This easy creamy pumpkin risotto recipe is everything autumn and winter is all about. Think creamy, fluffy risotto infused with garlic flavours and wrapped in caramelized oven roasted pumpkin and tomatoes. It’s a cozy, comfort meal in a bowl ideal for a vegan date night or dinner with friends.
Jump to RecipeThis risotto is addictive. Made with fluffy risotto rice, sweet spring onions, Caramelized pumpkin and whole oven roasted tomatoes that almost explode with sweetness when you chew them. It’s so good I ate a whole bowlful, and I mean a big grown size bowl filled to the brim with pumpkin risotto, in under 10-minutes…before I knew it there was only a few rice kernels rattling around at the bottom of the bowl and I went back for seconds.
If you don’t already know just how amazing oven roasted pumpkin is, I need to sing it’s praises. Imagine soft on the inside, almost creamy, fluffy sweet pumpkin wrapped in a crispy outside that’s Caramelized to perfection. It’s so incredibly tasty. And add the oven roasted tomatoes that’s full of sunshine and sweetness and this recipe is a sure family favorite.
There’s nothing more comforting, warming and cozy than a bowlful of creamy, fluffy risotto. And add Caramelized pumpkin to the mix and it takes the risotto to a whole new level of deliciousness.
What’s great about this Easy fluffy pumpkin risotto recipe:
- Full of flavors
- Easy to make
- Fluffy and flavorful risotto rice
- Meal prep friendly
- Loaded with fall and winter flavors
- A total crowd pleaser recipe
- Great vegan date night dinner
- Amazing to serve for friends
What kind of pumpkin should I use in risotto?
You can use almost any type of pumpkin you prefer, but my favorite is Hokkaido pumpkin or butternut squash. The important thing is that the pumpkin Caramelizes in the oven and becomes lovely soft on the inside and golden and crispy at the outside edges. As long as the pumpkin you use fulfills those criteria they will be great in this risotto.
What kind of risotto rice is best?
When you’re making risotto it’s important to use the right type of rice. Any type of real risotto rice will work well, although my personal favorite is Arborio risotto rice because of their creamy and fluffy texture.
I’m not usually strict when it comes to cooking. I generally believe that cooking should be fun, creative and intuitive. But when it comes to risotto that’s where I adhere to the rules. There are no substitutions for real risotto rice that will give you the lightness and creaminess that real risotto rice will.
Here’s the best risotto rice (in my opinion):
- Arborio rice – a longer, heavier rice that creates a thick creamy risotto
- Carnaroli rice – is often called the king of risotto as it creates the creamiest risotto
- Vialone Nano – a special risotto rice that stems from the Veneto region
Cheesy decadent vegan risotto hack
This recipe doesn’t use cheese or cheese-like flavors in my original version…but if you’re craving cheesy flavors then I’ve got the ideal vegan option. Just add 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast to the risotto when you add the vegetable stock and you’ll get all the cheesiness you could dream of.
How to cook risotto rice
Some people shy away from cooking risotto because it requires more attention than regular rice. But actually making risotto is a lot easier for most people than cooking rice the normal way. Because the water is only added a little at a time, you don’t run the risk of adding too much liquid and getting a soggy rice.
Here the steps to cooking the best Easy risotto:
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add spring onions, garlic or other onions if you’re using them. Let the onions soften for 1-2 minutes before adding the risotto rice. Stir the rice on the hot pan and let it cook for a few seconds before pouring in just enough water to cover the rice. Stir gently and let the rice cook until nearly all the liquid has dissolved.
- Begin adding vegetable stock a little at a time, while stirring occasionally and allowing the liquid to be absorbed in between.
- Keep gently stirring and adding extra liquid until the rice is cooked.
- That’s it. Easy, right?
- Once the risotto is cooked, add the roasted veggies and gently mix together.
- Serve with a garnish of fresh basil and enjoy.
Easy Creamy Pumpkin Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Pumpkin Hokkaido or butternut squash
- 6-8 Tomatoes
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock
- 2 Spring Onions Chopped
- 1 tbsp Oregano
- 1 tbsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tbsp Paprika Regular or smoked
- 1 tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Carefully cut the pumpkin into halves and scrape out the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch chunks and pour them onto the lined baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, oregano, paprika and basil. Toss to combine. Place the tomatoes in the center of the pumpkin and cook the veggies in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
- While the pumpkin is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large deep pan and sauté the chopped spring onions until they are soft. Season with thyme and add the risotto.
- Stir the rice on the hot pan and let it cook for a few seconds before pouring in just enough water to cover the rice. Stir gently and let the rice cook until nearly all the liquid has dissolved. Begin adding vegetable stock a little at a time, while stirring occasionally and allowing the liquid to be absorbed in between. Keep gently stirring and adding extra liquid until the rice is cooked.
- Once the pumpkin is done roasting and caramelizing, remove them from the oven and add the veggies to the risotto. Make sure to scrape in all the seasoning and gently stir everything together until it’s combined. Serve with a garnish of fresh basil and spring onions.Enjoy.