Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Cannellini Beans and Walnuts
As the days grow colder, there’s nothing better than a big bowl of warm, creamy risotto – especially when it’s packed with the flavours of pumpkin, garlic, and herbs. It’s a dish that I always associate with this time of year. Maybe because it needs that little bit more time and attention, standing over the stove, stirring until it reaches the perfect consistency. The autumn and winter months bring with it a lot more time spent at home in the evenings, which means more time to cook delicious dinners like this one! This Vegan Pumpkin Risotto is a comforting, flavourful dish that’s perfect for autumn and winter dinners. With its creamy, cashew-based sauce, crispy cannellini beans seasoned with oregano, and the crunch of toasted walnuts, it’s a recipe that you’ll keep wanting to come back to all season long.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Pumpkin Risotto
This pumpkin risotto combines seasonal ingredients, like roasted pumpkin or squash and fresh herbs, into a creamy, decadent vegan dish that’s both satisfying and nutritious. The pumpkin adds a natural sweetness, while the cashews and crispy cannellini beans add some tasty plant-based protein, and the toasted walnuts give each bite the perfect crunch to counter the creamy smooth risotto.
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
To make this delicious vegan pumpkin risotto, here’s what you’ll need:
For the Risotto
- Pumpkin or squash: roasted until soft and caramelised, bringing a rich sweet flavour and lovely autumnal colour to the dish.
- Cashews: soaked and blended with the pumpkin for a creamy, smooth, dairy-free sauce.
- Risotto rice: toasts beautifully before absorbing all the wonderful stock and white wine.
- Shallots, garlic, and butter: the base of many Italian-inspired dishes, creating depth and fragrance.
- White wine and vegetable stock: the secret to a perfectly creamy risotto!
- Nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt: delicious seasoning for that extra umami and cheesiness.
For the Crispy Cannellini Beans & Toppings
- Cannellini beans, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano: roasting these adds texture, protein, and a savoury contrast to the risotto’s creaminess.
- Toasted walnuts and fresh herbs: give a nutty, aromatic finish to the dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Risotto
- Roast Your Pumpkin: The first step to a rich, flavourful risotto is roasting the pumpkin for around 40 minutes. Roasting brings out its natural sweetness and adds depth and sweetness to the final dish.
- Soak the Cashews: Soaking cashews makes them easy to blend, resulting in a silky-smooth sauce that keeps this risotto vegan without compromising on creaminess.
- Season and Roast the Cannellini Beans: For that irresistible crunch, toss the cannellini beans with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of dried oregano, then roast until crispy – about 20 minutes will do.
- Cook the Risotto: Toast the risotto rice in a heavy-bottomed pan until lightly golden, then add butter, shallots, and garlic. Adding white wine and stock ladle by ladle ensures the rice absorbs every bit of flavour.
- Blend the Pumpkin and Cashews: While the risotto cooks, blend the roasted pumpkin and soaked cashews with nutritional yeast and lemon juice for a creamy sauce.
- Combine and Serve: Stir the pumpkin-cashew blend into the risotto, top with crispy cannellini beans, toasted walnuts, and fresh herbs, and dig in!
Tips for Making the Best Vegan Pumpkin Risotto
- Use a Quality Cooking Pumpkin or Squash: The sweeter and more vibrant the pumpkin, the better the risotto. Look for varieties like acorn or butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, or kabocha.
- Toast the Rice First: Dry-toasting the risotto rice brings out a nutty flavour that adds complexity to the dish.
- Patience is Key: Risotto is all about slowly adding liquid. Don’t rush this step, as it allows the rice to absorb each ladle of stock, making it creamy and tender.
- Crispy Cannellini Beans for Texture: Roasted cannellini beans seasoned with oregano add a deliciously crispy element to contrast the creaminess of the risotto. This step only takes a few minutes but adds so much to the dish.
FAQs
Can I use other types of squash in place of pumpkin?
Absolutely! Butternut squash, kabocha, or acorn squash will work beautifully in this recipe.
Can I make this risotto in advance?
While risotto is best fresh, you can make the pumpkin-cashew sauce ahead of time and reheat it. If you do store leftovers, add a splash of water or stock when reheating to bring back some of the creaminess.
What’s the best way to blend cashews if I don’t have a high-speed blender?
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, make sure to soak the cashews longer or boil them for 10–15 minutes to soften.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
- For extra greens, stir in a handful of spinach or kale just before serving.
- For a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cannellini beans before roasting.
- Serve with a crisp side salad or some crusty bread to complete the meal.
This Vegan Pumpkin Risotto recipe is everything you want in an autumn meal – creamy, hearty, and full of comforting flavours. Whether you’re vegan or just looking for a delicious meat-free option, this recipe will quickly become a favourite. The balance of sweet pumpkin, crunchy beans, and nutty walnuts is so moreish. Give it a try, and don’t forget to share it with friends and family!
Looking for more delicious autumnal recipes? Try these:
Watch Us Make This Recipe Step-By-Step:
Vegan Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
For the risotto
- 800 g pumpkin or squash peeled & cubbed
- 50 g cashews
- 400 g risotto rice
- knob of vegan butter
- 2 shallots diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 200 ml dry white wine
- 1.5 ltr vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 200 ml water
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- pinch of salt
For the crispy cannellini beans
- 1 400 g can of cannellini beans drained
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- drizzle of olive oil
- pinch of salt & pepper
For the toppings
- fresh herbs thyme or oregano
- walnuts roughly chopped
Method
- Prepare the Pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the pumpkin on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for 40 minutes, or until soft and lightly caramelised.
- Soak the Cashews: Place the cashews in a bowl of hot water to soak while you prepare the risotto. This will help them blend smoothly later.
- Crispy Cannellini Beans: On a separate tray, spread the drained cannellini beans. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until crispy. Set aside.
- Start the Risotto: In a large wide frying pan, dry-toast the risotto rice over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. When you start to get a lovely nutty scent from the pan, add a knob of butter, the diced shallots, and garlic, cooking until softened and translucent.
- Add Wine and Stock: Pour in the white wine and stir until it’s mostly absorbed. Begin adding the vegetable stock, one ladle at a time, stirring continuously. Allow each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue until the rice is almost cooked (about 15–20 minutes). Save 1 ladle of stock back to add at the end.
- Blend Pumpkin and Cashews: While the risotto cooks, drain the soaked cashews. In a blender, combine the roasted pumpkin, cashews, 200ml water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Combine and Finish: When the rice is nearly cooked, stir in the pumpkin-cashew puree, cooking for a few more minutes until the risotto is creamy and the rice is tender. Adjust seasoning if needed. Add the last ladle of stock just before serving. Stir for a minute or two, then take off the heat. The remaining liquid will absorb by the time you serve & eat.
- Serve: Spoon the risotto into bowls and top with crispy cannellini beans, toasted walnuts, and fresh herbs.