Risotto alla Zucca

Name: Risotto alla Zucca
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 320 g Risotto rice; 600 g Pumpkin, peeled and diced; 80 g Onion, finely diced; 120 ml White wine; 60 g Parmigiano, grated; 50 g Butter, divided; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 1 tsp Salt; ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground; 1.3 L Water, hot

Risotto alla Zucca · ready in 50 min · 4 servings · 543 kcal per serving · medium · 10 ingredients

Risotto alla Zucca is a northern Italian autumn comfort dish, creamy from slow stirring and sweet with tender pumpkin.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 543
Difficulty: medium

Italian Main dishes Vegetarian Gluten-free

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

320 gRisotto rice
600 gPumpkin, peeled and diced
80 gOnion, finely diced
120 mlWhite wine
60 gParmigiano, grated
50 gButter, divided
1 tbspOlive oil
1 tspSalt
½ tspBlack pepper, freshly ground
1.3 LWater, hot

Equipment

stovetop, chef knife, cutting board, saucepan, ladle, wide sauté pan, wooden spoon, grater, lid, serving spoon, shallow bowl

Instructions

Gather equipment
Gather all ingredients, a scale, knife, board, saucepan, ladle, wide sauté pan, wooden spoon, and grater before heating anything. · 5 min
What to look for: Ingredients are measured and tools are within reach.
Heat salted water
Heat water in a saucepan with 4 g salt, then keep it barely simmering so each ladleful goes into the rice hot. · 5 min
What to look for: Small bubbles rise gently around the edge of the saucepan.
Soften pumpkin
Heat olive oil and 20 g butter in the sauté pan, add onion and pumpkin, and cook until the onion turns glossy and pumpkin edges soften. · 8 min
What to look for: Onion is translucent and the pumpkin looks brighter and slightly tender.
Toast rice
Add risotto rice to the pan and stir for 2 minutes until the grains look pearly at the edges and feel hot when stirred. · 2 min
What to look for: Rice grains are glossy with slightly translucent edges.
Add wine
Pour in white wine and stir until the sharp aroma fades and the pan is nearly dry. · 3 min
What to look for: Wine has mostly evaporated and the rice sounds faintly crackly again.
Cook risotto
Add hot salted water 1 ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. · 18 min
What to look for: The rice releases starch and the mixture moves in slow creamy waves.
Finish creaminess
Mash some pumpkin against the side of the pan, then stir in remaining butter and Parmigiano off the heat until creamy. · 3 min
What to look for: Risotto is glossy, orange, and loose enough to spread softly.
Season and rest
Season with black pepper and remaining salt if needed, cover the pan, and rest for 2 minutes so the rice settles. · 2 min
What to look for: The surface stays creamy and the grains remain distinct.
Serve risotto
Spoon the risotto into warm shallow bowls and serve immediately while it flows softly and the cheese is fragrant. · 2 min
What to look for: Risotto gently spreads in the bowl without looking watery.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	543
Protein	13 g
Carbohydrates	76 g
of which sugars	6 g
Fat	19 g
of which saturated	10 g
Fibre	2 g
Sodium	826 mg

Nutri-ScoreB

Allergens

Contains: milk, sulphites

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 3 days
Freezer: not recommended
Warm gently with a splash of water, stirring until hot and creamy again. Add a little butter if the texture feels tight.

Ingredient substitutions

Onion

Garlic: Use only if onion is unavailable, since garlic gives a sharper base.

White wine

Water: Use hot water for an alcohol free version, with less acidity and aroma.

Butter

Olive oil: Use when butter is unavailable, though the finish will be less creamy.

Olive oil

Butter: Use for the first sauté if olive oil is unavailable.