The light pumpkin risotto is a tasty and light version of the classic pumpkin risotto. One of the most enjoyed autumn dishes with the arrival of the first cold days and the first pumpkins. For this recipe, I used the delica variety pumpkin, low green, with a slightly flattened shape, versatile for many recipes. Compared to the classic pumpkin risotto, I did not add butter for the final creaming, so it has less fat, and I flavored it with a chop of rosemary and sage.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Person
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 2.8 oz Carnaroli rice
- 2.8 oz delica pumpkin (cleaned)
- 1 oz golden onion
- 0.2 oz Grana Padano DOP
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- to taste rosemary
- to taste sage
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Pot
- Stainless steel pan
- Wooden spoon
- Grater
Steps
To prepare the light pumpkin risotto…
First, in a pot, heat the previously prepared vegetable broth or water over low flame.
While the broth or water is heating, take the onion, peel it, and chop it finely. Then take the pumpkin, remove the skin with a knife, remove the seeds with a spoon, and cut it into cubes of about 0.4 inches.
In a stainless steel pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium flame. When it’s hot, add the chopped onion and let it soften, always over medium flame, stirring with a wooden spoon.
When the onion has softened, add the rice and let it toast. When it starts to slightly stick to the pan, deglaze with some white wine and let it evaporate.
Once the wine has evaporated, add the pumpkin cubes and start wetting the rice with the hot vegetable broth or water. Make sure that the surface of the rice is covered by about 0.4 inches of broth, so it cooks evenly.
Continue cooking the rice for 15/20 minutes, occasionally adding broth and stirring with the wooden spoon.
When the rice is cooked, preferably al dente, turn off the heat. Add salt, pepper, a grating of Grana Padano cheese, and chop some rosemary needles and sage leaves.
Stir everything well for the last time, and if it seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of broth. Serve it hot.
