Tasty pumpkin risotto

You can’t beat a good creamy risotto dish and this version has a really interesting twist to make it stand out – adding pumpkin into the mix to not only enhance the flavour but also pack it full of good vitamins and antioxidants.

The simple dinner dish is perfect for a lazy weeknight meal and it definitely works within a budget, with eight easily accessibly ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry. If you want to add some more protein to this vegetarian mix, cook up the diced chicken with a bit of seasoning and stir it into the hot risotto to coat. Dig in!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 3 cups butternut pumpkin, diced
• 2L liquid vegetable stock
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra to serve

Method

1. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan. Add onion. Cook until translucent.
2. Add rice and pumpkin. Saute for about 3-4 mins.
3. Ladle stock into the pan, one cup at a time, constantly stirring. Wait until each cup has been absorbed before adding another. Continue until all stock is absorbed.
4. Stir in parmesan and parsley. Transfer to serving bowls. Top with extra parmesan and parsley. Serve.