What could be better than pumpkin on pumpkin? The comfort of cool weather food is delivered with style in this creamy risotto recipe baked in pumpkins. Put on your coziest fall sweater, pour a glass of red wine, and put your feet up while enjoying this warm, flavorful feast of pumpkin risotto.
How to Prepare The Pumpkins
In order to bake inside of the pumpkin, you need to remove the top and scoop out the seeds. Cleaning pumpkins can get messy, so be sure to have a waste can or compost bin at the ready. To open the pumpkin, first draw a circular shape around the stem area so you know where to cut. You want a reasonably big hole, because you’re going to be pouring risotto into the pumpkin, and then serving the finished dish from it. (For visual learners, there are a number of YouTube videos demonstrating doing this!) Next, use a sharp, serrated knife — following the circle you’ve drawn. Then, scoop out the seeds and pumpkin flesh with a large, sturdy metal spoon. Once you’ve done this to all four pumpkins, you’re ready to make pumpkin risotto!
Pumpkin Risotto
Description
Pumpkins in pumpkins!
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized pie pumpkins, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cups arborio rice
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 4–5 fresh sage leaves
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove the tops and scoop the seeds out of the 4 pie pumpkins, place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
- Roast for roughly 30 minutes or until the pumpkins are fork tender and the edges are slightly browned. Set aside.
- Peel and dice the onion and garlic.
- Warm the oil and butter in a medium pan over a medium heat then add the onion. Cook for around 5 minutes until the onion softens.
- Add the garlic and pumpkin puree and cook a few more minutes until it all softens.
- Add the rice and cook for a minute or two then add white wine and simmer for one minute.
- Add enough stock to cover the rice. Keep adding a little more stock (around ½ to 1 cup at a time) as the previous amount is absorbed, stirring now and then so that it doesn’t stick.
- Once the last amount of stock is added, the rice should be about 3/4 of the way cooked. Add the cheese, nutmeg, sage and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Fill each roasted pumpkin with rice and top with more cheese, roast for 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the risotto is cooked through.
Try these other delicious fall recipes:
- Savory Braised Apples
- Roasted Squash Tartine with Honey Mascarpone
- Twice-Baked Butternut Squash with Brie
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.
