Risotto with Roasted Pumpkin & Pecans
Creamy Carnaroli Risotto Featuring Dual-Texture Roasted Japanese Pumpkin, Sage, and Crunchy Toasted Pecans
This sweet and creamy roasted pumpkin risotto combines a savory vegetable soffritto base with toasted Carnaroli rice and a dual-texture pumpkin matrix.
The secret is folding in half the roasted pumpkin as a velvety mash and keeping the rest as caramelized whole cubes, then finishing with an off-heat creaming of olive oil or butter and Parmesan. Enjoy the recipe!
Recipe
- Roast Squash & Pecans: Toss Japanese pumpkin cubes with chopped sage, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast at 200°C (390°F) for 30–40 minutes until tender. Mash half into a paste and keep the rest whole. Toast pecan halves at 180°C (350°F) for 6–8 minutes, then chop roughly.
- Build Soffritto & Toast Rice: Sauté finely minced onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until soft and translucent. Add unwashed Carnaroli rice and toast for 2–3 minutes until the grains turn translucent.
- Deglaze & Simmer: Pour in dry white wine and cook until absorbed. Add simmering hot stock ladle-by-ladle, stirring gently for 12–14 minutes until the rice is plump and al dente. Fold in the pumpkin paste and whole roasted cubes.
- Cream & Serve: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and a final splash of stock. Remove from heat, add extra-virgin olive oil or cold butter, stir vigorously to create a velvet glaze, and top with toasted pecans!
💡 Chef Notes & Tips
- Stock Temperature: Keep your stock pot at a bare simmer throughout cooking. Adding cold stock will shock the rice starches and result in unevenly cooked grains.
- Vegan Adaptation: Use vegetable broth, substitute the final butter or oil with a plant-based vegan butter, and replace the Parmesan with nutritional yeast or an aged vegan cheese alternative.
