This delicious and creamy vegan risotto, made with pumpkin, chestnuts and cranberries is a wonderful hearty vegan meal. 
I have to admit to not being convinced that a vegan risotto could ever be as good as a traditional one packed full of cheese – until now.
This vegan risotto with pumpkin, chestnuts and cranberries is amazing. It is creamy, delicious, full of nutritious ingredients and even better – it’s vegan. There’s no need to replace the cheese with vegan cheese – the pumpkin does a brilliant job of breaking down to create the perfect risotto texture. I’ve added a little nutritional yeast for some extra nutrients and nutty taste – but this is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any.
What’s your favourite type of risotto? Let me know in the comments below.
Vegan risotto with pumpkin, chestnuts and cranberries
Ingredients
- 500 g pumpkin or butternut squash peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 150 ml arborio risotto rice
- 150 ml white wine optional
- 800 ml hot vegetable stock
- 100 g cooked chestnuts crumbled
- 75 g dried cranberries
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast optional
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
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Place the butternut squash or pumpkin into a roasting tin with the sage and 2 tbsp olive oil. Stir and roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway, until cooked. When done, set aside.
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Meanwhile heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a low-medium heat for 10 minutes until soft.
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Add the garlic, cook for a further minute, then stir in the risotto rice.
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Add the white wine if using - if not you may need a little more vegetable stock. Stir until it’s all been absorbed into the rice
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Next add a ladleful of vegetable stock and stir until absorbed. Repeat this adding and stirring for around 20 minutes until the rice is almost cooked through.
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Now add the pumpkin and stir through with a final ladleful of stock. The pumpkin will begin to break down but that’s ok - this is what’s going to give this risotto its delicious creaminess.
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Finally add the crumbled chestnuts, dried cranberries and nutritional yeast, stir through to warm up, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Looking for more vegan recipes? Check out my recipe index.
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This recipe sounds wonderful I love chestnuts and pumpkin in pasta and risotto.
By the way, I recently shared a vegan version of pressure cooker risotto with butternut and fenugreek leaves;)
That sounds lovely – I’ll check it out x
You’d never guess this didn’t have cheese in it. It looks so tasty and creamy x
Thanks Cat – it really is a great recipe x
I love pumpkin risotto and you are right pumpkin does give the risotto a lovely “creamy” texture. Thank you for linking to #CookBkogShare
Thanks Jacqui!
Well that’s rather spooky Mandy, I’m planning a risotto for dinner tonight but couldn’t decide what one to make, you’ve just helped me with some wonderful inspiration. Thank you so much for linking with #G2BGF
Ah hope you enjoy it!