Pumpkin Risotto

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This classic, creamy Italian rice dish is perfect for fall with pumpkin and sage. This serves 4 as a main dish or more as a side. You can easily halve it for 2 main dishes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Course: Entree, main, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 326kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

1 3-3 ½ quart saucier or sauteuse or similar pan
1 2 quart pan
wooden spoon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves chopped fine or zested
1 cup Italian rice - arborio or carnaroli
½ cup dry white wine
4 cup low sodium broth, chicken or turkey
⅓ cup canned pure pumpkin
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves plus extra for garnish
½ - ¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional protein

4-6 links pre-cooked chicken dinner sausage I use Applegate Farms

Instructions

Warm the broth

In a 2 quart pot over medium low heat, add the broth and heat. Don't boil, you don't want to lose the volume.

Saute aromatics

In a 3–3½-quart saucier or wide pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 2–3 minutes (don’t brown). Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute.

Toast the rice

Add rice; stir to coat and lightly toast until the edges look translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add a little of the salt.

Deglaze the pan

Pour in the wine; stir until mostly absorbed and the pan is nearly dry.

Add broth gradually

Add hot broth a ladle (about ⅓ cup) at a time, stirring often and waiting until you can draw a line through the rice that slowly fills in before the next addition. Keep the risotto at a gentle bubble, adjusting heat as needed. Continue until rice is just tender with a slight bite, 25-30 minutes total. (You may not need all the broth. Lightly season with a little more of the salt.

Add pumpkin

Stir in the pumpkin and heat through for a few minutes.

Finish risotto

Off the heat, stir in Parmesan, butter, and chopped sage. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve immediately; loosen with a splash of hot broth if it thickens.

If adding sausage

Near the finish of the risotto, slice the chicken sausage into pieces, brown and heat through in a separate pan. Serve either atop the risotto or in a side bowl for people to add themselves.

Notes

For a crispy sage leaf garnish, fry sage leaves for a few seconds in a little hot oil in a small pan, drain on paper towels, then use as a garnish.

For a richer pumpkin flavor and deeper color, you can increase to ½ cup. Add it gradually and loosen with a splash of broth as needed to keep the texture silky.

Nutrition