Pumpkin Risotto

Name: Pumpkin Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth; 2 tbs olive oil; 2 tbs butter; 1 onion, (chopped); 3 cloves garlic, (minced); 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves; 1 1/2 cups arborio rice; 15 oz. pumpkin puree; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 1 cup cup parmesan cheese, (shredded); kosher salt and pepper, (to taste)

September 17, 2015 by laurenpacek 14 Comments

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It’s that time of year again! This pumpkin risotto is creamy, savory, and delicious. Though this risotto is undeniably a savory dish, the slight sweetness of the pumpkin still shines through.

This risotto will definitely put in in an Autumn state of mind.

Love pumpkin? (Of course you do.) Ever tried it in a savory dish? If you haven’t, you definitely should!

Personally, I love using pumpkin in savory applications. Yes, of course I enjoy a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie or some Pumpkin Blondies as much as the next guy. But pumpkin actually makes a really nice flavor base for pasta sauces and risotto.

Plus, look at that gorgeous orange color. Does it get better than this?

In addition to tasting and (in my opinion) looking great, risotto is outwardly very impressive while actually being quite simple to prepare. Can you chop some vegetables, stir stir stir, and have a bit of patience? If yes (Of course you can), you can definitely make risotto.

This favorable difficulty-to-impressiveness ratio is why risotto is one of my go-to moves when making dinner for someone other than my husband and myself.

Need more risotto recipes? Check out my Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes. Or how about Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese?

Pumpkin Risotto

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
15 oz. pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup cup parmesan cheese, shredded
kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring the broth/stock to a simmer.
In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion, garlic, and thyme, stirring occasionally. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Add the rice, stirring to coat each grain with the butter and oil. Stirring fairly constantly, wait until you smell a nutty aroma. That lets you know that the rice has been toasted a bit.
A couple of ladles at a time, add the warmed broth/stock to the rice. Stir constantly. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add another couple of ladles. More stirring. Repeat this until most or all of the liquid had been incorporated and absorbed, and the rice has a nice tender bite to it.
Add the pumpkin puree, stirring to incorporate well. Add the spices and cheese. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.