Pumpkin and Cheese Risotto, a fall main course, easy to prepare and super tasty. Perfect for Sunday lunch, but also for many other occasions, such as a dinner with friends or family.
Delicate and creamy, pumpkin risotto is a dish much loved during the cold season. Its creamy and enveloping texture will truly win everyone over!
The preparation is very simple: I sautéed onion and pumpkin (cut into small cubes) in a pan with a bit of oil, then added the rice, toasted it, let it evaporate with white wine, and then cooked it with the pumpkin, adding the broth one ladle at a time.
As the rice was cooking, I mashed the pumpkin: this way, at the end of cooking, it becomes almost a puree, the pieces are barely noticeable, and it will blend well with the rice. Almost at the end of cooking, I added the cheese (Philadelphia, diced Fontina, and grated Parmesan) and a pat of butter. Delicious!
The pumpkin, the quintessential symbol of autumn, is a very versatile vegetable and pairs well with a wide variety of ingredients and courses. In fact, besides being used to prepare excellent first courses, such as this Pasta with Pumpkin and Speck or baked with Baked Lasagna with Pumpkin and Sausage, it is also great as a side dish paired with meat, Baked Chicken Bites with Pumpkin and Potatoes, or even as a dessert: delicious Pumpkin Tiramisu or Pumpkin Cake with White Chocolate.
But now let’s see together how to make the Pumpkin and Cheese Risotto recipe. Prepare the ingredients, and let’s get started.
And if you try it, don’t forget to let me know in the comments on my Facebook page HERE. I’m waiting for you.
Gabriella
Other tasty main courses to try:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 7 oz pumpkin (cleaned 6 oz)
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 1.5 lbs vegetable broth
- 5 oz rice (for risotto – I used semi-wholegrain)
- 1/2 glass white wine
- 1.5 oz soft table cheese (stracchino, gorgonzola, philadelphia)
- 0.7 oz grated parmesan cheese
- thyme
- 1 pat butter (for blending)
Tools
To make the Pumpkin and Cheese Risotto, you’ll need:
- 1 Pan
- 1 Chopper
Steps
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN AND CHEESE RISOTTO
First, peel the pumpkin and cut it into small cubes: this way it will cook faster. Then, put a pan on the heat with extra virgin olive oil, add the chopped onion and pumpkin cubes, and let them sauté for a few minutes over high heat.
Add a ladle of hot broth and let it evaporate, mash the pumpkin slightly with a wooden spoon, then add the rice, toast it for a few minutes with the pumpkin, and then deglaze with white wine.
When the wine has dried, continue cooking by adding a little boiling broth at a time and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the broth only when the previous one has been absorbed.
Continue cooking: it will take about 20 minutes in total. A little before the end of cooking, add the cheese (Philadelphia and diced Fontina) and the grated Parmesan cheese. Mix gently; adjust the salt if necessary, a sprinkle of thyme, and blend with the butter.
Here’s the Pumpkin and Cheese Risotto ready. Enjoy your meal!
See you in the next recipe.
Storage
I recommend consuming the Pumpkin Risotto immediately. If there are leftovers, store them in the fridge and reheat them, although it will lose its creaminess and texture. But I am sure there won’t be any leftovers!
Tips and Suggestions
– Cheese: use creamy cheese, like Philadelphia, Stracchino, Robiola, which make the risotto creamy. You can also add diced Fontina or other cheese like Emmental, as long as it melts well. And, for a little extra kick, Gorgonzola.
– You can also add smoked bacon to the sauté with the onion or even crumbled sausage.
– As you stir the rice during cooking, mash the pumpkin: this way, at the end of cooking, it will become almost like a puree, with barely noticeable pieces, and it will blend well with the rice.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Which pumpkin to use?
To get a good risotto, it is preferable to use a pumpkin with dense flesh, low in fibers and threads, such as the Marina di Chioggia pumpkin or the one called Cappello del Prete.
