Pumpkin risotto

Continuing our series of introducing the BEST pumpkin recipes for a cosy Fall season, LSE Catering Team would like to bring you all to Italy - the country of pizza, gelato, and yep, you guessed it, RISOTTO!

Cooking time:

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin, cut into small cubes 

• 250g risotto rice 

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle the pumpkin 

• 25g butter 

• 1 onion 

• Green peas (optional, I love to add some greens to my risotto)  

• 500ml hot vegetable stock, plus an extra splash if needed 

• 50g grated parmesan (or vegetarian/vegan alternative) 

• A handful of fresh herbs (basil or parsley) roughly chopped 

• Pinch of salt and pepper

• A handful of walnuts (optional to decorate) 

Method:

1. Firstly, prepare your stock. Add two cubes of vegetable stock to 500ml of hot water. 
2. Heat the oven to 200 degrees, peel and cut the pumpkin into small cubes, place it on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season it with salt and pepper. Roast the pumpkin for 15min, then check until is soft (not too soft to avoid it smash and blend with the rice later).  
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil with the butter in your pan over medium heat, not too hot, then gently cook the finely chopped onion until soft and lightly coloured. Once the onion is ready, reduce the heat and add the risotto rice, stir well to coat in the buttery mix for around one minute.  
4. Add the vegetable stock gradually with a spoon. Stir every now and then until it has all disappeared into the rice. Carry on adding and stirring in a large splash of stock at a time, until the rice is cooked – this will take about 20 to 30 mins. The texture is very important, it can’t be very dry or too wet.
5. Once the rice is soft enough to eat, add the green peas (boiled them previously if you are using frozen peas) and the roasted pumpkin. Then you can add the parmesan cheese and top it up with fresh herbs and walnuts.  

That's it, a bowl of warm, fuzzy pumpkin risotto for you! Good luck, and feel free to share your result with us at @lsereslife on Instagram! We've got loads of recipe articles on Halls Life to give you inspiration which you'll be spoilt for choice over!