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Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Risotto

plate of pumpkin risotto topped with vegan parmesan and fried sage leaf
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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

This Creamy Pumpkin Risotto is cozy, hearty, and BIG on Fall flavor! The perfect fancy (but easy) vegan and gluten-free meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium vegetable broth (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 15-ounce (425 g) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh sage, sliced, plus extra whole leaves for garnish (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cups (380 g) Arborio rice
  • 3/4 cup (180 mL) dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
  • 1/2 cup (28 g) vegan parmesan cheese, grated*
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: pumpkin seeds and extra oil and parmesan, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Make the Broth: Carefully add the vegetable broth and pumpkin to a medium-to-large pot, then whisk until evenly combined. Bring to a low simmer over medium-low heat while you prep the rest of the ingredients; the broth should remain at this temperature when adding to the risotto.
  2. Pan-Fry the Sage (Optional): Add the olive oil to a large pan over medium-high heat; if you do not wish to fry additional sage for garnish, skip to step 3. Otherwise, add 4 – 6 whole sage leaves to the oil once warm; pan-fry for 45-60 seconds, until the leaves darken and start to brown only slightly. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate; set aside until serving. Keep the oil in the pan, to continue making the risotto.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: Add the shallot, garlic, and sage to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the garlic starts to brown. Then, add the nutmeg and arborio rice to the pan and mix well. Toast the arborio rice for 2-3 minutes, until the rice becomes more translucent. Toasting the rice adds more flavor to the final dish.
  4. Deglaze: add the white wine to the pan to deglaze it, scraping off any burnt bits (a.k.a. flavor!) from the bottom of the pan into the wine. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated from the pan or been absorbed by the rice.
  5. Make the Risotto: Start by adding 3/4 cup (180 mL) of the warmed pumpkin broth to the pan with the rice. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low and stir the mixture frequently, to ensure all grains of rice are cook evenly. Once you can drag your spoon through the mixture and it leaves a dry path, add an additional ½ cup of warm broth. Repeat this process with the remaining broth.
  6. Quality Check: Begin to taste the Risotto for doneness at around the 14 minutes mark, though it may take 20-25 minutes to cook in total. The Rice will be creamy but have a slightly al dente texture once finished.
  7. Make it Cheesy: Once the Risotto has cooked, turn the heat off and stir in the grated vegan parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
  8. Serve: Serve warm; I recommend topping each plate with a small drizzle of olive oil, extra sprinkle of parmesan, pumpkin seeds, and a pan-fried sage leaf. Risotto is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and are best reheated on the stovetop with an extra splash of vegetable broth.

Notes

  • Oil-Free: omit the olive oil and use 2-4 tablespoons of vegetable broth to sauté the garlic and onion until translucent, then proceed with the rest of the recipe as written.
  • Substitutions: white wine can be replaced with equal parts vegetable broth. Vegan parmesan can be replaced with 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, or 1/2 cup of this Rosemary Garlic Cashew Cream for an extra boost of flavor! There is no substitution for arborio rice; you can use another rice if you wish, but it will not be as creamy.

Keywords: vegan risotto, pumpkin risotto, vegan pumpkin recipes, savory pumpkin recipes, dairy free risotto, fall risotto

Find it online: https://frommybowl.com/pumpkin-risotto-vegan/