Pumpkin Risotto / gluten-free & dairy-free
There's no deprivation for you this pumpkin season! Try our version of Pumpkin Risotto for a delicious and satisfying dish to serve at your next dinner party.
Ingredients
- 1 small pumpkin or 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 an onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1½ cups of risotto rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 t nutmeg
- 1 cup of chicken or veggie stock
- 4-5 cups of water (or use all stock)
- a Sprinkle of cinnamon (You can also add in cloves, or more cinnamon for added fall-spice flavor.)
- Walnuts to top (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the pumpkin in half and take out all the seeds. Rub with olive oil. Place flesh side down in a baking pan, and roast at 400° for 30-45 minutes, until the pumpkin has softened. Let cool. (Skip this step if you use canned pumpkin.)
- Dice the onion. Add a small amount of olive oil to a large sauté pan. Add the onion and heat to medium, cooking the onion for about 5-7 minutes.
- Crush the garlic and add it to the pan, cook for about 1 minute.
- Measure and rinse the rice. Add it to the pan with the onion. Stir around to heat up, and toast the rice.
- Add one cup of chicken or veggie stock and the wine, stir often while cooking. The key to risotto is this slow method of cooking - always stirring and adding in more liquid as it is absorbed.
- Add in more water or stock as the rice continues to absorb the liquid. Continuously stir the pan.
- Add in the pumpkin and mix well. Add the spices.
- Continue to add in more liquid as needed. Once the rice is cooked through and the pumpkin and spices are mixed in - it’s ready to serve.
- Top with walnuts and a dash of cinnamon.
- *Serve with your favorite protein of choice.
Notes
When my children were younger, we created “Cheesy Rice”. This gave the appearance of mac-n-cheese, so they gobbled it up. But actually, it was our Butternut Squash Risotto . . . much like this dish, just swap out the pumpkin for butternut squash.