Pumpkin Risotto Recipe (Instant Pot)
This rich, creamy, flavor packed Pumpkin Risotto recipe in the instant pot is pure comfort food. It’s a knockout vegetarian dinner for Fall or Winter. Sub in butternut squash if you can’t find pumpkin.
I find that the Instant Pot does a very good job with risotto with the added benefit of not having to stand there and stir for half an hour.
Two tricks to a good instant pot risotto recipe:
1. The flavor: You can play around with the seasonings as I did. I use thyme mostly, but lately I’ve been using poultry seasoning and highly recommend it. Poultry seasoning is a combination of sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram nutmeg and pepper – all of which complement pumpkin perfectly.
2. Getting the right consistency: Mostly this comes from the proportion of rice and liquids, but you can cheat quite easily by adding more Parmesan (to make it thicker) or more broth (to make it looser) at the end.
Regarding the pumpkin, I wouldn’t start with a whole pumpkin as you only need one pound. Some stores sell chunks in a package. When I see that, I grab it. Otherwise, I use butternut squash instead.
Ultimately, this pumpkin risotto recipe is creamy, but not mushy, and the pumpkin, herb and cheese flavors shine through. It’s a satisfying vegetarian, gluten free meal on its own or as a side for fish, turkey or chicken. And I love how it looks so Fall-ish.
Also check out our super easy slow cooker pumpkin risotto recipe.
What to serve with pumpkin risotto
Try serving the risotto with our root vegetable soup or as a side with roasted salmon stuffed with herbs or marinated grilled chicken. It’s also delicious as a main dish with a nice salad.
Tailor To Your Taste
Here are some variations and substitutes you can try.
Pumpkin
- Feel free to substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin. It has a slight lower water content so reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup (or don’t worry about it and adjust with more cheese if needed).
- Some of the pumpkin disintegrates and mixes into the risotto when cooked, but a few chunks remain. If you like more chunks, dice the pumpkin into slightly larger pieces and don’t saute part of the pumpkin with the onions. This trick is included in the recipe.
Seasonings
- Instead of thyme, try sage or poultry seasoning. You can omit the curry if you want. Just taste and add something else you like.
- Try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup for some sweetness.
Add ins
- Omit the spinach if you want. I just love the color and extra nutrition it adds. Or stir in chopped parsley or chives instead.
- Omit the Parmesan for a vegan version (and reduce the broth to 4-4 1/4 cups).
Wine
- Substitute the wine with 1/4 cup/59ml extra broth or water.
Make Ahead
- Risotto is best served fresh, but if it needs to hang around for awhile, you can leave it on warm for a bit in the Instant Pot and stir in extra broth before serving to loosen it up if you need. (It always thickens on standing.)
- If you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Don’t freeze.
Other instant pot risotto recipes you might enjoy
How to make pumpkin risotto (in the instant pot)
Stir in spinach, butter, Parmesan
Pumpkin Risotto Recipe (Instant Pot)
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 teaspoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 4 tsp fresh (or use poultry seasoning)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more at end if needed)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white or cooking wine
- 4 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth (or use 1 litre box + 1/2 cup water)
- 1 pound peeled, seeded uncooked pumpkin, diced in half inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
- 2 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- SAUTE VEGETABLES/AROMATICS: Press SAUTE on Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker. Once heated, add oil and onions. You can also 1/3 of diced pumpkin at this point if you like. Saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and curry powder. Stir for 1 more minute. Add rice and stir for 2 minutes to toast (it will stay white). Add white wine and stir until completely evaporated - 1 minute.
- PRESSURE COOK RISOTTO: Turn Instant pot to OFF. Add broth and remaining squash, Secure lid. Turn VALVE to sealing. Turn PRESSURE or MANUAL setting on to High level. Set for 6 minutes using + and - buttons. Count down will start when pressure has built up (in about 10-12 minutes). Once time is finished (instant pot will automatically change setting to Keep Warm), do a Quick Release of pressure by turning valve to VENTING (keep fingers away from vent). When pressure is fully released, remove lid.
- FINISH RISOTTO: Stir risotto. It will be loose at first. Stir in butter and Parmesan and spinach if using. Stir until spinach is wilted (30 seconds). If too thick, add more broth or water if needed. Taste and adjust seasonings (e.g. add another 1/2 teaspoon salt if needed, more thyme, curry, etc). Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately topped with additional Parmesan if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Pumpkin
- You can substitute butternut squash for the pumpkin. It has a slight lower water content so reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup (or don't worry about it and adjust with more cheese if needed).
- Some of the pumpkin disintegrates and mixes into the risotto when cooked, but a few chunks remain. If you like more chunks, dice the pumpkin into slightly larger pieces and don't saute part of the pumpkin (as noted in the recipe) with the onions.
- Seasonings
- Instead of thyme, try sage or poultry seasoning. You can omit the curry if you want. Just taste and add something else you like.
- Try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup for some sweetness.
- Add ins
- Omit the spinach if you want. I just love the color and extra nutrition it adds. Or stir in chopped parsley or chives instead.
- Omit the Parmesan for a vegan version (and reduce the broth to 4-4 1/4 cups).
- Wine
- Substitute the wine with 1/4 cup extra broth or water.
Nutrition
This pumpkin risotto recipe has been updated from 2018 with additional tips and images.
I don’t have an Instant Pot.
Can I still make this?
What adjustments would I have to make?
Hi Marge. You can certainly make the pumpkin risotto on the stove top in the more traditional way. The process is quite different though. I haven’t tried it that way, so I can’t give you instructions (the measurements would be different). Here’s a recipe I found on the internet if that helps https://www.carolinescooking.com/pumpkin-risotto/.
Fast and enjoyable. Good proportions and tasty result!
Glad you liked it Darien!
I used med grain sushi rice bc that’s what I had on hand and added mushrooms as well and it turned out beautifully! Thank you for the recipe! How long do you think this will last in the freezer?
Wonderful! Cool it first then freeze it in a ziploc or airtight container for up to 2-3 months. You may have to add extra liquid when warming it up. Hope that helps.
Turned out beautifully. Only thing I did differently was to add Rosemary and fresh Thyme. Will make it again and again.
Glad it turned out well Sue. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. We always appreciate that.
Can you substitute canned pumpkin? If do. Do you adjust the liquid and the cooking time?
Hi Janet. Yes you can. As long as the ingredients don’t fill the instant pot more than two thirds tops. For this recipe, you would use 1 cup of pumpkin purée. Same liquids and timing. If you are not using Parmesan, you can probably reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup. Hope that helps. Good luck!
Turned out wonderfully, definitely will be making it again! Well written recipe!! Thanks so much!!
Thanks so much JC! I really appreciate the feedback.
Do you double the stock and time cooking time if you are serving x10 mains?
Hi Brit. If you double the recipe, you will need to double the liquid (stock) but the cooking time and pressure will remain the same. The risotto will take a bit longer to get up to the target pressure though. Just make sure your instant pot is not more than 2/3 full. You should be ok with doubling this recipe if you have a 6 or 8 quart pot. Hope that helps.
Love this. Family Favourite.
Glad to hear that! Thanks for letting us know Angela.
This recipe is AMAZING! So delicious and tastes creamy. Definitely one of our new favs. Highly recommend. Love love LOVE it.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment Ashleigh! So nice to hear.
Hi I’d love to try this. Would it work if I halved the recipe? Would you use the same cooking time? Also could I swap the wine for extra stock? I don’t have wine. Thank you.
Hi Tracy. Yes to everything. You can halve the recipe, use the same cooking time and swap extra stock for the wine. 🙂