Pumpkin Risotto with Cider Caramelized Onions

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I will be honest. I was a little afraid to try this recipe because I wasn’t sure I would enjoy pumpkin risotto. But, it is delicious! It has the flavors of fall, and the caramelized onions make this dish a total winner! So of course the recipe comes from How Sweet Eats. Jessica Merchant has so many outstanding holiday recipes, tips, and holiday gift guides. Check out her page!

Pumpkin Risotto with Cider Caramelized Onions 
Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 45 min.
Cook Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 1 hr. 15 min.

Ingredients:

Apple Cider Caramelized Onions
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup apple cider (I substituted apple juice. My store was out of apple cider at the moment.)
Pumpkin Risotto
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I used vegetable stock.)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-1/2 cups arborio rice 
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.)
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • Kosher salt and pepper 
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes 
  • 1-1/3 cups dry white wine 
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree 
  • 2 tablespoons Brown Butter (Jessica’s steps to brown the butter)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage (I didn’t do this.)
Instructions:

Apple Cider Caramelized Onions 
  1. Heat a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat and add the butter. Once melted, stir in the sliced onions and the salt. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.
  2. Reduce the heat to low. Add in a tablespoon of the apple cider. Cook, stirring often, for 30 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of apple cider every 10 minutes. This prevents the onions from drying out and also lets them slowly caramelize with the cider. Continue to cook until your desired caramelization is reached.
Pumpkin Risotto 
  1. Heat the stock in a saucepan over low heat and cover. Heat until hot. If it begins to boil, turn down so it is no longer boiling.
  2. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add in the olive oil and butter (not the brown butter), then add the garlic with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rice, stirring to coat. Stir in the nutmeg, paprika, a big pinch of salt and pepper and a small pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often until the rice is translucent and begins to toast.
  3. Pour in the wine. Continue to stir as the rice absorbs the wine. When most of it is absorbed, add in about a third of the warm chicken/vegetable stock. Repeat the process, continuously stirring until the stock is absorbed, then add another third. Repeat until all of the stock is used and absorbed and the rice is cooked, making sure to take a spoonful and taste test. The whole process will take about 20-25 minutes. If the rice is still too chewy and dense, heat a bit more liquid and add it again, stirring. The rule I go by is to add enough liquid just to cover the very top of the risotto.
  4. Once the rice is cooked to your liking, reduce the heat to low and stir in the pumpkin puree. Take a few minutes and really stir so it is well-absorbed. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and brown butter, mixing to combine. Stir in half of the cider caramelized onions. Taste and season more if you’d like. I cannot stress this enough! Taste the risotto and add more salt and pepper if you find it necessary. This is an important part!
  5. If desired, you can crisp up some sage or toss it on fresh. To crisp it up, I add it to a skillet with butter for a few minutes.
  6. Serve the risotto topped with the sage and extra caramelized onions.


With this recipe, I prepped by having the ingredients out on my counter. In addition, you need to plan to use four pans, one for the caramelized onions, one to heat the stock, one for the risotto, and a small skillet to make the brown butter. It helps to have everything ready to go because making risotto takes time, but it is so worth your effort. Once you add the wine to the rice and smell the fragrance, you will know what I mean.

Pumpkin Risotto can be a dinner in itself is (which is what I did) or it would pair well with a simple salad such as arugula, Parmesan cheese with Garlic Expressions dressing. It would also go well with chicken. I hope you will try this delicious dish. Pumpkin Risotto will be a great dish to have anytime during this holiday season!

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