Pumpkin Risotto
Updated Oct 14, 2025
This pumpkin risotto takes just 30 minutes to make and is made with arborio rice, pumpkin puree, and parmesan.
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my pumpkin risotto is so good!
This Pumpkin Risotto is so easy, requires just a little stirring, and is ready in 30 minutes! The pumpkin puree and sage make it taste like fall. Risotto used to be the kind of dish I’d only have at a restaurant. Why? Because I was worried I’d mess it up at home! But, it’s actually really easy to make, and so I’ve been inspired to make it with all types of ingredients, and this pumpkin risotto recipe is a new fall fav in my house.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Pumpkin Risotto Ingredients
- Pumpkin: Make sure to get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling! I sometimes make homemade pumpkin puree too!
- Rice: Use Arborio rice, which is a starchier rice and a must for this easy pumpkin risotto recipe.
- Broth: To keep this risotto vegetarian, use vegetable broth! If that doesn’t matter to you, chicken broth works.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, since I add salt to the risotto.
- Seasonings: You’ll need a diced onion, minced garlic, salt, nutmeg, and red wine vinegar!
- Herbs: I usually use sage, but rosemary would be a good substitute.
- Parmesan cheese: Make sure to grate the parmesan yourself! It’ll melt better than pre-shredded cheese. You could use pecorino romano instead of the parmesan!
How to Make Pumpkin Risotto
Pumpkin Risotto Recipe
This pumpkin risotto takes just 30 minutes to make and is made with arborio rice, pumpkin puree, and parmesan.
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 5 sage leaves , minced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Keep heat on low.
- Meanwhile, in another medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the rice, salt, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated with the onions mixture and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
- Use a ladle to add ½ cup of broth, stir, then allow the broth to be almost all absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Keep adding more broth, ½ a cup at a time, and allow the broth to get absorbed undisturbed, until all the broth is incorporated, about 20 minutes total.
- Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the pumpkin puree, Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar, and serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: While I usually recommend rinsing rice to remove starch so the cooked rice isn’t sticky, we want risotto to be sticky! So, don’t rinse it!
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 2-3 days in the fridge, but the consistency is best on the first day. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of vegetable broth and a dab of butter and/or parmesan cheese. Freezing not recommended.
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup Lundberg Family Farms Organic Jasmine rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup white onion minced
1 garlic clove minced
5 sage leaves chopped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
Combine pumpkin puree with the vegetable broth in a blender and blend until well pureed, pour over the rice and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the rice, keeping the broth mixture separately, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a pot over medium high heat; add the sage and fry briefly, about 15 seconds. Add the drained rice followed by the onion and garlic, stir to toast rice, about 1 minute. Add the previously strained liquid, salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil, reduce to a very low simmer. Cover pot and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Add the parmesan cheese and stir until cheese has fully melted. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 352kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 806mg, Potassium: 220mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 9903IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 137mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Make a crispy herb topping. In the original version of this recipe, I made a crispy sage leaf topping by frying chopped sage leaves in olive oil before scooping them out and draining them on a paper towel!
- Add vegetables. I’m all about more vegetables and you could stir in a cup or two of chopped kale or spinach!
- Add nuts. Try topping this easy risotto recipe with chopped walnuts or pecans! And don’t forget to toast the nuts first. (Toasting = flavor.)
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rinse the rice. While I usually recommend rinsing rice to remove starch so the cooked rice isn’t sticky, we want risotto to be sticky! So, don’t rinse it!
- Let the broth absorb before adding more. This is key to achieving the best risotto and getting a creamy texture! It’ll also make sure the risotto cooks evenly.
- Make sure to add hot broth. This is so the rice cooks evenly, too! If you added cold broth, the heating and cooling would mess up the rice’s texture.
- Don’t overcook the rice. Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, your pumpkin risotto is ready. If you overcook it, it can become soggy and lose its notable al dente texture.
Serving Ideas
- With chicken. This risotto would make an amazing side to a rosemary roasted whole chicken or oven baked balsamic chicken!
- With a salad. I have so many great salads to choose from on my site, but I’d probably serve pumpkin risotto with something fall-y! This fall harvest salad has sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and apples and this shaved brussel sprout salad takes just 15 minutes to make.
- Garlic bread. I won’t say no to carbs with carbs. My homemade garlic bread has mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano cheese.
- With a pumpkin dessert. Why not, amiright? I love my pumpkin snickerdoodles, pumpkin oatmeal cookies, and no-bake pumpkin cheesecake.
FAQs
The rice in my risotto isn’t cooked! How do I fix it?
I would heat up more broth and keep adding broth, ½ cup at a time, until the risotto is cooked!
Comments
Yumna,
I have been following your page and using your recipes for months and they have all been wonderful! Yesterday, I made pumpkin risotto for my family following your instructions. As usual, the instructions were spot on and the risotto turned out so tasty and just perfect 🙂 I paired the risotto with one your Mediterranean chicken dishes.
I did buy your recipe book, which is a terrific value, but I can’t emphasize enough the generosity of you posting dishes freely available at Feel Good Foodie. I love the clear concise recipes, often with a helpful video.
Thank you so much,
Mark