Creamy Pumpkin & Mushroom Risotto
If you love a good risotto, then this delicious pumpkin risotto with mushroom is one you have to try. The creaminess from the pumpkin combined with the richness of parmesan and meaty mushrooms makes this veggie dish a real crowd-pleaser.
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You’re Going to Love Pumpkin Risotto
Risotto is an Italian dish that many of us love.
The creamy texture of the starchy rice combined with lots of beautiful flavors, it is a very versatile dish that works with many ingredients. The original recipe for a risotto dates back as far as 1809. Originating in Lombardy, It included rice sautéed in butter, sausages, bone marrow, and onions with broth with saffron gradually added.
Today, we include many varieties of vegetables, seafood, and meat in a risotto.
Including pumpkin!
While it may take a little love and attention to bring the risotto to life, you can have it on the table within the hour, and it is a dish that you will have no objections from the family.
If you love risotto as much as I do, check out my post for the perfect risotto, which gives you a basic risotto recipe alongside every trick, tip, and technique for mastering this Italian classic, no matter what ingredients you want to add.
And if you love Italian and Mediterranean dishes, try my recipes for slow-cooker creamy tomato basil chicken, mortar and pestle pesto, sataraš (Croatian stewed peppers, onions, and tomatoes), blitva (Croatian Swiss chard and garlic potatoes), as well as my Greek-grilled octopus.
Equipment
- You need a pot to hold the stock and a ladle.
- A pot or pan with deep enough sides for the risotto.
- A separate pan or pot to saute the mushrooms.
Ingredients
With less than ten ingredients, you will have a flavorsome risotto in no time at all. The pumpkin puree adds excellent flavor to the risotto and an extra creaminess. This is everything you need to make the creamy pumpkin and mushroom risotto.
- Risotto Rice | Risotto rice varieties, like arborio or carnaroli, is are short-grain rice varieties known for their high starch content, which gives risotto its creamy texture. Using suitable risotto rice is essential to achieve the desired consistency.
- Onion | Diced very fine, as small as you can. I prefer a yellow onion but anyone will do.
- Pumpkin Puree | You can use canned pumpkin puree or make your own by roasting and then blending a culinary pumpkin until smooth. You can also make this with roasted sweet potatoes or other types of squash — butternut, acorn, spaghetti etc.
- Chicken stock | Homemade chicken stock provides the best flavor. You can use chicken feet bone broth as well. However, choose low-sodium varieties to control the salt content if using store-bought. Beef, mixed meat, and vegetable and mushroom stocks are also great to use here.
- Parmesan | Choose a high-quality cheese.
- Nutmeg | Freshly ground nutmeg offers the best flavor and only a small amount is needed. Omit if you don’t have this.
- Fresh Parsley | for serving, optional
- Mushrooms | Ensure these are cleaned properly and then sliced evenly to ensure even cooking.
- Salt and Black pepper
❁ You’ll find the exact amount of each ingredient below in the recipe card. Make sure to select ‘cook mode’ to keep your screen from turning off as you make it. You can also print the recipe.
Instructions
Step 1:
Get your broth/stock hot and ready on the stove. It should be kept close nearby. You don’t want it to be boiling, but nearly close to that point.
Have your mushrooms prepped and ready: thinly sliced and ready to go.
Step 2:
Get two separate pans ready, one for the risotto and one for the mushrooms.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the risotto pan or pot.
In the mushroom-designated pan, do the same.
Add the chopped onion into the risotto pan and sauté until it turns translucent.
Add the mushrooms into the separate pan with a pinch of salt and pepper and slowly cook the mushrooms on the lowest setting. They should finish when the risotto does.
Step 3:
Incorporate the Arborio rice into the pot, sautéing for approximately 2-3 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted.
Step 4:
Gradually introduce the warm chicken stock to the rice, one ladleful at a time. Stir slowly and regularly, allowing each ladle of liquid to be fully absorbed before adding the next.
Continue this gradual process until the rice achieves a creamy consistency and cooks to al dente perfection.
This typically takes around 18-20 minutes.
Stir the mushrooms as needed.
Step 5:
Blend in the pumpkin puree, ensuring it is thoroughly mixed throughout.
Your mushrooms should be nearly ready by now and acquiring a light golden brown hue.
Step 7:
Integrate the sautéed mushrooms into the risotto or save them to pile on top of the individual bowls when serving.
Step 8:
Add the Parmesan and ground nutmeg to the risotto, stirring meticulously until the ingredients meld together into a
velvety consistency.
Step 9:
Finally, season the risotto with salt and black pepper to align with your taste preferences.
Hint: Aim for a perfect balance between creaminess and al dente texture. The rice should be tender with a slight firmness in the center.
Substitutions & Variations
- Nutmeg | Instead of using nutmeg, you could use cinnamon or even allspice as substitutes.
- Pumpkin | Instead of pumpkin, use a different squash variety.
- Add some meat | If you want to add a protein, then some chicken breast or shrimp will both work well with the flavors.
- Increase the veggies | You could add more vegetables to this risotto. Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach could be easily added. Why not add different varieties of mushrooms?
- Stock | I used chicken stock in this recipe, but it will work well with vegetable stock.
- Different cheese | If you can’t get hold of parmesan, then try a different cheese, just don’t tell any Italians about this. You could even stir in some cream cheese for extra richness.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
If you have any leftovers of this pumpkin and mushroom risotto, then allow them to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. You can then refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Reheat risotto gently in a pot on the lowest setting. Add a splash of stock or water, cover with a lid, and allow to slowly come up to temperature.
Leftover risotto can also be made into arancini balls.
If you want to freeze the cooked risotto, add the cooled pumpkin risotto to an airtight freezer-safe container or bag, and you can then store it for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw completely before gently reheating it on the stovetop. You may need to add a little water or stock to loosen it up.
Top Tips
- Always use hot stock when making a risotto and gradually add it to your mixture a ladle at a time. Allow that liquid to be soaked up by the rice, and keep the risotto moving by stirring it constantly so it doesn’t stick to the pan. It may require a little more attention, but it is worth it.
- Add a splash of white wine into the pot after the rice is done toasting and let it absorb before continuing with the recipe.
FAQ
Absolutely! While Arborio rice is what you will find in many recipes, you can experiment with other short-grain risotto rice varieties like Carnaroli (my favorite) or Vialone Nano, which will give you great results.
Can I use canned pumpkin pie filling instead of puree?
I would avoid using a pumpkin pie filling. It’s best to use plain pumpkin puree. Canned pumpkin pie filling contains added sugars and spices, which will change the overall flavor.
How do I prevent the risotto from becoming too thick?
If your risotto thickens upon cooling, simply add a small amount of stock or water when reheating to restore its creaminess.
Can I omit the nutmeg?
Yes, you can omit nutmeg if you prefer. Nutmeg adds a subtle warmth, but the risotto will still be delicious without it.
Related Recipes
Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:
What To Serve With Pumpkin Risotto
These are a few of my favorite main dishes to serve with pumpkin risotto:
Ingredients
- 2 cups risotto rice like arborio or carnaroli, 400 grams
- 1 cup pumpkin puree freshly roasted or canned, 240 grams
- ½ cup parmesan grated, 60 grams
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground fresh
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms whatever you prefer, porcini would be delicious, but any kind works, 150 grams
- 1 cup onion finely minced, 200 grams
- 3 tablespoons olive oil can also use butter or a mix of oil and butter
- 4 cups chicken stock you may not need to use all of the stock, it is better to have slightly more.
Instructions
- Get your broth/stock hot and ready on the stove. It should be kept close nearby. You don't want it to be boiling, but nearly close to that point. Have your mushrooms prepped and ready: cleaned, thinly sliced and ready to go.
- Get two separate pans ready, one for the risotto and one for the mushrooms.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the risotto pan or pot. In the mushroom-designated pan, do the same.
- Add the chopped onion into the risotto pan and sauté until it turns translucent.
- Add the mushrooms into the separate pan with a pinch of salt and pepper and slowly cook the mushrooms on the lowest setting. They should finish when the risotto does.
- Incorporate the Arborio rice into the pot, sautéing for approximately 2-3 minutes until the rice is lightly toasted.
- Gradually introduce the warm chicken stock to the rice, one ladleful at a time. Stir slowly and regularly, allowing each ladle of liquid to be fully absorbed before adding the next.
- Continue this gradual process until the rice achieves a creamy consistency and cooks to al dente perfection.
- This typically takes around 18-20 minutes. Stir the mushrooms as needed.
- Blend in the pumpkin puree, ensuring it is thoroughly mixed throughout.
- Your mushrooms should be nearly ready by now and acquiring a light golden brown hue. Integrate the sautéed mushrooms into the risotto or save them to pile on top of the individual bowls when serving.
- Add the Parmesan and ground nutmeg to the risotto, stirring meticulously until the ingredients meld together into a velvety consistency.
- Finally, season the risotto with salt and black pepper to align with your taste preferences. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Nutmeg | Instead of using nutmeg, you could use cinnamon or even allspice as substitutes.
- Pumpkin | Instead of pumpkin, use a different squash variety.
- Add some meat | If you want to add a protein, then some chicken breast or shrimp will both work well with the flavors.
- Increase the veggies | You could add more vegetables to this risotto. Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach could be easily added. Why not add different varieties of mushrooms?
- Stock | I used chicken stock in this recipe, but it will work well with vegetable stock.
- Different cheese | If you can’t get hold of parmesan, then try a different cheese, just don’t tell any Italians about this. You could even stir in some cream cheese for extra richness.
