Vegan Pumpkin Risotto Crispy Sage (Printable)

Creamy arborio rice with roasted pumpkin, crispy sage, and warm nutmeg. A comforting plant-based Italian classic.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 small pumpkin (about 1.3 lbs), peeled and diced
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Grains

04 - 1.5 cups arborio rice

→ Liquids

05 - 5 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
06 - 0.5 cup dry white wine, optional

→ Oils & Fats

07 - 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

→ Herbs & Flavorings

08 - 15 to 20 fresh sage leaves
09 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnishes

11 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, optional
12 - Zest of 0.5 lemon, optional

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Spread diced pumpkin on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and golden. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add arborio rice to the pan and toast for 2 minutes, stirring to coat each grain with oil.
04 - Pour in dry white wine if using and cook, stirring constantly, until almost completely absorbed.
05 - Begin adding warm vegetable broth one ladle at a time. Stir frequently, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue for 18 to 20 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente.
06 - While risotto cooks, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry sage leaves for 30 to 60 seconds until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
07 - Gently fold roasted pumpkin, nutmeg, and nutritional yeast into nearly cooked risotto. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
08 - Distribute risotto into serving bowls and top with crispy sage leaves and lemon zest if desired. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pumpkin becomes so sweet and tender when roasted that it practically melts into the rice, creating natural creaminess without any dairy.
  • Crispy sage leaves add an herby, addictive crunch that makes this feel way fancier than the effort required.
  • It's one of those dishes that looks and tastes like you labored for hours, but it comes together in less than an hour with just one pan for the rice.
02 -
  • Always keep your broth warm in a separate pot, adding cold liquid will stop the rice from cooking evenly and make the texture gummy instead of creamy.
  • Don't walk away during the broth-adding stage, stirring frequently is what coaxes the starch out of the rice and creates that luscious, velvety consistency.
  • If you blend half the roasted pumpkin before folding it in, it melts completely into the risotto and makes it even creamier without changing the flavor.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pan instead of a tall pot so the rice cooks more evenly and you can stir without splashing broth everywhere.
  • Taste the rice a few minutes before you think it's done, it should have a tiny firmness in the center but no crunch.
  • If the risotto thickens too much while you're plating, stir in a splash more broth to loosen it back up, it should flow slowly off the spoon.
  • Save a few whole roasted pumpkin cubes to place on top for presentation, it makes the dish look as beautiful as it tastes.
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