We are in the middle of late autumn, and with the first cold, there’s nothing better than a warm dish that smells like home. Let’s make use of the pumpkin, the undisputed queen of these winter months, to prepare this rice, pumpkin, and potato soup.
As you know, pumpkin is a very healthy vegetable: low in calories, rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, E, and C. We combine it with potato and rice in this very simple, traditional, and very tasty recipe, perfect for warming the heart and stomach.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1/4 white onion
- 5.6 oz Vialone Nano rice
- 17.6 oz Pumpkin (cleaned)
- 7 oz Potatoes
- 4 1/4 cups Vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp Butter
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- to taste Nutmeg
- to taste Grana Padano cheese
Tools
- 2 Pots
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Grater
Preparation
Prepare the vegetables: clean the onion and chop it finely. Clean the pumpkin and potatoes and cut them into cubes about 1-1.5 inches.
In a large pot (a thick-bottomed pot is ideal), sauté the onion with the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. If you prefer, you can use two tablespoons of EVO oil.Add the pumpkin and potato cubes to the sauté. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring well to flavor them.
Add the hot vegetable broth, ensuring that it covers the vegetables by a couple of inches. You can also use the homemade vegetable granules.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and pumpkin are very soft and tender. During this phase, top up with more hot broth if the soup dries out too much.While the vegetables are finishing cooking, bring the water to a boil in a separate pot and boil the Vialone Nano rice with a pinch of salt.
It’s crucial to drain the rice when it is very al dente (i.e., 5-6 minutes before the total time indicated on the package). It should still be hard because the cooking will be completed in the soup.Adjust the salt and add a sprinkle of nutmeg and a dash of pepper to the pumpkin and potato soup.
Drain the al dente rice well and immediately add it to the soup. Stir.
Continue cooking over low heat until the rice is fully cooked. This allows the rice grains to absorb the flavor of the soup. Add more hot broth immediately, if needed, to maintain the desired consistency and not stop the rice from cooking.
Turn off the heat. Serve the hot rice, pumpkin, and potato soup, completing the dish with plenty of grated Grana Padano and, if you have them, some warm croutons.
Tips, Notes, and Variations
If you want your soup to be less “brothy” and more creamy while retaining the chunks, I suggest gently mashing part of the potato and pumpkin chunks with a wooden spoon or fork before adding the rice. The potato starch will act as a natural binder.
Since the soup doesn’t have any particular fats, the flavor will depend entirely on the broth. Using homemade broth or high-quality vegetable broth is essential.
Serve the soup immediately after finishing cooking the rice. If you let it sit in the pot, the rice will continue to absorb the liquid and become too thick.
For a more rustic touch, you can sauté 50 g of diced pancetta or speck along with the onion in the first step, but taste and then adjust the salt. Pancetta or speck already have their own salt.
Add a pinch of rosemary or thyme finely chopped along with the nutmeg for a more complex aroma.
The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, always add a small amount of hot vegetable broth to adjust the consistency, which will have become very thick due to the rice.
FAQ – Rice, Pumpkin, and Potato Soup
Can I use parboiled rice?
No, I do not recommend it. Parboiled rice doesn’t release starch and doesn’t absorb the flavors well, making the soup less creamy and less tasty. Stick to varieties like Vialone Nano or Carnaroli.
How much broth should I use in total?
Your initial ingredient of 1 liter is the reference quantity. It’s a flexible volume: use it to cook the vegetables and then to thicken the soup as the rice cooks and absorbs. The soup should have a “liquid” but not watery consistency. If you’re short on broth, you can add a little hot water.
There you have it! You have prepared the rice, pumpkin, and potato soup with the care and technique of tradition. A dish that envelops you, perfect for family evenings.
I hope this detailed version is helpful to you. Let me know your secret for best flavoring the vegetable broth!
