What should you do with the leftover innards of your jack o’ lanterns? Make pumpkin risotto! If you aren’t carving pumpkins this year, you can use canned pumpkin and it will still turn out great. This is only a slight variation on the basic sweet pea and parmesan risotto that I posted a few weeks ago. But the pumpkin adds such deep color and flavor that it is an entirely different meal altogether, and a great way to enjoy pumpkin season. Also, leftover pumpkin risotto makes the best risotto cakes ever, which I will post a recipe for next.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups cooked, puréed pumpkin (or canned pumpkin)
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
In a small pot, bring chicken broth to a boil, then turn heat to low and let simmer. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the rice and stir until coated. Add the wine, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed all the wine. Add 3/4 cup of the simmering broth to the rice. Cook stirring occasionally until all the broth has been absorbed. Add another 3/4 cup of the simmering broth, and repeat the process, 3/4 cup at a time, waiting until all the liquid is absorbed before adding the next addition. With the last batch of liquid stir in the pumpkin and continue to stir occasionally until this last batch of liquid has been absorbed. Stir in parmesan and oregano.
Servings: 4
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This recipe is also being submitted to the Gluten-free Homemaker’s Wednesday Recipe Carnival.
Great post. I always try to “use up” our pumpkins. I love the idea of cooking it with risotto. Thanks.
Thanks for your comment, Tammy. Try to save some leftovers. I will be writing about risotto cakes next!
Sounds really good. I’m into pumpkin,..
This sounds wonderful! I have never used pumpkin for anything other than dessert, but i bet it would be a lovely addition to any meal!
Thanks for your comments, judee and Alea. Yes, pumpkin can be used for more than just dessert! It is just another type of squash after all.
I love the idea of using pumpkin in risotto! What a great way to use your pumpkin.
thanks for the idea! We love risotto and we had bought a couple of pumpkins this week with the intention of doing pumpkin pies, but i could not resist trying out your risotto! all i can say is that it was very well accepted
i mentioned your recipe to my aunt who lived in italy for over 15 years and told her about the risotto cakes you mention, and she wondered if you were going to make supplì? well, i could not wait, and made supplì today with the left over risotto from yesterday. looking forward to your risotto cakes recipe!
actually, i believe that supplì are stuffed balls, or stuffed rice balls, which require breading and egg to bind them together. risotto cakes are so much easier… and if i say anything more, I will give the recipe away! i just check your page and didn’t see the supplì posting yet, but i look forward to seeing and hearing about the results!
an italian friend of mine who lives here in denmark and who suffers from celiac disease uses gluten-free bread crumbs and stuffs the rice balls with mozzarella
will post about the supplì over the weekend.
[...] among all this pumpkin overeating, i was surprised by a pumpkin risotto recipe posted by heather. i had never thought about combining those 2 ingredients, but it turned out to [...]
Hi! This looks so good! I’m just wondering how many servings it makes since I’d like to bring it to a potluck. How would I increase the serving size if needed? Do I just double or triple the recipe? Would I increase the amount of liquid each time or leave it at 3/4 cup?
Hmm. Or I could just make it multiple times LOL
Gina
Hi Gina,
You would double or triple the recipe, but add only enough liquid to cover the rice in the pot. Then when that liquid is absorbed, pour enough liquid again to just cover what’s in the pot. A couple of ladels-full. Don’t worry about exactly how much liquid it is. As you get into it, you will understand how the process works. I hope this makes sense!
I updated this post with the serving number (4).
Heather
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