Most people wait until at least the beginning of September to start thinking about all things pumpkin, but I am not most people. My pantry always has a few cans of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) kicking around for whenever the mood strikes. It’s a great lazy shortcut for when you don’t want to hack up and roast a butternut squash, and of course, it also makes delicious baked goods and even smoothies.
This time, I brought my favourite canned squash into the wonderful world of risotto for a rich and creamy vegan take on a classic Italian dish. Some fresh sage, a pinch of nutmeg and a whole lot of vegan parmesan make this pumpkin risotto a delicious crowd pleaser — just make sure your crowd arrives before dinner is ready because risotto is best served immediately. And leftovers? They can be rolled into balls and fried for a tasty vegan version of arancini.
Another great thing about this creamy, vegan risotto is that it contains one cup of dry white wine, like a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Gris. This means you have your wine pairing for dinner already done! It also means you don’t want to use cheap and cheerful wine when you’re cooking (even though it may be tempting). Pick a wine you also want to drink and you’ll be glad you did.
We picked up this Italian Pinot Grigio from the BC Liquor Store for just over $20 (it regularly goes on sale) and it does the trick. I’ve been on a real New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc kick these days, so I’ll have to give one of those a whirl the next time I make risotto.
Also, if you haven’t tried the vegan parmesan from Violife, what are you waiting for? It has to be the closest thing I’ve tasted to actual parmesan and it’s available at tons of local grocery stores like Save On, SuperStore, lots of specialty grocery stores too.
Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 8 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 6 cups vegetable or vegan chicken stock ex. Better Than Bouillon
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1¼ cup vegan parmesan, grated
- 1 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 8-10 sage leaves
Instructions
- Combine stock, pumpkin puree, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and keep over low heat.
- Melt butter in a medium or large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly transparent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the rice straight to the pan and stir to coat it with butter. Reduce heat slightly and carefully add the wine. Stir continually until the wine is absorbed.
- Once the wine is mostly absorbed, bring the heat back up to medium and begin adding your stock mixture about a ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. This should take 30-40 minutes. It should take 5-5½ cups of liquid to reach a creamy but not too soft texture. Taste your risotto to see if it needs more stock or not.
- Once risotto is cooked al dente, stir in the grated parmesan cheese and chopped sage leaves. Serve immediately.
