Description
An indulgent, vegetarian main course featuring creamy Arborio rice, roasted pumpkin puree, and a fragrant sage brown butter sauce. This sophisticated yet comforting dish is perfect for dinner parties or cozy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 2 cups butternut squash or pumpkin puree
- 5–6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (low-sodium)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
- 12–15 fresh sage leaves
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Flaky sea salt for finishing
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice onion, mince garlic, grate Parmesan, and warm the stock on the stove.
- In a Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft and translucent (3-4 minutes), then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Arborio rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes until edges are translucent.
- Pour in white wine and stir until almost completely absorbed.
- Add warm stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue for 20-25 minutes until rice is al dente.
- When rice is almost tender, stir in pumpkin puree and continue adding stock/stirring for 5 minutes.
- In a separate skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves and swirl until butter is golden brown and sage is crispy. Remove from heat.
- Remove risotto from heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and heavy cream (if using). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Ladle risotto into warm bowls, drizzle generously with sage brown butter, and top with extra Parmesan and black pepper.
Notes
Keep stock warm to maintain cooking temperature. Do not use pumpkin pie filling; use pure puree or roasted squash. Risotto does not freeze well. For a vegan version, use vegetable stock, olive oil/vegan butter, and nutritional yeast instead of cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 65
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 12
Keywords: pumpkin risotto, sage brown butter, vegetarian main course, fall recipes, dinner party food, comfort food, Italian rice dish