August 13, 2012

Pumpkin Risotto Vegan Recipe

Serves 2 to 3

I love risotto, I really do. It makes you feel so comfy and homely and is a dish best made to share with loved ones on those cold, cuddly nights. The other night I made this for Jerome as he has NEVER tried risotto. I couldn't believe it! So I made this as yummy as I could and he absolutely loved it. Risotto is tricky as you have to be patient and allow the natural cooking to happened and the creaminess to develop. I thought that I must put this recipe up because it is absolutely amazing with the caramelised pumpkin and the lovely rosemary flavour. Try it for yourself! I will do the best I can to explain the steps hehe ^-^


Caramelised pumpkin ingredients
   800g (1 1/2 cups) butternut squash pumpkin
   2 teaspoon agave syrup
   1 sprig fresh rosemary
   salt and pepper
   spray olive oil

Other ingredients
   1 tablespoon vegan margarine
   3 garlic cloves
   one yellow onion, diced
   1 1/2 cups risotto rice (arborio)
   1 cup dry white wine
   4 1/2 cups veggie stock
   salt and pepper
   1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
   spray oil

Garnishes
   pine nuts, toasted
   rosemary sprig 
(optional) 
   vegan parmesan cheese (optional)



  1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius (fan forced) and line a tray with baking paper.
  2. Chop pumpkin into small cubes and place on to tray. Using a brush, glaze the pumpkin with agave syrup until all pumpkin is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper, spray with olive oil and throw on the sprig of rosemary.
  3. Bake pumpkin for approximately 35 minutes until browned and caramelised.
  4. Once caramelised, take out of oven to cool. Discard the rosemary spring.
  5. In a pan on medium heat, add the margarine, garlic cloves and onion. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are transparent.
  6. Add the risotto rice and white wine. Allow a gentle simmer and stir until the wine has been evaporated.
  7. Slowly add a ladle of vegetable stock. Season with salt, pepper and dried rosemary. 
  8. Add the next ladle of stock after all the previous stock has nearly all been evaporated. Add one ladle at a time. Be patient with this step. Keep stirring the risotto to ensure that it doesn't stick to the bottom. You should be able to see the creaminess forming when you stir the risotto. 
  9. When there is only about 1/3 of vegetable stock left, add the caramelised pumpkin to the pan with the risotto.
  10. Taste the risotto and season if needed. Check the readiness of the rice. It should be soft, but still with a bit of bite.
  11. Keep ladling vegetable stock to the risotto until it has all been used. If the risotto, still isn't ready, add more vegetable stock until it has the right consistency and softness. 
  12. Take the pan off the heat. 
  13. Serve with vegan parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and a rosemary sprig.
  14. Enjoy!


  • If rosemary is too strong for your palette, use any of your favourite herbs.
  • Be patient with the ladling of the vegetable stock and the stirring. Only add more vegetable stock once the previous portion has been absorbed.
  • Toasted pine nuts really add a nice crunch to the dish. Make sure you garnish with them!
  • You don't need to be standing there the whole time. Just keep checking back to see when it the stock has been evaporated.
  • Using a good quality vegetable stock is important!

25 comments :

  1. Wow pumpkin risotto - now that sounds really interesting. Never heard of such a recipe before.

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    1. Hello! Oh really? Thanks for the comment :)

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    2. Still haven't tried this recipe. But I think I will save it for Autumn. Thanks for sharing it with us :)

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  2. I just bought a can of butternut squash on clearance and was wondering how to use it! Love rosemary, love risotto! I'm still dying to try that pizza! I have it in the back of my mind to make and will let you know when I do!

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    1. Hi Lauren. Oh good... tell me how this goes :) I love risotto... especially with rosemary. I always feel that rosemary is so comforting and homely. Tell me how your pizza goes too. Thanks for the comment <3

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  3. Cooked the risotto last night & the Tomato pasta dish the night before, neither my husband or I are Vegan but we loved both these meals...oh and I dont "ever" cook (ask your mum)but it was worth it. Keep up the great work Maddy. Michelle :)

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    1. Hi Michelle! Oh I am so glad that you liked the risotto. I loved to hear that you were cooking my dishes. I really appreciate it :)

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  4. MMMM,..I ;ove making good home-made risottos!
    Yours looks so delectable & tasty too! :) I

    have made your vegan mayonaise & it was the best: a real winner! Even my husband loved it!

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    1. Thanks Sophie! I am glad that you liked the mayonnaise. I absolutely loved it. I agree with you on the risotto. There is nothing like a good homemade risotto. Especially when it is made well :)

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  5. What happens if you can't buy white wine? I'm only 19. Whats a good substitute?

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    1. Hi Karin, you can definitely substitute other ingredients for white wine but it will not have the same delicious, intense flavour. Could you buy non-alcoholic white wine from the local supermarket? Also, I have heard that you can use a not-too-sweet apple juice that has a little bit of white wine vinegar to adjust the acidity. I am not sure how that would turn out. Your best bet would be to try and purchase a non-alcoholic white wine from the grocery store. I hope this was helpful. Tell me how it goes! Thank you so much for your comment :)

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  6. Google pumpkin risotto, as I had a little pumpkin to use. I chose this recipe just because it was the first one I found that was vegan and didn't used canned. OHMYGOD so glad I did! I will be using this one again. Delicious.

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  7. THANK YOU! WAS GREAT

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  8. Am eating this right now (waiting for it to cool down a little to savour the flavours). It is really delicious, and my son and I are enjoying it very much. I added some fresh herbs - basil, parsley and the roasted rosemary from the pumpkin, and some savoury yeast flakes right into the mixture - yum. Your website is so beautiful, thanks so much.

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    1. Hi there! Oh I am so glad that you and your son like it. Your changes sound delicious!

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  9. Oh, and I used just water instead of the wine as I don't use alcohol, even in cooking. It is still really yummy (the yeast flakes added in might have helped with the flavour).

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    1. Oh good! You could always just add more stock too instead of the water :)

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  10. can this recipe be done in a slow cooker?

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  11. I have made this dozens of times for friends in different places we've lived, and everyone loves

    it! Always a success! I've just come back to look at the recipe again today and thought I should let you know how much I love this recipe! Delicious!

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