Pumpkin Risotto
This beautiful pumpkin risotto rivals any dish from the finest Italian restaurant. It’s a true labor of love, resulting in a creamy risotto with smoky bacon and fragrant sage. Frying the sage leaves in the bacon drippings is a chef's trick that’s surprisingly simple to pull off. It not only infuses the dish with just the right amount of sage but also serves as a stunning garnish. Impress your friends at an Italian dinner party, prepare it for a special someone (or have them make it for you), or add it to your fall recipe rotation. It’s hearty enough to stand alone as a meal, but also makes a perfect seasonal side for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 12 fresh sage leaves, plus 1 tbsp. chopped sage
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more to serve
- Black pepper, to taste
- Roasted and salted pepitas, to serve
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth over low heat. Keep warm.
- In a large pot, cook the bacon over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the drippings in the pot.
- Return the pot with bacon drippings to medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves and fry, turning occasionally, until crisp, 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer the sage leaves to the plate with the bacon. Add the onion to the pot with bacon drippings and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until very lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the salt and 1/2 cup of the warm chicken broth. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed almost all of the broth.
- Continue adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and repeating each addition of broth as the rice fully absorbs the liquid, 20 to 25 minutes total. After about 4 cups of broth, taste the rice to see if it's tender with a slight bite. If not, continue cooking and adding broth.
- Once the rice is tender and thickened to a creamy consistency, stir in the pumpkin, parmesan and 1 tablespoon of chopped sage. Adjust the consistency with additional broth, as needed. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
- Finely chop the reserved bacon. Top the risotto with bacon, fried sage leaves, pepitas, and parmesan. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 14gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 513mgPotassium: 399mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gCalcium: 231mgIron: 4mg
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