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I’m a huge fan of risotto. I mean it, huge. It gets a horrible rap about being difficult and time consuming. I’ve never found that to be actually true. Yes, risotto takes time but it really doesn’t take forever and it’s so worth the time put in. To be honest, all you really need to do it stir anyway, so genuinely not bad at all.
I’m slightly famous for my mushroom risotto, that recipe is coming soon, so I thought why not give it a go with pumpkin! Tried a few variations and found the right recipe. It’s simple, classic and delicious with light pumpkin flavor and a beautiful creamy texture.
You’re cooking up shallots (if not then yellow or sweet onion is fine too), then quickly toasting up the rice, and then slowly adding liquid until the risotto has the right dense, moist (I’m so sorry for using that word) texture. This is really a lighter pumpkin flavor, so if you’re expecting crazy amount of pumpkin look elsewhere. This is light and perfectly pumpkin-y, not overwhelming. Not that pumpkin-y is a word but you give me a better one, OK?
I served this on Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit. Because it’s delicious, starchy and goes well with pretty much any protein!
Instead of adding in a big glob of pumpkin to the rice, I mix the pumpkin in with the stock and slowly add to the rice, so you’re not overwhelming the ability to soak in the stock properly, and you’re also not changing that amazing risotto texture. I also make sure to toast up the sage quickly when the onions have just about finished so you’re not left with a overly-soapy sage flavor.
I love this with some of my Tarragon Roast Chicken or just with a side of Brussels sprouts with bacon. This really is a main dish rather than just a side so you don’t need much of anything else! Normally I would eat this as a complete main dish.
Risotto is made with Arborio rice, you can use other rice options, but this is the traditional way, and the only rice I use.
If you’re unsure of which pumpkin to buy, this post lists them all out and compares. I love Libby’s brand (the classic) but I also surprisingly love the Thrive Market Organic Pumpkin too, I usually buy that because I’m a big fan of thrive. Either of these options are great and you can definitely find libby’s anywhere.
Now, enough back story, let’s get to the recipe!
Parmesan Pumpkin Sage Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 shallots or 1 yellow onion
- 2 carrots medium (you'll need about a half cup chopped)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 tbsp fresh sage
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, add the chicken stock and pumpkin puree and bring to a low simmer.
- While the broth is heating, chop the shallots (or onions) and carrots and mince the sage. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and add in the onion and carrot over medium heat. Cook until onion is translucent and then add the sage and garlic. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Now, add the rice and give a quick stir, let that toast up for about 1-2 minutes to get a light golden brown, this will add in a lot of flavor. Add in the white wine and cook until absorbed into the rice, stirring frequently. Turn heat to low-med.
- Give the broth a quick stir and add in broth 1 cup at a time, stirring every few minutes to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom and the broth is evenly distributed. Cook until no broth is visible and then add a another cup. Repeat process until all broth is absorbed and rice is dense and luxurious (no uncooked bite).
- Take off heat and stir in parmesan cheese, nutmeg and butter. Crack some fresh pepper on top and enjoy!
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