This baked Pumpkin Risotto looks thoroughly unimpressive when it comes out of the oven. But with a few big stirs, it miraculously transforms into a luxurious, CREAMY risotto with a magnificent colour that no one can resist!
And to think that you can make this without standing over the hot stove, stirring constantly……. Believe it. You CAN make an amazing, creamy risotto in the oven!
ULTRA CREAMY, ULTRA EASY PUMPKIN RISOTTO
For pumpkin lovers, for risotto lovers, for good food lovers everywhere – this Pumpkin Risotto recipe is for you.
If you’re new to the wonders of baked risotto, this will be a life changing recipe for you. It is truly creamy, it looks and tastes luxurious, and it doesn’t even have a drop of cream in it.
And yet, rather than standing over a hot stove, stirring constantly for 20 minutes, it’s just plonked in the oven. Take it out, give it a few vigorous stirs – and this is what you get:
And it tastes even better than it looks!!!
HOW TO MAKE THIS BAKED PUMPKIN RISOTTO
You are going to be amazed how easy it is to make risotto in the oven.
It starts on the stove like a normal risotto, with sautéed garlic and onion. We can’t skip this flavour base. Nor do we want to skip deglazing the pot with a touch of white wine (or broth or even water) and toasting the risotto lightly in the pot.
From here, the recipe changes completely from a traditional risotto recipe. Add the liquids and pumpkin, give it a stir, cover, then bake in the oven for 25 minutes
No stirring. Not even once. In fact, I forbid you to open that oven. If you do, you lose heat and you’ll disrupt the cooking process!
WATCH THE MAGIC HAPPEN
Open the lid, and you’ll be greeted with the sight of some seriously stodgy looking rice, about as far from a creamy risotto as can be. But have faith. This is where the magic happens. Give it a vigorous stir, watch as the soft cooked pumpkin disintegrates and transforms into a puree which creates the creamy pumpkin sauce for this risotto
It tastes savoury yet sweet from the pumpkin. The rice is perfectly cooked – al dente, just the way I like.
The risotto is creamy rather than stodgy and gluey. And we haven’t used a single drop of cream!
INGREDIENTS IN PUMPKIN RISOTTO
Astonishingly few ingredients in Pumpkin Risotto! The key ingredient to ensure you get right is the rice – see below for more information.
Other than this, the other ingredients are actually fairly simple and adaptable. Don’t have wine? No problems, just use water or broth. Prefer olive oil rather than butter? Go ahead. Switch sage with other herbs, use canned or fresh pumpkin (yes really), use chicken or vegetable broth, or water + stock powder.
WHAT RICE TO USE FOR RISOTTO
Risotto needs to be made with risotto rice. It has a higher starch content which is what makes the creamy “sauce” without using cream.
There’s a few varieties but the most common at supermarkets is Arborio which is what I use.
OPTIONAL CRISPY SAGE LEAVES & BROWN BUTTER
I’ve garnished this Pumpkin Risotto with crispy sage leaves because pumpkin and sage are great mates, and it provides great texture.
The added bonus is that the butter used to crisp up the sage leaves turns into brown butter which is an incredible finish for any risotto. Just one or two teaspoons is all you need to elevate it to another level of luxuriousness.
But… this is optional……(she says, unconvincingly)
Let’s put it this way. It’s ok to skip it for an everyday meal. But it’s mandatory for company! – Nagi x
SUGGESTIONS: THINGS TO SERVE WITH PUMPKIN RISOTTO
-
Add chicken and spinach – see recipe notes
-
Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast or quick Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs
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Crispy Pan Fried Fish or Garlic Prawns/Shrimp – super quick and easy
-
Meatloaf – instead of the usual mashed potatoes!
-
Salmon Patties, Rissoles, Zucchini Fritters and similar
MORE RISOTTO RECIPES!
-
One Pot Baked Risotto with Lemon Chicken
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Baked Creamy Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp / 50 g unsalted butter , divided
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (risotto rice) (Note 1)
- 1 onion , diced
- 600 g / 20 oz pumpkin (weight after peeling and deseeding) , diced into 1.7cm/2/3" cubes (about 4 heaped cups) (Note 2)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or water or broth)
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock/broth
- 2 tbsp sage leaves, roughly chopped (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese , finely grated
- Salt & pepper
Crispy Sage & Brown Butter (optional)
- 50 g / 3 tbsp butter , salted
- 12 - 20 sage leaves
To Garnish
- Grated parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Melt 1 tbsp / 20g butter in ovenproof pot (preferably with a lid) over medium high heat.
- Add garlic and onion and cook until onion is translucent.
- Add chopped sage and cook for 1 minute.
- Add rice and stir so all the rice grains are coated with the butter and semi translucent.
- Add white wine and cook until the the liquid evaporates - about 1 minute.
- Add pumpkin and broth, stir. Let the liquid heat up but do not bring to simmer.
- Put lid on (or cover tightly with foil) and place in oven for 25 minutes, until rice is just cooked (firm but not raw) - don't worry if there's excess liquid. If rice is still uncooked, return to oven for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining butter and parmesan cheese.
- Stir vigorously until the pumpkin turns into a puree and blends into the risotto. If it's too thick then add a splash of hot tap water. Should have a porridge like consistency so it sags a bit when served (see video), rather than staying in a tall, firm pile.
- Spoon into serving bowls. Garnish with crispy sage, 1 or 2 teaspoons of brown butter and parmesan cheese. Devour immediately!
Crispy Sage:
- Melt butter in a small pan over medium high heat. Once foaming, add sage leaves and stir gently.
- Cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until crispy.
- Immediately remove sage onto paper towel lined plate and pour butter into a heat proof jug (butter should be brown by now).
Recipe Notes:
- Salt - It is important to remember to season at the very end and not at the beginning as you never really know how strong the salt from the stock/broth is once absorbed into the rice.
- Leftover Brown Butter - It's unlikely you'll use it all. But you can't use less otherwise it's too hard to crisp the sage leaves (I tried). Drizzle leftovers on almost any protein, pasta, omelettes, onto soups. Just a tiny drizzle adds an extra element of luxuriousness to anything!
- Servings: Even though there is only 1 1/2 cups of rice, this makes a lot (because of the 3 cups of pumpkin). It will feed 4 hungry people or 6 normal servings.
- Baking time - if you are using a heavy cast iron casserole pot with a lid, then the cook time should be 25 minutes because it retains heat so well. If you are using a lighter weight pot covered with foil, then it might take closer to 35 to 40 minutes.
- Add protein: Turn this into a complete meal by adding chicken and spinach. Chop chicken, season with salt and pepper (add herbs if you want too). Add the chicken when the onion is translucent and cook until white (still raw inside). Then follow the directions of the recipe. When you stir the butter and parmesan into the cooked risotto, add the spinach as well - you can add as much spinach as you want, but 3 packed cups is ideal. The residual heat from the risotto will wilt it quickly. You may need to add a splash of water to loosen it up a bit.
- Veganise it by omitting the parmesan (check the salt level by taste) and using vegetable rather than chicken stock.
5. Leftovers - Risotto doesn't keep well, it thickens. But leftovers make brilliant Arancini Rice Balls! Here's a baked one, here's a fried one. 6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 1 tsp of brown butter, excludes parmesan garnish and crispy sage (because I don't know how to calculate nutrition for that).
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Well, at least he’s out having fun in the water while suffering the indignity of Halloween dress ups…..
Squeel…….how fun is the MAGIC stirring! From the unappealing blah that comes out of the oven to a golden halo.
This is something I will no longer pay for at a restaurant…..
Ditto, can’t wait to make Arancini Balls with leftovers tomorrow night.
Incredibly delicious
Soo good, I
Couldn’t get my hands on sage however was still so yummy 😋
Made this last night and it was so good. So much flavour. Served with sautéed mushrooms. will definitely make again and again.
Thanks for a great recipe.
Made it for myself one cold Monday night. Loved it.
Made it again to share with a friend. She loved it.
Simple, delicious, amazing……
Easiest and best risotto I’ve ever made. But then again I’ve never cooked a bad recipe from your repertoire 🙂
Excellent dish. Thanks for the idea
I’ve made this so many times and every time it’s absolutely delicious! Thanks for such a perfect risotto recipe ^-^
What a game changer! Perfect comforting risotto, so delicious! Regular risotto just isn’t possible while trying to look after a 1year old as well so this is the best discovery. Going on my favourites list!
It’s perfect for those busy days with the baby!! Congrats!! N x
Haven’t cooked this but I just know it will be fabulous as always. My question is, want to buy chaser pan like you use. Not sure of size, just for the two of us. 2L maybe?
That would be fine or a 20cm (2.5 litre) as it’s always nice to have room for leftovers! N x
Thank you so much. Chasseur is a bit too pricey to get wrong. 2.5L it is💕
best baked risotto recipe ever: I know I will use repeatedly now as we go into cooler months. Rice was perfect. Yet another brilliant Nagi recipe. Thank you heaps.
Absolutely delicious. I’ve been making risotto the ‘traditional’ way for years, stirring and stirring, and honestly couldn’t taste the difference with this baked version, which is a lot less stressful! Thanks Nagi x
Absoloooootely amazing Had no sage available so used Basil and added crispy barramundi. Nagi you are my go to now for anything I’m thinking of cooking. Your adds of where to source, substitute, fails etc absolutely work for me Thank you 😊
Woo hoo!! Awesome Tracey!! N x
Thank you! I was a risotto virgin until tonight and this was a great one to pop that Cherry with. Super easy. Super creamy – yet with no cream! I’m lactose intolerant so that’s handy. I int even follow recipe perfectly as I has almost double the pumpkin… Just added a tad more rice and it worked perfectly still!
Your recipes are definitely a go to for me. Biggest compliments to you!!! 👏👏👏 Thank you ❤️❤️
Wonderful and was a family hit! Casserole was cleaned up! Thanks for yet another lovely recipe, Nagi! 💖
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it Debra! N x
Amazing! Planning to turn into arincini balls tomorrow! Now waiting for it to cool so I can get a better taste 😆 made with vegan cheese. And used a type of butter that I can tolerate called ghee clarified. 🥰 (I am allergic to casein a type of protein in dairy). Thanks for the recipe!
Holy moly this is delicious! I hate cooking and never like what I cook but my gosh this meal is impressive. I added that chicken and spinach. So tasty.
We just had this for dinner! It was a hit with everyone; 2 and 4 year old and my husband!!! So creamy and delicious!
What a great dish! I made this for the first time last night for our family and it was a hit with everyone. Added chicken and spinach as per the notes, and although we used vegetable stock instead of chicken (only because we’d run out) it was still so good so will take that as a win. Thanks as always, Nagi!
I made this about 8 months ago for my 1.5 year old son and he absolutely loved it.
I’ve frozen some in little batches for him for quick easy lunch/dinners and it freezes well.
Last time I didn’t have a cast iron pot and it took forever, but this time it cooked perfectly. I think I need to cut my pumpkin a bit smaller next time as it wasn’t soft enough to purée so it’s chunky pumpkin risotto but still amazing.
I am thrilled he liked it Corinne! N x
Wow! The brown butter was incredible! I also topped it with roasted pinenuts… will probably use more pumpkin next time just for a deeper hue… I did add the chicken for a complete meal… delicious! Thank you, again, for another sure-fire, never-fail, meal 🙂
(From NZ)