Creamy Fresh Pumpkin Risotto Recipe: Amazing Fall Comfort Food Vegetarian Dinner Grains Side Dishes

Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked and stirred with broth until it becomes creamy. In its most traditional form, it’s quite simple; it’s made with butter, onions, short- or medium-grain rice, broth and perhaps wine. It’s always finished with Parmesan cheese.

Pumpkin risotto is the perfect fall comfort food. It has warm, delicious flavors and is filling without being too heavy. This pumpkin risotto recipe is customizable in terms of your preferences and what’s available at your local grocery stores. However, I do recommend that you use Parmesan cheese, if you want this dish to be authentically Italian.

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounce pie pumpkin (peeled and de-seeded weight), cut into small cubes (can substitute butternut squash)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 clove garlic or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch pepper
• 1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar, for serving

Here’s how to make it:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook for around 5 minutes until the onion softens, but make sure it doesn't brown. Reduce heat or add a little more butter, if necessary.
2. Add the garlic and pumpkin/squash and cook until everything softens. On average this takes around 5 more minutes, but it will depend on the type of squash/pumpkin and the size of your pieces. You may want to cover the pan with a lid to let the vegetables sweat. Then mash the pumpkin/squash so that it's a rough puree.
3. Add the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes and then add enough stock to cover the rice. Keep adding a little more stock (around 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time) as the previous amount is absorbed, stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick. Typically, you won’t need to stir much in the beginning but will need to do so more toward the end.
4. Once the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed, stir through the Parmesan, nutmeg and pepper. Taste and add additional seasoning, if needed. Top with a drizzle of aged balsamic and a few shaves of freshly grated Parmesan.

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