When the air turns crisp and the leaves start to fall, nothing warms the soul quite like a bowl of Pumpkin and Sage Risotto. With its rich, creamy texture, sweet roasted pumpkin, and the fragrant earthy tones of sage, this vegan risotto makes the perfect comfort food. It’s elegant enough for a dinner party, yet cozy enough for a weeknight.
What Makes This Risotto Special
- Sweet meets savory: The natural sweetness of roasted pumpkin blends beautifully with the herbal savoriness of sage.
- Vegan and rich without dairy: Thanks to toasted nuts and a sage pesto, this recipe skips cheese yet still delivers creaminess and depth.
- Textural contrasts: Tender pumpkin cubes, creamy rice, crunchy nuts on top.
- Versatile & seasonal: Great for fall, but you can adapt using butternut squash or any sweet winter squash if pumpkin isn’t available.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the main components, and how you might swap them:
| Ingredient | Role in Recipe | Possible Substitutions |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkin (cubed) | Sweetness, smooth texture | Butternut squash, kabocha, or another sweet squash |
| Sage leaves + pesto | Earthy, herbal flavor | Thyme, rosemary, or a mix of fresh herbs |
| Carnaroli rice | Creamy, high starch grain ideal for risotto | Arborio if you can’t find Carnaroli |
| Nuts (almonds, pine nuts) | For pesto and crunch | Walnuts, cashews, or pecans (if not allergic) |
| Vegetable stock | The base to cook rice | Homemade vegetable stock or good quality store‑bought |
| Nutritional yeast | Adds “cheesy” umami flavor without dairy | Vegan parmesan or yeast flakes |
How to Make Pumpkin and Sage Risotto
Here’s a step‑by‑step guide to put it all together, loosely following the Vegan Cocotte method:
- Make the sage pesto (or nut‑sage mixture). Blend blanched almonds, sage leaves, pine nuts, olive oil, and a couple of ice cubes to a smooth paste. Set aside.
- Roast the pumpkin. Preheat oven (or use an air fryer if preferred) and roast pumpkin cubes until golden and tender. If using an air fryer, about 15‑20 minutes at around 190 °C (375 °F), shaking halfway through.
- Start the risotto base. In a large pan over medium heat, warm some olive oil. Add finely chopped onion and garlic, sauté until translucent. Then add additional sage leaves and cook for a minute.
- Toast the rice. Add the Carnaroli (or Arborio) rice to the pan and toast for 1‑2 minutes until lightly translucent on edges.
- Deglaze with wine. Pour in dry white wine, letting it simmer so that alcohol evaporates and rice absorbs most of it.
- Add stock gradually. Add warm vegetable stock, one cup at a time, stirring constantly. Wait until the rice absorbs most of the liquid before adding the next. Continue until rice is al dente and creamy.
- Combine roasted pumpkin and pesto. Gently stir in the pumpkin cubes and sage pesto. Mix well so everything is heated through and flavor‑balanced.
- Season and finish. Add nutritional yeast (or your choice of vegan cheese), salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Optionally, top with toasted nuts and fresh sage or parsley for garnish.
Tips, Storage & Variations
- Don’t rinse the rice — it washes away starch that helps make risotto creamy.
- For roasting, an oven works just as well as an air fryer.
- For an extra flavor boost, garnish with toasted nuts (pine nuts or almonds) or even a dollop of vegan parmesan.
- Leftovers: best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat with a splash of vegetable stock to restore creaminess. Freezing isn’t ideal because texture changes.
Nutrition & Yield
- Serves about 4 people.
- Prep time: ~10 minutes.
- Cooking time: ~35 minutes.
- Total time: ~45 minutes.
Approximate nutritional info per serving (estimate):
- Calories: ~370
- Fat: ~20‑25 g (mostly from nuts and oil)
- Carbohydrates: ~35‑40 g
- Protein: ~8‑10 g