.
Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
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, use low sodium stock
- 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 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
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Keep the pumpkin stock warm and add it gradually.
- If the rice is still firm after using all the stock, add more warm broth as needed.
- The risotto should be creamy and slightly loose when finished.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and vegetarian-friendly Parmesan-style cheese.
- Serve immediately for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
