About the Recipe
Creamy, golden, and rich with fall flavor, Pumpkin Risotto is comfort food dressed up for the season. Velvety pumpkin purée melts into tender Arborio rice, creating a dish that tastes like October in every bite — earthy, nutty, and just a touch sweet. Top it with parmesan and a sprinkle of sage, and you’ve got something elegant enough for a harvest dinner yet cozy enough for a chilly weeknight. It’s the kind of meal that warms your hands, fills your home with magic, and makes you wonder why we ever stopped cooking with pumpkins after Halloween.
Ingredients
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
5 sage leaves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 tsp salt
⅛ tsp nutmeg
1 cup pumpkin puree [not pie filling]
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Preparation
Step 1
In a saucepan bring the broth to simmer; keep warm.
Step 2
In separate pan, melt butter over medium heat; add onion and cook ~5 mins until softened. Add garlic and sage; cook ~1 min.
Step 3
Add rice, salt, nutmeg; stir constantly until the rice is lightly toasted [~3 mins].
Step 4
Add ½-cup broth; stir until almost absorbed [~2-3 mins]. Continue adding broth ½-cup at a time, stirring and waiting for absorption until rice is creamy al dente [~20 mins].
Step 5
Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin puree, Parmesan, and red wine vinegar. Serve immediately. Garnish with extra sage if desired.
Baked Version:
Roast pumpkin first; in casserole dish combine rice + stock + puree; cover and bake ~25-30 mins; stir, adjust, serve.