This creamy pumpkin risotto is simmered in vegetable broth, white wine, and delicious fresh herbs. It's the ultimate comfort food, and you won't believe how easy it is to pull together. And it's 100% vegetarian friendly too.
Sometimes, as a food blogger, you have to make difficult choices.
Do I eat the delicious dish I cooked straight away, while it's at it's best, knowing that if I don't take a photo immediately then the food won't photograph as well later?
For me, the decision is always to enjoy food. So sorry about that. 😉
Risotto is one of those foods that is best eaten immediately otherwise the liquid starts to be absorbed by the rice grains.
So while this Pumpkin and Baby Spinach risotto may not look as good as it did when it was first cooked, it still tastes absolutely amazing.
Risottos are one of my favorite dishes to make. And while making a risotto sounds like an arduous task, with all the stirring and standing over the stove top while it cooks, if you use a rice cooker or pressure cooker, the task is a whole lot simpler.
In fact, with a pressure cooker this Pumpkin and Baby Spinach risotto can be made quickly, making it a great weeknight meal. (Grab some more vegetarian instant pot recipes here.)
You can use a similar approach to speed up just about any risotto recipe. Give it a try with this tomato risotto, mushroom risotto, or butternut squash risotto.
And if you can't get enough pumpkin - make sure to check out this pumpkin gnocchi recipe. It's vegan friendly too!
Dinner can be on the table in under 30 minutes, from start to finish! Get ideas for more more easy plant-based dinners here.
Pumpkin and Baby Spinach Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs pumpkin peeled and diced into bite size pieces, 2 kg
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable stock warmed
Instructions
- Turn on the pressure cooker and set it to brown mode and add the olive oil, garlic, celery and onion. Cook the onion until is translucent.
- Add the pumpkin and cook until the pumpkin and until it starts to brown.
- Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook, stirring constantly until the wine is absorbed.
- Add the vegetable stock and stir well before switching your pressure cooker into pressure cooker mode and use the Low Pressure setting and set the time for 6 minutes and close the lid.
- When the time is up open the lid and add the baby spinach and parmesan and stir to combine. Serve topped with additional parmesan.
Kim says
Always looking for easy and tasty vegan dishes and this one is great. I've doubled the recipe and frozen with success too. This is liked by all I've made it for (twice). I used the risotto pressure cooker button which was 16 minutes (although there's additional time that it takes to heat). Thank you!
Katie Bisordi says
Could you make this with canned pumpkin and if so, would you add it at the beginning and cook in the pressure cooker or stir it into the cooked risotto at the end? Thank you!
Nicole says
I haven't tried that, but I'm sure you could. I use canned pumpkin in the slow cooker for quite a few recipes. Make sure you use the plain variety, without sugar added. And I would add it in the beginning. Let me know if you try it!
Zuzanna says
It is a Monday night and after a glass of wine I felt inspired to use my pressure cooker. This recipe is great, I didn't change a thing.
I'm usually really picky about risotto so I was sceptical but this turned out perfect in my pressure cooker!
Best part is I'm now converting my traditional risotto recipes to pressure cooker using yours as a base. Thank you!
marla says
OMG: This risotto is STUNNING 🙂
I would love if you added this and any other pumpkin themed links to my "Happy Post" today. http://su.pr/1rMDg2
delicieux says
Thanks for inviting me to the party Marla 😀
Marta (Princess Misia) says
darling! this looks absolutely delicious! I bookmarked and definitely gonna make it soon! Pumpkin and spinach combo is one of my favorites!
delicieux says
Thanks Marta!! 🙂 Let me know what you think.
Rachel at Eat and Write says
This looks pretty awesome! I've only had risotta once, and it was from one of those heat in your microwave kind of packets. It was terrible, but I think I might try this one in the future 🙂
As far as the "difficult decision" for food bloggers -- I try to take pictures soon, but the truth is that if I'm hungry or my husband wants to eat then that comes first every time. I know there are food bloggers who care a LOT about presentation and food photography, but that will always take a backseat to my actual life and my hunger, haha 🙂 I'm just not that kind of dedicated, I guess.
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour says
This risotto looks delicious! The taste of fall indeed. Pumpkin and risotto seem to be a great couple!
Keely says
I say - whatever feels good - do it. I don't mind terribly making risotto on the stovetop .. as long as I have a wine in my hand and some decent music on!
Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice says
Yes, I totally understand this dilemma, and risotto IS one of those things that must be eaten right away. Anyhow, no need to worry since the photo looks delish anyway. Love the color!
And congrats to Gemma 🙂
delicieux says
Thanks Yasmeen 😀
elle marie says
Hello my friend, that is so true, what I do is, although I have not cooked in a long while, is place what I'm going to use aside, but that always doesn't work, sometimes I just hope for the best.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Haha I always choose to photograph! Although it's hard especially when something smells really good and you're hungry! 😛
Ellie | Gourmand Recipes says
I use the traditional way cook it over th stove top but sometimes I bake it in the oven. Your pumpkin risotto looks perfect.
delicieux says
I like oven baked risottos too. It's been such a long time since I made a stove top risotto. I will have to try it again 🙂
Deb says
I also bog about what I am actually cooking for my family. I wondered if most bloggers were just cooking for their post? The more I blog, I am convinced it would easier to cook for family and blog at different times. Lots of leftovers? Your risotto is lovely!
delicieux says
Thanks Deb 😀
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350 says
My mother-in-law once was visiting and had to take a phone call right before we started eating. When she came back and apologized my husband told her that it was okay because we were used to eating cold food because I'm always taking pictures of it before we eat. 🙂 I love making risotto in my pressure cooker. It's so easy that way!
delicieux says
That's so funny Nicole 😀 My fiance is not a fan of cold food, so I don't really have an option to serve it cold. Having said that though, I'm not a fan of cold food either.
Andy says
I love making risottos the traditional way i.e. by stirring it on a stove top until your hand goes numb. I've tried no-stir recipes, but the result just isn't the same because stirring and adding the broth gradually helps the starch from the rice to be released and dissolved uniformly in the sauce which makes the risotto extra creamy.
delicieux says
I agree stirring risotto helps release the starch and make it extra creamy, but I find if I stir mine a lot during the initial browning process and when the wine is added it helps release a lot of starch and that helps a lot.
EVE says
I must admitt, I stirr my risotto 🙂 And I have the same dilema as you... and I always choose to take photo after a meal 🙂 I have much more time then...I can take photos in every possible angle without any rush 🙂
Your risotto looks great! My favorite is with shrimps and green beans 🙂
delicieux says
Thanks Eve 🙂 I agree, taking photos after a meal is easier and you don't feel so pressured or rushed.
Nadia says
Maybe to run away from the dilemma I don't publish a lot of main meals, the desserts are easier, they even look better on the next day, if they survive that long that is 🙂
The pumpkin and baby spinach risotto looks super delicious! Will prepare it when the pumpkins start hitting the shelves. Can't wait!
delicieux says
Photographing desserts and baking is definitely easier because you have time on your side and don't need to eat it while it's hot. 🙂
amee says
i laughed at the first paragraph. i am always in the same dilemma and i just choose to eat...i always say i'll make it again. 🙂 today i made sundried tomato savory muffins by Rose Elliot and they looked so good and the sun was already setting so i just ate them! 🙂 i like a risotto cooked on the stovetop. I like the combination you suggest here. my other favorite is parmeggiano-asparagus...
delicieux says
It's a difficult dilemna sometmes isn't it Amee? 9 times out of 10 though, I always choose to eat first. I tell myself I have to quality test before I take a photo 😀
aipi says
Not a big fan of risotto but you have made it very nicely, looks perfect to the core! The pic is lovely!
USMasala
delicieux says
Thank you so much aipi 😀