The classic Italian Risotto with Pumpkin and sage is a simple but yet impressive recipe with a great taste combination. This is a quick vegetarian meal, perfect for lunch or dinner in the fall.
What ingredients you need
This is a vegetarian recipe so you need mostly simple, plant based ingredients:
- Pumpkin
- Onions
- Rice: arborio or carnaroli for best results
- Vegetable broth
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Sage
- Salt and pepper
- White wine: optional
- Parmigiano: optional
You will find the ingredient quantities below the post, in the recipe card!
Preparation summary
Making good risotto is an art! It is quite easy, on the other hand, but it requires some patience and knowledge.
Below you will find the simplified steps of how to make risotto with pumpkin and sage. The complete recipe is below the post, where you can also print it.
- First you need to cut the pumpkin and the onion into small pieces. Saute the onion with the olive oil in a frying pan. Saute the pumpkin as well and then cook it with some broth, until soft.
- At this point some people prefer to puree the pumpkin in a food processor: I personally like it in cubes, as long as it is soft.
- Add the rice to the pumpkin in the pan and "toast" it. Then add the wine.
- Start adding from the broth ladle by ladle, until it is absorbed. Season with the sage, the salt and the pepper.
- The risotto is ready when the rice is not hard anymore.
- At the very end add a piece of butter for an extra taste.
Recipe tips
- To make a great risotto it is imperative to use carnaroli or arborio rice. The standard rice types are simply not good for risotto due to their different starch content.
- The second basic thing that will lead to the success of your risotto is toasting the rice before adding the broth. That means: when you add the rice, let it toast for a minute or two in the oil, while stirring continuously. That way the rice grains will become even more solid and less likely to get overcooked.
- And last but not least: add the broth gradually, ladle by ladle. Pour the next ladle only when the previous is already absorbed. The final density of the risotto is up to you: thicker or with more broth, it will be nice and creamy.
- The perfection of this particular recipe is in the combination of pumpkin and sage. You might have noticed that pumpkin taste by itself is not that special but it is greatly enhanced by certain spices. Well, sage is such spice.
- White wine brings an additional very nice taste. But if you are going to serve this risotto to kids, you can skip it.
- And don't forget the butter at the end!
Serving ideas
Serving the risotto with some grated parmigiano cheese makes the taste even richer but is not mandatory.
In Italy risotto and pasta are considered "Primo" or the first main course before the meat. Italians normally eat risotto as it is, without any salad or a side dish.
Sure, if you like a salad you can have one but any side dish may overpower the wonderful taste of this risotto.
The best addition to this wonderful meal my view is a glass of cold white wine.
Enjoy this tasty, creamy pumpkin risotto!
And if you would like to see other recipes with rice, here is a selection:
Pumpkin Risotto with Sage
Ingredients
- 7 oz/ 200 g raw pumpkin peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup/ 200 g rice arborio or carnaroli
- 3 cups/ 750 ml vegetable broth
- ⅓ cup/ 80 ml white wine optional
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 3-4 leaves fresh sage finely chopped
- 1,5 tbsp/ 25 g butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- parmigiano grated, optional
Instructions
- Place the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion andsauté for 2-3 minutes. Add pumpkin and continue.
- Add a laddle of the broth and cover the pan with a lid. Let the vegetables cook for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin softens. If necessary add a bit more broth.
- When all the liquid is absorbed (if it is not, remove the lid from the pan), add the rice. Toast it together with the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the wine and stir. When the wine is absorbed, add the salt and pepper and a laddle of the stock, stir and let the rice absorb it. Do not cover the pan. Continue the process of adding more broth after the previous is absorbed until the rice softens (about 20 minutes). Stir every now and then.
- About 2-3 minutes before removing the pan from the stove, add the sage leaves and stir. After removing the pan from the heat add the butter. Stir until it melts and serve immediately.
- Sprinkle parmigiano to taste (optional)
Notes
- You can use dried sage if you don't find fresh.
- It is very important to use arborio or carnaroli rice for this recipe.
- Avoid storing any leftovers as risotto is best just after being prepared. You can still reheat and eat the leftovers but they won't be as good anymore.
About the author
Food Blogger, Photographer and Cookbook Author. Founder of the sites Dani's Cookings and Taco & Tiramisu.
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