Don’t waste that leftover pumpkin – make this practically no-stir autumn risotto recipe instead

Name: Don’t waste that leftover pumpkin – make this practically no-stir autumn risotto recipe instead
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 800 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes; 1 whole, unpeeled garlic bulb; 2 tbsp. olive oil; 100 g diced smoked pancetta; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 8 sage leaves, 1/2 finely chopped; 300 g arborio risotto rice; 900 mL hot chicken stock; 60 mL Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

A risotto that requires minimal stirring? Count us in.

By Nadine BrownPublished: 02 November 2026

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Risotto doesn’t have to mean standing over the stove, stirring for nearly an hour. Bake it instead: the nonnas may have something to say, but the roast pumpkin, fragrant sage and salty pancetta might win them over.

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Yields:

4 serving(s)

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

800 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
1 whole, unpeeled garlic bulb
2 Tbsp. olive oil
100 g diced smoked pancetta
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 sage leaves, 1/2 finely chopped
300 g arborio risotto rice
900 ml hot chicken stock
60 ml Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C) gas 6. Scatter the pumpkin in the tray in an even layer. Trim the top of the garlic bulb so the cloves are exposed. Nestle in the middle of the tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Season well. Transfer to the oven and bake for 40min or until tender.

2 While the pumpkin roasts, place a deep ovenproof casserole on your stove. Scatter the pancetta in the cold pan, then turn the heat to medium. Leave to cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is slightly crispy. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and add the onion. Cook for 3-4min until softened. Add the chopped sage and rice to the pan and stir together, cooking for 2min to toast the rice. Stir in the stock. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven for 30min.

3 Heat the remaining oil in a small frying pan and fry the remaining sage for 1-2min, until crisp and slightly deepened in colour. Transfer to a kitchen towel-lined plate.

4 Remove the pumpkin from the oven and add half to a blender. Squeeze the roast garlic cloves into the blender and blitz until smooth. Stir into the cooked risotto rice, followed by the Parmesan and pancetta. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Serve with more Parmesan and the fried sage leaves.

GH TIP

For added texture, save some of the roasted pumpkin cubes rather than blitzing, so you get a smooth, creamy texture and tender bites.

Delicious and easy risotto recipes that you'll return to again and again 🧀

Nadine Brown

Kitchen Editor

Nadine is the Kitchen Editor, creating delicious, exciting recipes for GH. Her background is eclectic – time spent as a teen mag website editor interviewing the likes of Lady Gaga before becoming a standby contestant for GBBO - and it shows in her style cooking. Full of flavour, interesting stories and fun!

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