Description
Creamy pumpkin purée is stirred into perfectly al dente risotto with plenty of parmesan cheese & nutmeg, adding such festive color & the perfect touch of mild pumpkin flavor. This easy No-Stir Pumpkin Risotto recipe is the perfect festive fall dinner, & it doubles as a great side dish to serve at holiday dinners like Thanksgiving or Christmas!
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- for serving, as desired: fresh sage leaves, extra grated parmesan
Instructions
PREP: This no-stir risotto recipe comes together pretty quickly, with a couple of moving parts. For that reason, I highly suggest taking a couple of minutes to get yourself prepped & organized before you begin cooking. Chop the onion & garlic. Measure the rice & wine. Grab all the ingredients you need & set them within arm’s reach from the stove so cooking is a smooth process – it’ll make a world of difference!
- Simmer the broth: Add the vegetable broth & bay leaf to a large pot over high heat. Bring the broth to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a very light simmer.
- Cook the aromatics: Meanwhile, as the broth comes to a simmer, begin cooking the risotto. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and salt. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Toast the arborio rice: Add the arborio rice to the pot with the aromatics, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. The rice will take on some golden-brown color, but should not burn – if you feel like it’s creeping toward the burnt end of the spectrum, reduce the heat.
- Cook the risotto: Increase the heat under the rice & onion to medium-high, then add in the wine to deglaze. Bring the wine to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is absorbed, about 3-4 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the simmering vegetable broth, then carefully transfer the remaining 5 cups of warm broth to the pot with the rice. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to achieve a steady simmer. Cover the pot and cook the risotto for 20 minutes.
- Finish the pumpkin risotto: Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the reserved vegetable broth, pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, and nutmeg into the risotto. Cover and let the pot stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve the pumpkin risotto immediately, topped with fresh sage leaves &/or extra grated parmesan as desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
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- Dairy-free &/or Vegan Pumpkin Risotto: Use coconut oil in place of the butter. Omit the parmesan cheese – be sure taste and add some extra salt to account for the saltiness that parmesan would add. Jazz it up, as desired, with some extra spices or herbs – think: cinnamon, rosemary, crispy fried sage.
- 5-Minute Meal Prep: Dice 1 small yellow onion & finely chop or grate 3 cloves of garlic, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. All you have to do on Thanksgiving Day get cooking – easy!
- Make-Ahead Pumpkin Risotto: Pumpkin Risotto can also be made up to 5 days in advance, stored covered in the refrigerator, & reheated in a slow cooker or on the stovetop on Thanksgiving day. To make ahead of time:
- Prep the risotto through Step 4 of Recipe Directions, above.
- Transfer the par-cooked risotto to a sheet pan, spreading the risotto into a thin layer to help it cool quickly. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Reheat in a slow cooker: 3-4 hours before serving, place the par-cooked risotto in a slow cooker, along with remaining pumpkin risotto ingredients. Reheat on low, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, stir in a little extra broth as needed to loosen up the texture of the risotto. If the risotto gets too loose, add in some extra parmesan cheese to tighten it back up.
- Reheat on the stovetop: 10-15 minutes before serving, place the par-cooked risotto in a pot, along with remaining pumpkin risotto ingredients. Reheat on low, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Just before serving, stir in a little extra broth as needed to loosen up the texture of the risotto. If the risotto gets too loose, add in some extra parmesan cheese to tighten it back up.
- Portions: As written, this pumpkin risotto recipe yields a medium batch, serving up to 8 as a side dish. For a different sized crowd…
- Scaled up: To serve up to 14 as a side dish, double the recipe. Be sure to use a large enough pot or vessel to comfortably fit the risotto – about 7-qts.
- Make it a mini: To serve a cozy crowd of up to 4, halve the recipe.
- The no-stir method used in this pumpkin risotto recipe is inspired by & adapted from America Test Kitchen’s Almost Hands-Free method.