Hearty pumpkin, mushroom, and root vegetable risotto, served in charming mini pumpkin bowls, perfect for an autumn vegetarian main or a Halloween dinner.
Recipe Intro
Aaaahh, it is that time of the year… While some folks can’t get enough of the sunny days of summer, and others revel in the snow and cosiness of winter, my heart belongs to the enchanting embrace of autumn and spooky Halloween season. Autumn is always utterly magical, and it’s my favourite time of the year.
I love those miniature pumpkins; they’re available in every supermarket throughout autumn and Halloween.
I’ve got a fantastic dish for you and it’s incredibly versatile. A tasty Halloween pumpkin and vegetable risotto!
Serve the risotto in these pumpkin cuties! It’s not just a brilliant way to get your little ones to gobble up their veggies, but also a fantastic showstopper for impressing your friends and guests. 🎃
Halloween Pumpkin and Vegetable Risotto Ingredients
- rice
- pumpkin
- mushrooms
- root vegetables
- onion, garlic
- broth
- sweet paprika
- nutmeg
- cloves
- parmesan cheese
- olive oil
Notes
- rice: Arborio rice is the best option due to its starch content. You can try other rice types, but avoid long-grain varieties like Basmati as they don’t release enough starch to create the desired creamy texture.
- pumpkin: You can prepare this dish with just one type of pumpkin. I chose a variety, which gave different textures and flavours. Hokkaido pumpkin and Kabocha are the best choices in my opinion. Feel free to skip the mini pumpkins in your shopping list, as they were specifically chosen to create the pumpkin bowls. Instead, pick a pumpkin of your liking for this risotto.
- root vegetables: Use different root vegetables, but don’t skip carrots. You can enhance this dish by adding some chopped leafy greens, such as chard or spinach. Alternatively, you can incorporate pre-cooked (tinned) beans of your choice.
- mushrooms: I decided to include mushrooms primarily for their visual impact, creating an orange and black combination perfect for Halloween. Of course, they also contribute an earthy flavour to the dish.
- spices: When it comes to spices, feel free to adjust them to your taste. While the subtle blend of nutmeg, cloves, and paprika works beautifully in this dish, it may not suit everyone. You can swap these for turmeric, which adds a vibrant colour, or try curry for a spicier, warmer twist. If you like spicy, add some chilli powder, flakes, or fresh chilli when serving.
Optional:
For a non-vegetarian version, you can add bacon, chopped cured sausages or cubetti pancetta.
While you are here, explore these other delicious vegetarian recipes!
🥧French Crustless Vegetable Quiche
🥕Croatian Carrot and Barley Side Dish
🌿Greek Polenta and Spinach Savoury Cakes
How to make Pumpkin and Vegetable Risotto
I used three small pumpkins for this recipe, and the amount of flesh I scooped out was perfect for the risotto. It was more than enough to fill up 3 pumpkin bowls.
How to make mini pumpkin bowls for the risotto
Pumpkins are typically baked to cook the flesh. For this recipe, we’re using mini pumpkins as serving bowls, so we can’t bake them first without destroying their shape. Instead, we need to scoop out the raw flesh, which can be challenging due to its firmness.
- Rinse the pumpkins thoroughly under running water and pat them dry.
- To ensure they sit evenly as serving bowls, check the base of each pumpkin. If the bottom is uneven and doesn’t allow the pumpkin to balance properly, carefully trim a thin layer of the base. Be cautious not to cut too deeply. A stable, flat base will ensure that your mini pumpkin bowls are both functional and visually appealing.
- Now, cut off the lid. Pumpkins are very hard; you need a sharp knife so be careful.
- Scoop out the centre with the seeds using a spoon. Carefully cut the inside of the pumpkin with a small sharp knife, making the bowl thinner. Afterwards, use a large spoon to scrape the bottom and the sides. Save all the bits of pumpkin for the risotto. Pumpkin bowls are now ready for serving. Keep them at room temperature while preparing risotto.
Risotto preparation
- Heat the oil in a large pot, add the finely chopped onions, and fry them for about 3 minutes. If you’re making the non-vegetarian version, now is the time to add the chopped bacon or sausages or other meat. Next, add the diced vegetables and pumpkin pieces you scooped out earlier, except for the mushrooms, and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the vegetables have softened slightly, add the mushrooms and garlic, and continue frying for another 5 minutes until everything is tender and fragrant.
- Now, pour about 800ml of water and add the washed rice, a vegetable stock cube or stock powder and all the other seasonings. Finally, stir in half of the parsley. Cook over medium heat with occasional stirring to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- The liquid will reduce, add one or two more cups of water and continue cooking. Keep the heat low and stir regularly, adding more water as needed to prevent the rice from drying out. Repeat this process throughout cooking, as the liquid will continue to reduce. When the rice is nearly cooked, but still slightly firm, or ‘al dente’ – stop adding water. Allow the rice to finish cooking in the remaining liquid, letting the risotto thicken and become creamy.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add cream and half of the grated Parmesan. Season well with black pepper. When it’s ready, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining parsley.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes and then serve in those cute pumpkin bowls.
How to Make the Risotto Without Mini Pumpkin Bowls
Whatever type of pumpkin you choose, simply cut it into slices or wedges, drizzle with sunflower or olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 200°C for around 20 minutes, this will make scooping out the flesh much easier!
Once your pumpkin is baked and the pulp is ready, you can continue with the recipe. Pre-baked pumpkin should be added to the risotto about 5 minutes before the end of cooking. No need to add together with other vegetables as pumpkin is already done.
Presentation & Serving
This dish can be enjoyed as a hearty main course or as a side dish with your favourite meat.
Recipe Card
Pumpkin and Vegetable Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio rice - standard coffee mug, 200ml approx
- 3 small pumpkins of your choice - size of a standard pasta bowl
- 1 cup mixed mushrooms
- 2 carrots
- 1 parsnip
- 1 sweet potato - medium size
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3-4 tbsp cream
- 40 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 stock cubes – chicken or vegetable
- olive oil
Spices
- 4 tbsp parsley
- 2-3 tsp ground sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- salt - to taste
Optional ( for non-vegetarian version )
- 1/2 cup chopped cured sausage or bacon
Instructions
MINI PUMPKIN BOWLS
- Rinse the pumpkins with water and pat them dry.
- If the pumpkin doesn’t have a flat bottom and doesn’t sit properly, then cut a small part, being careful not to cut too much, just a thin layer to even out the bottom.
- Now, cut off the lid. Be cautious as pumpkins are very hard; use an extremely sharp knife.
- Scoop out the center with the seeds using a spoon.
- Carefully cut the inside of the pumpkin with a small sharp knife, making the bowl thinner. Afterward, use a large spoon to scrape the bottom and the sides. Save the bits of pumpkin for the risotto.
- Pumpkin bowls are now ready for serving. Keep them at room temperature while preparing risotto.
RISOTTO
- In a larger pot, add oil and sauté onions, vegetables chopped into small pieces, finely chopped bacon or sausages ( if making non-vegetarian version), and the pumpkin. Sauté for about 7 minutes. Then add mushrooms and garlic and continue to sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in water (around 800ml), add washed rice, a stock cube, salt, all the other seasonings, and one-third of the parsley. Cook over medium heat with occasional stirring to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When the water is halfway reduced, add another one or two cups and continue cooking. Add more water as needed. When the rice is almost cooked, should be "al dente", stop adding water and let it finish cooking in the remaining liquid to thicken the risotto.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add cream and half of the grated Parmesan. Season well with black pepper.
- When it's ready, remove from the heat and stir in the remaining parsley.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes and then serve in those cute pumpkin bowls. 🙂