This pumpkin and sage risotto is rich and creamy, infused with the comforting flavors of pumpkin, mushrooms, and sage. It's a dish that feels sophisticated yet is simple enough to prepare any night of the week.
Risotto: the dish that sounds fancy, feels luxurious, and carries a reputation for being a challenge. For the longest time, I avoided making it, assuming it required the skills of an Italian chef. Then, I decided to finally give it a try—and discovered that risotto isn’t nearly as intimidating as it seems.
With a little stirring and a handful of pantry staples, you can create a meal that feels like a special occasion, even on a weeknight. And when you add pumpkin and sage, you get a bowl of creamy, cozy, fall-flavored perfection.
If you've been hesitant to try risotto, let this recipe be your reason to start. It’s easier than you think, endlessly versatile, and guaranteed to impress—yourself included. So grab your ladle, pour yourself a glass of wine (saving some for the pot, of course), and let’s get started.
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🥰 Why you'll love this recipe
- It's warm and comforting.
- Pumpkin puree makes the risotto extra creamy.
- Sage and mushrooms add satisfying herby and earthy flavors.
Looking for more pumpkin and winter squash recipes? Try these next:
🌿 Ingredients
Change your risotto ingredients with the seasons. Fresh peas and asparagus are ideal for spring, while sun-dried tomatoes, corn, and basil make a great combination for summer. As the weather cools, pumpkin, sage, and mushrooms, as featured in this recipe, are perfect for fall and winter.
Key Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: Either freshly roasted and pureed or canned. If using canned, be sure to get pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix.
- Fresh sage leaves: The earthy, herby, slightly woody notes of sage compliment the sweetness of pumpkin and winter squash so well.
- Mushrooms: You'll need about 12 ounces of mushrooms of any variety you prefer.
- Arborio rice: The go to rice for making risotto. It’s a short, plump grain of rice that has a lot of starch to it. Starch is necessary because it breaks down and creates the essential creaminess of the risotto. Arborio rice is commonly found in grocery stores.
- White wine: Any white wine is fine here. Just something to a hint of sharpness and brightness to the final dish.
- Parmesan cheese: A classic risotto ingredient that helps add creaminess.
- Broth: Your favorite vegetable or chicken broth is perfect. I most often use Better Than Boullion concentrates, which have excellent flavor.
- Nutmeg: Adds a hint of extra flavor that keeps people guessing.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
🌾 Substitutions & Variations
- Instead of mushrooms: Try roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, and/or sundried tomatoes.
- In place of pumpkin puree, try butternut squash or any other winter squash puree.
- Don't want to use wine? Replace it with a mild hard cider or vegetable broth and a splash of lemon juice.
- Add some protein, by stirring in chickpeas or shredded chicken or turkey. You could also use the risotto as a base for serving seafood, pork, or steak.
- Top with chopped nuts for added crunch, such as toasted walnuts or pecans.
- To make risotto with other varieties of rice and grains, here are some ideas.
🥄 Instructions
How to make this pumpkin sage risotto.
- Step 1: Whisk the pumpkin puree into a pot of broth. Bring this to a low simmer.
- Step 2: Chop the onions, garlic, and sage. Wipe any dirt off of the mushrooms and thinly slice them.
- Step 3: Melt the butter and add the onions. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat until softened and golden.
- Step 4: Add the mushrooms, garlic, and sage to the pot. Stir to coat and cook another 5 minutes.
- Step 5: Stir in the rice and toast for about a minute.
- Step 6: Pour in the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes until absorbed.
- Step 7: Start adding a couple of ladle fulls of broth to the pot and stir as it is absorbed by the rice. Keep the heat between medium and low.
- Step 8: When it is mostly absorbed, stir in another half ladle of broth and continue to stir. Continue to repeat the process of adding broth and periodically stirring.
- Step 9: After 15 - 20 minutes of stirring and adding broth, taste the risotto to check for doneness. Cook it until al dente, leaving a little chew to the rice.
- Step 10: Stir in the parmesan cheese. Top with additional sage and butter, and serve.
🌟 Helpful Tips
- Refrain from rinsing the arborio rice. When you rinse rice, you're washing away the starch, which is needed here to create the creaminess of the risotto.
- Don't wander away from the stove once you start adding rice and broth to the pan. You really do need to keep stirring about every 30 seconds or so. Otherwise, the liquid can dry up quickly, and the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan.
- The broth will be absorbed by the rice more quickly at first and will start to take longer as it cooks.
- Adding hot or warm broth to the pan helps to reduce the cooking time, so don't skip the step of heating up the broth and pumpkin puree.
🍲 Equipment
Cook the risotto in a heavy bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven. A thin pot may cause the risotto to stick and burn if it gets too hot and the pan dries out.
🥡 Storage
Leftover risotto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. When reheating, add a splash of broth or water, as it can dry out over time. Risotto may also be frozen for up to three months.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
Pair this risotto with roasted chicken, turkey, pork, or vegetables such as Brussels sprouts or asparagus. However, it makes a filling meal on its own.
Risotto gets much of its creaminess from the starch of Arborio rice.
Risotto needs consistent stirring, but not constant. Gently stir the risotto about every 30 seconds, especially when the pan looks dry and after adding broth.
🥩 Pairing
Any of these dishes would go well with this risotto.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin and Sage Risotto
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This pumpkin and sage risotto is rich and creamy, infused with the comforting flavors of pumpkin, mushrooms, and sage. It's a dish that feels sophisticated yet is simple enough to prepare any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 medium onion
- 12 ounces mushrooms
- a small bunch of sage (about 10-12 leaves)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. In a medium sized pot, add the broth and pumpkin puree. Whisk the two together until smooth while heating over low heat. You want the liquid steaming hot, but not boiling. As the broth heats, prep the risotto ingredients. Chop the onion into a small dice, clean and thinly slice the mushrooms, roughly chop the sage and mince the garlic.
- Saute the vegetables. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot with a heavy bottom, such as a Dutch oven. When melted, add the chopped onion and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 5 minutes or so. Then add the mushrooms, ¾ of the sage, the garlic, and salt, and cook another 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms have cooked down a little.
- Start cooking the risotto. Add the rice to the pot and stir to coat it with the vegetables and butter. After a minute, pour in the wine and stir as it simmers for about another couple of minutes. When the wine is absorbed, add a couple of ladles of broth to the pot.
- Alternate adding broth and stirring. Gently stir and let the liquid simmer until it is nearly all absorbed. Adjust the heat as needed for a steady simmer but not a rapid boil. Then add a half ladle full of the broth and stir occasionally (about every 30 seconds) until absorbed. Repeat this process for about 15 minutes. Then start tasting the rice and checking for doneness. You want the rice to be al dente - almost tender but still have a little bite to it. The process should take no more than 20-25 minutes.
- Finish the risotto. When the rice is done, turn off the heat. Add any remaining broth, nutmeg, and most of the Parmesan to the pot. Stir together and let sit for just a minute before serving. Top with the additional sage and more cheese and butter for extra creaminess.
Notes
Keep the broth warm so it will easily incorporate into the rice and not cool down the pot.
Stir the risotto gently and consistently - about every 30 seconds.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Comfort Food
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
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