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Southwest Pumpkin Vegan Risotto – a delicious, creamy risotto made with a fun tex-mex spin and absolutely no dairy!
This recipe came to fruition after learning about Acquerello rice from a chef at Eataly in Chicago.
He told me it is THE BEST rice for risotto because it cooks to a perfect al dente throughout. He felt that arborio rice is either al dente in the middle and still crunchy and under cooked on the outside or perfectly al dente on the outside and too mushy in the center. We don’t want that, do we?!l No! So, of course I had to buy the chef approved rice to test it out.
Now, Eataly is an Italian restaurant, but I’m pretty certain you all know by know how much I LOVE the Mexican spices, so I decided to put my own spin on risotto with my favorite spices and little nod to autumn and, voila, Southwest Pumpkin Vegan Risotto was born!
Risotto Rice
Is this Acquerello rice better than traditional arborio? I don’t know.
Honestly, it’s been awhile since I’ve used arborio, but I know that this dish turned out ultra creamy, dreamy and delicious!
However, I feel pretty confident saying if you can’t find Acquerello rice (or simply don’t want to spend $12 for a pound of rice!), arborio rice would stand in just as well in this vegan risotto dish.
Southwest Flavors
This southwest dish is flavored with the usual spices – cumin, chili powder and paprika – and a few others.
But the secret to the extra creamy texture lies in the pumpkin sauce I added at the end.
I doctored up a 1/2 cup of pumpkin with a little sweet, smoke and citrus. It might seem like an odd combo and its not necessarily a sauce I would use on it’s own, but added to this south of the border creamy vegan risotto, it’s a winner! Trust!
Kid Approved
I can’t even tell you how fast the kids gobbled this up. They had their bowls licked clean before I even had a chance to sit down and join them.
Luckily, they all wanted seconds so I didn’t have to sit and eat alone.
Not that it needs anything else, but a drizzle of my Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing is perfect on this risotto if you want to add yet another layer of flavor.
Southwest Pumpkin Vegan Risotto
I hope you love this creamy Southwest Pumpkin Vegan Risotto as much as we do! If you try it, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback and star rating.
You can also find me on social media. Be sure to tag @veggie_inspired and #veggieinspired so I’m sure to see it.
Enjoy!
- 1 1/2 cups risotto rice (Acquerello or Arborio)
- 1/2 cup Spanish wine (I used a Malbec)
- 5 cups vegetable broth (I only used 4.5 cups, but just in case you need more, have it ready)
- 1.5 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 15 oz can black beans (or 1.5 cups)
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- salt/pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp agave (or pure maple syrup)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- salt/pepper (to taste)
- Avocado
- Chopped tomaoto
- Cilantro
- Green Onion
- Dash of Sriracha
- Squeeze of lime juice
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Gently heat the vegetable stock in a sauce pan with 1.5 tbsp of lime juice in a sauce pan and keep it warm on low heat.
- In a large pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and spices (listed under Veggies above) in 1/4 cup vegetable broth, about 5-7 minutes or until the veggies start to soften.
- Meanwhile, make the pumpkin sauce. In a small bowl, whisk everything together listed under pumpkin sauce above and set aside.
- When veggies are tender, add the corn, black beans, green chiles, and salt/pepper and sauté another 2 minutes. Add another tbsp or two of veggie broth if veggies are starting to stick. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pot you sautéed the veggies in, add the rice over medium heat and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes just to toast gently. Add the wine and and stir until the liquid is completely absorbed by the rice.
- Add about 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to the rice at a time. After each addition, stir constantly until the liquid is almost fully absorbed. It's ok if it still looks a little wet, but if you drag a spoon through the rice, it should be able to stay separated. Continue with this process until the rice is cooked through. Start testing the rice (by eating a small piece) after about 15-20 minutes. Mine took about 25 minutes, but check early just in case your cooks faster than mine did. You may not use all of the veggie broth...that's ok, but it's better to have it ready just in case. I used about 4.5 cups overall.
- When you are happy with the texture of the rice, take off the heat and stir in the veggie mixture and pumpkin sauce you made earlier until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Garnish with the toppings of your choosing and enjoy!
~Have leftovers? Make it into Quesadillas!
~Nutrition facts calculated without any toppings.
More Delicious Southwest Inspired Recipes to Love:
Southwest Black Bean Pasta Salad
Anjali @ Vegetarian Gastronomy says
Yum!! This risotto looks delicious! I have yet to make one this fall, so this may end up ont he table during thanksgiving!
Jenn S. says
Perfect! I love bringing un-traditional dishes to holidays! 🙂
Linda from Veganosity says
Thanks for the rice tip, Jenn! I have the same issue that the chef from Eataly does. It’s so hard to get it to cook to a perfect al dente. This flavor combination sounds so delicious. bookmarking for a yummy weekend meal.
Jenn S. says
Linda, have you been to Eataly? It’s so awesome! I love that you can grab a glass of wine and wander around. So cool!
Sarah Newman, Vegan Chickpea says
Yesss!! Love this!! Totally making it ASAP. Thanks!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Sarah! Please let me know if you do and how it turns out! Enjoy!
Laura says
What a fun risotto to make, very different than the usual, I have never heard of Aquerello rice. Aquerello is a Spanish name as in Italian would be Aquarello, so for a Mex inspired rice it should fit well
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Laura. Enjoy!
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I love this combination of flavors! Pumpkin, black beans, and corn are the best together!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Amy! They definitely go together so nicely!
Alicia Taylor says
I have several cans of pumpkin and a husband that loves Risotto. Guess what’s getting made this weekend!
Jenn S. says
Yay! I hope you both love it! Let me know how it turns out!
Luci says
This looks so delicious, I wouldn’t have thought of adding pumpkin to a savory dish. Delicious.
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Luci! It’s definitely not something you see every day, but it’s so good!
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
This looks amazing; a really delicious twist on risotto 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Hannah!
Cliona Keane says
This is such a creative recipe! Perfect for Autumn now that pumpkins are in the stores!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Cliona!
Ribas with Love says
Wow, what a beautiful and yummy recipe, it looks so flavorful and rich !!
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchenc says
Jenn, this looks amazing 🙂 We have really similar tastes because this is totally something I would make!! I am adding this to my list of things to make from your site! Delicious!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Ceara! We definitely do have similar tastes. I LOVE all of your recipes! 🙂 I hope you love it!
The Veggie Community says
Jenn, this looks amazing 🙂 We have really similar tastes because this is totally something I would make!! I am adding this to my list of things to make from your site! Delicious!
Jenn S. says
Thanks!!
veggiesdontbite says
This looks amazing!!! It’s on my list to try! I’ve never tried using that kind of rice before. Love learning new things!
Jenn S. says
I had never even heard of it before! And I’m pretty sure you won’t find it in a regular grocery store…well, at least not by me. 🙂 Thanks, Sophia!
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes.com says
How is it that you managed to put my three favorite things into one dish? Southwest flavors, pumpkin, and risotto. You are brilliant Jenn! Definitely need to make this ASAP. Though right now I’m doing a juice cleanse which is prob. the worst thing one can do as a food blogger…Oh dear! This is definitely on my list of things to make once I’m done 🙂
Jenn S. says
Well, it happened on a whim, but it sure did work out wonderfully! Wow, a juice cleanse….do you get to eat at least one solid meal a day? I’m not sure I could survive on juice alone!
winwinfood says
I’m so in love with these flavors Jenn! I’ve been known to stuff pumpkin into everything recently so this risotto totally fits my current cravings 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much, Lucie! I love pumpkin season!!!
The Vegan 8 says
This is such a beautiful and creative risotto Jenn! I’ve never had pumpkin in a savory dish before, so I’m totally intrigued! I love risotto so much. I’ll need to try it! Oh, and by the way, I finished off your spicy corn soup before getting a pic, I’ve just been so busy I didn’t get a chance, but I plan to make it again, it was delicious and my daughter loved it too!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Brandi!! I’m surprised at how many people have never had pumpkin in savory dishes. I also use it in my absolute favorite chili! You don’t really taste the pumpkin in either, but it lends such a creamy texture! I’m so glad you all loved the corn soup too! Thank you!
Linda @ Veganosity says
I could dive head first into that risotto, Jenn. It looks amazing, and I love the idea of using pumpkin for a savory dish. I made a pumpkin ravioli last fall and it was so good.
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Linda! Pumpkin ravioli sounds delicious!! I love using pumpkin in savory dishes. It gives it a nice creaminess, a little earthiness with a touch of sweetness. So good!
Natalie says
I never would’ve though to use pumpkin in a not only savory, but spicy dish! So creative Jenn! And that Acquerello rice sounds wonderful, like foolproof risotto (which I need) 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Natalie! I use pumpkin in a chili I make too. It’s an old recipe on the blog and I need to update the pictures, but it’s a yummy one!
Strength and Sunshine says
The best risotto I’ve seen 😉 Pure love, pumpkin, and comfort!!!
Jenn S. says
Thanks, Rebecca!! It all happened on a whim, but it worked out wonderfully! 🙂