This easy pumpkin risotto recipe with apple cider and feta cheese is pure comfort food. It’s a perfect side dish for the fall season.
If you like this recipe, check out my Chicken Mushroom Risotto next!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
My pumpkin risotto is a little different than the rest. I decided to replace the white wine with apple cider. Seasonally it makes sense. Plus the flavor works so well to provide a subtle sweetness to this savory pumpkin side dish. Both poultry seasoning and pumpkin pie spice have earthy undertones and work surprisingly well together. And the salty feta flavor really ties everything together. I love making risotto. Simple, inexpensive ingredients plus a little time equal a magical result. Put on your favorite music and get to cooking this delightful pumpkin risotto!
More savory pumpkin recipes
Ingredients for easy pumpkin risotto
- Arborio Rice – Short grain rice essential to a traditional risotto. Arborio has a high starch content with is essential to its creamy texture when finished cooking.
- Pumpkin – I use a can of pumpkin puree for ease of preparation. You are welcome to make your own from fresh pumpkin.
- Chicken Broth – A good quality chicken broth (bone broth) makes this a hearty dish that could even be a main course. You are welcome to use vegetable broth but the flavor profile will be different than my tested recipe.
- Butter – Provides fat, flavor and helps to make a creamy risotto. If you’d like to make this a vegan recipe, use olive oil instead.
- Onion and Garlic – Fresh onion and garlic are the best choices here.
- Apple Cider – Traditional risotto recipes use white wine. But I wondered if apple cider would be better for this recipe. And I was right!
- Seasonings – Salt and the earthy, complex notes of both poultry seasoning and pumpkin pie spice combined really elevate this recipe!
Instructions for creamy pumpkin risotto recipe
You’ll need two pans for this recipe. A large, deep skillet for making the risotto. And a smaller saucepan for heating and keeping the broth warm over medium heat. You don’t want to add cold broth to cooking risotto. Because it will halt the cooking process each time you add it. Adding warm/simmering broth keeps the temperature consistent.
For complete instructions and ingredient amounts, keep scrolling to the bottom of this post. There you will find my free, printable recipe card.
Serving suggestions
This risotto is perfect as part of a complete, cozy fall meal. Here’s some of my recipe suggestions to serve with it –
Storage directions
Store any leftover pumpkin risotto in an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Or in the freezer for up to one month.
Kitchen tools
- I’m going to be upgrading my pans to these ceramic non-stick ones soon. I use both a large, heavy bottomed pan for the risotto and a smaller sauce pan to keep the broth warm.
- My favorite and inexpensive chef’s knife for chopping.
- This is my favorite garlic press because it will press cloves without having to peel them.
- Use a wooden spoon or a heat proof spatula for stirring the risotto.
Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 4 oz feta cheese
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, heat the chicken broth until simmering and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a large non-stick, high sided skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, seasonings and apple cider. Cook, stirring and allowing to boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir until well coated.
- Then begin adding the warm chicken broth, about one cup at a time.
- After each addition of broth, stir for a bit, then put a lid on the pan. Cook until the broth is mostly absorbed, which will take about 5 minutes each time.
- Once all four cups of the broth have been absorbed by the rice and it is tender (which will take a total of 25-30 minutes), stir in the pumpkin and most of the feta cheese.
- Stir well and cover the pan and continue to cook for a few more minutes.
- Taste, adjust seasonings and garnish with the rest of the feta cheese. Top with a little cracked black pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Foodtastic Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program (Amazon Associate), an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any highlighted, clickable Amazon links you see are affiliate links that I may earn advertising fees on when you click to purchase.
Thank you so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of Foodtastic Mom. Be sure to PIN to Pinterest and print this recipe! Like and tag ‘Foodtastic Mom’ on Facebook and Instagram if you make this recipe! And of course leave a star rating if you make any of my recipes and enjoy them!
Be sure and follow Foodtastic Mom on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!
carnaroli rice, short-grain rice, risotto rice, types of rice, rice grains, higher starch content, long-grain rice, great flavor, creamy consistency, chicken stock, vegetable stock
Leave a Reply