Creamy pumpkin risotto

A beautifully creamy, cheesy pumpkin risotto topped with 'bacon' crumble and fresh parsley.

Pumpkin is an essential ingredient as we hit cosy season. Pumpkin and pumpkin spice are everywhere! However as fun as pumpkin carving can be I can’t help but think it’s a big waste of such a tasty and versatile ingredient, so me being a foodie will never buy a carving pumpkin and much rather an eating one- there is a difference! Adding pumpkin into the risotto along with the vegan parmesan makes for a super creamy, slightly sweet but also savoury touch to the rice making it the perfect comforting autumn meal. I topped this creamy risotto with a vegan ‘bacon’ crumble to add a smoky twist and adding some protein to the dish. You have to try this one if you are yet to be convinced into being a pumpkin eater instead of a pumpkin carver!

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Ingredients and substitutes-

• Pumpkin- When choosing a pumpkin make sure they are suitable for eating- the carving style pumpkins are edible but do not taste as good as the eating variety. Here in the UK pumpkins are hard to find in mainstream supermarkets unless its Halloween time so if you’re finding it hard to source an eating pumpkin you could use pre made tinned pumpkin puree or a butternut squash. If you’re short on time you could by frozen squash or pumpkin cubes and just microwave steam and mash them.

• Risotto rice- This could also be named ‘Arborio rice’ it can easily be found in most major supermarkets. This is a short grain rice that absorbs the liquid perfectly and makes for a silky risotto rather than a stodgy one if you were to use another rice type.

• ‘Bacon’ crumbles- I love to use TVP soy mince (textured vegetable protein) as it lasts for ages in the dry store cupboard so its always on hand when I have nothing fresh in. It is protein packed, so versatile and also has minimal ingredients which allows you to control more of what is in your food. The TVP here is mixed with some basic seasonings to make it ‘bacony’. Please do feel free to use your favourite shop bought bacon or omit all together but I personally love the crisp bite and smokiness the ‘bacon’ crumbles bring to this risotto.

• Vegan parmesan- Pumpkin is quite sweet so using a sharp vegan cheese really balances out the flavours and adds an extra level of creaminess which makes this dish a showstopper for me. You could also use some cream cheese and a squeeze of lemon which also provides the sharpness and creamy texture but parmesan is best recommended. My favourite is the ‘vegan Italian style grated’ from Lidl in the UK.

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Top Tips!

Peeling & chopping-

Pumpkins and squash can be tough skinned and hard to peel with a vegetable peeler and can be tough on some knifes therefore my tip to cook them is to cut them in half and roast them, let them cool a little and then scoop out the flesh. This makes the easier to prepare and also gives them a lovely roasted caramelised depth of flavour which never goes a miss in a cosy autumn dish.

Stock amount-

Different rice can absorb more or less liquid therefore the amount of stock listed in this recipe is a guide not a definite. The best way to monitor this is to add a ladle full of stock and let the rice cook then add another ladle once the previous has absorbed. Continue this process texture testing the rice as you go along until the rice is perfectly cooked. It should be cooked al dente (have a slight bite to it). It is important not to add too much or too little liquid.

And now for the recipe!

Pumpkin risotto

​Serves- 4 Time- 1 hour

Ingredients-

• 300g Arborio rice

• 1 Medium cooking pumpkin

• 1.2L vegetable stock

• 1 yellow onion

• 1 garlic clove

• 50g vegan parmesan + some to serve

• 30g Vegan butter

• 1 tsp salt

• Vegan ‘bacon’ crumbles to top

Method-

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits in the middle and discard. Pop the 2 halves in a baking dish and bake at 200C for 15 minutes. Turn the pumpkin over and roast on the other side for a further 15 minutes.

2. Remove from the oven and test if the pumpkin flesh is soft and cooked through. Once its cooked leave to cool. Once cool scoop out all of the flesh and add to your blender cup with a bit of the stock to loosen the mix. Blend into a puree and set aside.

3. Add 15g of butter to a large pan and melt. Meanwhile dice up an onion finely and fry in the butter until soft. Dice and add the garlic clove to the onions and stir until combined.

4. Next add your dry risotto rice and toast for a couple of minutes.

5. Now add the pumpkin puree and stir well to combine.

6. Add in a ladle full of the vegetable stock and let this absorb. Once absorbed add another ladle full of stock. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked through.

7. Turn down the heat and the vegan parmesan, salt and the rest of the butter. Melt this through and stir.

8. Serve up topped with some vegan ‘bacon’ crumbles, some more parmesan and some chopped parsley to garnish.

FAQ-

· Can I reheat this?- The rice can be reheated however the texture will be a lot more starchy and you may not enjoy the texture as much as when its cooked fresh. As always with rice make sure its fully heated through before serving to make sure its safe to eat.

· Will this work with other vegetables?- Definitely! This recipe can be used with other vegetables not just pumpkin just make sure you are cooking the vegetables the way that is best suited for them. For example I would bake a butternut squash the same but if I were to make this with carrot I would boil the carrots rather than bake them. But sure do get creative! Let me know on social media if you make this recipe with other vegetables, I’d love to see the results!

Why not try these other rice recipes?

• Creamy leek and 'bacon' risotto

• Tomato risotto with smokey sausage
  

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