As a next pumpkin recipe, I prepared this excellent quick pumpkin risotto. Fall = pumpkins! Pumpkins are almost everywhere these days. Of course, in addition to an exciting Halloween mood, this amazing fruit brings with it a lot of delicious recipes.
Yes, fruit! I also found it strange that pumpkins are a fruit. But it probably doesn’t matter. The important thing is that it is not only very tasty but also a healthy ingredient.
Pumpkin is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. Due to its low-calorie content, it is also suitable for weight loss. Nutrients and antioxidants can protect your eyesight, boost your immune system, support heart and skin health, and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
If it’s not your first time on my site, you probably know that I love using seasonal ingredients. That’s why I’m currently trying to come up with various delicious pumpkin recipes. The creamy pumpkin soup is also a classic that shouldn’t be missing in the fall season!
How to make quick pumpkin risotto
The basis, as with most risottos, is gradually adding the stock into your risotto. Prepare about 3 cups (or 700 ml) of chicken stock for about 1 cup (or 200 grams) of rice. Each time the rice absorbs the liquid, add one ladle of the chicken stock. Repeat this step until you have used up almost all of the broth and the rice is cooked perfectly (al dente).
Don’t forget to use risotto rice, whether arborio or carnaroli. Arborio is my favorite.
This way you can prepare different types of risotto. The technique is almost always the same. Only the ingredients you use change. These shape the overall character of the risotto and add various interesting flavors. Italian mushroom risotto is one of the most popular.
Pre-bake Hokkaido pumpkin or not?
Since we make quick pumpkin risotto, Hokkaido doesn’t need to be roasted. The great thing about this recipe is that the pumpkin becomes nice and soft at the same time as the rice is al dente. Cooking alone should take less than half an hour.
Wash the Hokkaido pumpkin first, as you don’t have to peel it. The skin contains many vitamins and you don’t even notice that the skin is there. I recently read that some people even eat kiwi with their skin on. Sounds a little strange to me, doesn’t it? How do you eat kiwi?
After cutting the pumpkin, simply scoop out the middle and dice one half into quite small cubes. My diced half weighed 320 grams, which is enough for three to four servings. You can use the other half in another recipe.
If you have the time, for example on weekend mornings, you can surely pre-bake Hokkaido pumpkin in the oven. The pumpkin gets an even deeper taste and the pumpkin risotto can have a slightly creamier character.
Preheat the oven to 350 ° F (or 175 ° C). Cut the Hokkaido into wedges and place them on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 50 minutes or until the pumpkin is quite soft.
However, if you want a quick dinner, you can skip this step.
And the cheese!
Finally, don’t forget the cheese. You can choose between Parmesan and Pecorino. Parmesan is a well-known and extremely tasty classic. But Pecorino Romano is also a fantastic Italian cheese (and usually cheaper). Feel free to give it a try.
Do not add the cheese until you have turned off the heat. The remaining heat simply melts the cheese and gives your pumpkin risotto a creamy character. So don’t worry if it seems a little watery before adding cheese. Parmesan makes it nice and creamy.
A few tips for the best pumpkin risotto:
- You don’t have to throw away the seeds after cutting the pumpkin in half. For example, you can roast them in the oven.
- Use a wooden spoon when mixing risotto. It does not “crush” the individual grains of rice when mixed.
- If you do not prefer very spicy foods, remove the membrane and seeds of the chili pepper. This makes it less spicy.
- Yes, a store-bought stock is ok too. But if you have good homemade chicken stock, it will definitely add extra flavor to the risotto.
- You can use either chicken or vegetable stock.
Quick Pumpkin Risotto
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
Description
This quick pumpkin risotto impresses with its simplicity and its unique taste. If you are looking for new pumpkin recipes, be sure to try this recipe this fall!
Ingredients
- 1/2 small Hokkaido pumpkin (approx. 320 g de-seeded)
- 190 g arborio rice
- 700 ml of chicken stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 40 ml of white wine
- 30 g butter
- 50 g of parmesan
- 1 chili pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 2 tbsp of sage or parsley
- A pinch of fresh nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the Hokkaido pumpkin, cut it in half and scoop out the middle with the seeds. Cut one half (around 11 oz) into tiny cubes. Also cut shallots, garlic, and chili.
- Get your chicken stock ready. In one pot you will cook your risotto and gradually take the broth from the other to pour into your risotto.
- Heat the olive oil in the pot and add the shallots. Then add garlic, chili pepper, and rosemary. After a few minutes, add the arborio rice, half of the butter, and mix well.
- After a while, when the rice starts to toast gently, add the diced pumpkin, and after a few minutes pour white wine over everything. Stir and let the wine evaporate.
- Now you gradually add the hot chicken stock. Start with one ladle (so that rice and pumpkin are covered). Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, add another ladle.
- Repeat this process for ca. 18 minutes. In the end, however, taste whether pumpkin is soft and rice al dente. Season with salt, pepper, and fresh nutmeg to taste.
- Finally, add the other half of the butter, turn off the heat and add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well and garnish with parsley or sage.
Notes
You don’t have to peel the Hokkaido pumpkin. The skin contains vitamins and also doesn’t disturb you at all. It becomes soft when you cook it.
Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of your quick pumpkin risotto. Remember that chicken stock and parmesan are also quite salty ingredients.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings , Amount per serving:
- Calories: 376
- Sugar: 3.3g
- Sodium: 1025mg
- Fat: 14.1g
- Saturated Fat: 6.8g
- Carbohydrates: 50mg
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Protein: 12.3g
- Cholesterol: 26mg
