We like pumpkin in the fall and winter and love risotto year-round. So why not make a risotto that is a bit unusual using pumpkin, fried rosemary leaves, and a wonderful, melty, Italian cheese? We can’t think of a good reason not to, either! This Pumpkin Rosemary Risotto with Taleggio Cheese is so creamy and will quickly become your favorite fall risotto recipe!
The Key to Creamy Risotto
This creamy, tasty risotto is the result of the process where the rice releases its starch into the liquid, slowly, forming a creamy, wonderful risotto. Risotto does not need any added cream to achieve this consistency. It is all about slowly adding the stock for the rice to do its thing! In fact, risotto without any added cheese can be just as delicious and will still have that rich, luscious texture!
What is the best rice for risotto?
As for the rice, Carnaroli is our favorite, but Vialone Nano, and Arborio work very well also. We have found that Arborio is the most readily available where we are, but we go out of our way to find Carnaroli because we really love the texture. It just produces a creamier texture and has a better overall mouthfeel in our opinion.
What are the components of this Pumpkin Rosemary Risotto with Taleggio Cheese?
Pumpkin Puree:
The pumpkin is the next important addition to this. We simply used pure pumpkin puree out of a can, and it works very well. Making your own puree from a pie pumpkin is another option that isn’t that difficult to do, but the flavors are very similar! Mixing the puree into the dish at two separate stages as we do in the recipe works the best, since it is thicker than broth and requires a little extra time to incorporate.
We love using pumpkin in savory dishes! Check out our Pumpkin and Roasted Red Pepper Soup or our Pumpkin Ravioli with Parmesan Sage Cream Sauce if you want more savory pumpkin recipes!
The last two additions really bring this risotto to new heights!
Crispy Fried Rosemary Leaves:
The fried rosemary leaves are not only beautiful on top of the rice, but the flavor is subtly muted up front (as compared to fresh rosemary) but lingers faintly as you eat the dish.
Taleggio Cheese:
The cheese we used may not be the easiest to find, but it is worth searching for! Taleggio is a semi-soft cheese that melts incredibly well and is perfect for risotto. It has a moderately strong aroma, but the taste is milder than you would expect. This cheese from Northern Italy is outstanding in this dish, but it may be a bit difficult to find, depending on where you live. If you must substitute, go with Fontina. You could also opt for a somewhat similar French cheese such as Camembert or Brie. Regardless, you will love this fall dish!
Enjoy!
We hope you enjoy this recipe for Pumpkin Rosemary Risotto with Taleggio Cheese! If you give it a try, leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram, @cooking_with_with!
Looking for more recipes like this? Check out some of our popular recipes below:
- Spiced Carrot Ginger and Fennel Soup
- Pumpkin Ravioli with Parmesan Sage Cream Sauce
- Parmesan Risotto and Mushroom Ragù Phyllo Cup Bites
- Roasted Poblano and Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
- Tagliatelle with Sausage Mushroom Cream Sauce
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Rosemary Risotto with Taleggio Cheese
Ingredients
- ½ sprig of rosemary, leaves removed from stems
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 24 oz chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small shallot finely diced (20g)
- 1 cups risotto rice carnaroli, aborio, etc.
- ⅓ cup dry white wine pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or similar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree divided (180g)
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 oz Taleggio cheese (43g) diced (alternatively use fontina, camembert or brie)
Instructions
- First remove the rosemary leaves from the stem and heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Add the rosemary when the oil is hot (around 330°F) being careful not to burn yourself. The rosemary will spatter and bubble for several seconds. Once the spattering is done (approximately 5-10 seconds) remove the rosemary to a paper towel to drain excess oil. It should still have a green color to it, but be brittle and less bitter than fresh rosemary. Set aside for use at the end of the dish.
- In a saucepan, warm the stock over medium-low heat. While the stock is warming, start the risotto.
- In a large pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium to medium-low heat and, when melted, add the shallots. Cook gently without browning the shallots until they are translucent. It will take just a minute. Add the remaining butter until it melts.
- Stir in the rice, making sure it is coated in the butter and turn the heat to medium. Stirring often, let the rice absorb the butter. This will take about 2 minutes. Add the wine and stir. Make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the wine is absorbed, add a ladle or two of stock (about ½ cup total) and stir. As the rice absorbs the stock and starts to stick to the pan, add more stock in the same increments and continue to stir. Once you’ve added the stock the second time and it has absorbed, add half of the pumpkin puree, the pepper, and nutmeg, and stir well.
- Continue adding stock in ½ cup increments until the rice is almost finished (about 20 minutes), then stir in the rest of the pumpkin puree and salt. Taste the rice for doneness – it should be firm but not hard – like al dente pasta. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add water to the stock pot to warm it and use that until the rice is cooked.
- Once the rice is done, remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary. Serve with crispy rosemary leaves on top.
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