Perfect Brown Rice Risotto with Pumpkins

This perfect brown rice risotto with pumpkins is both nutritious, comforting, delicious, and so satisfying. The nutritional yeast gives a cheesy taste. Add some lemon to that to make this risotto recipe absolutely perfect!

I haven't yet found whole Arborio rice! and while the white Arborio rice will make a creamy risotto due to its high content of starch called amylopectin, this rice can also increase your inflammation!

So enjoy this rather chewy risotto version with whole short-grain brown rice, which has a low glycemic index.

It's delicious and creamy, especially if you add nutritional yeast. This brown rice risotto has fewer carbs compared to the classic risotto, so it's perfect if you're following a weight loss diet.

While pumpkins have a high GI, they, however, have a low glycemic load (GL).

This perfect brown rice risotto with pumpkin recipe is surely going to be your favorite. I promise you, you'll not miss the classic risotto anymore!

What's the best rice for risotto?

White arborio rice will definitely give you a creamy starchy risotto, this is due to its high content in starch known as amylopectin. This makes arborio rice soften during cooking, thus thickening the sauce.

You can also use other types of rice like carnaroli and vialone nano.

But for healthier options, substitute with brown short-grain or any whole brown rice for a healthy risotto.

How to cook a perfect brown rice risotto

Cooking a perfect risotto can be challenging when using arborio white rice, but you'll succeed with this brown rice risotto. Of course, it'll take longer time than white arborio rice but doesn't call for stirring as the classic risotto does.

• Consider frying your brown rice with some onions and spices like curry. This will give you a spicy, colorful risotto.
• Bron rice risotto has more flavor when made with broth. Using homemade vegetable broth will enhance the taste, making your brown rice risotto super delicious.
• This risotto recipe will take a longer time to cook, unlike processed rice. However, you can largely reduce the cooking time by soaking your brown rice for at least 12 hours. The longer, the better.
• The other tip is to cook your risotto in a large-hard-based pan/ saucepan, This ensures enough space for each grain to cook. 
• Once you add the hot broth or boiling water, you will leave the risotto to simmer without your presence. 
• At the end of cooking, add diced pumpkins and stir. If you add pumpkins at the beginning, they'll overcook and be pureed.
• Finish by adding nutritional yeast to add more flavor and to make this brown risotto creamy.

Don't overcook brown rice risotto.

Don't overcook your brown rice! overcooking increases the glycemic index, which will spike your blood sugar levels hence increasing your inflammation.

Yes, you might find this brown rice risotto hard compared to white risotto, but my kids said it is perfect and they love it chewy. 

Eating al dente (still firm) brown risotto will make you chew for long thus reducing the amount of food you eat, it's therefore, a perfect comfort recipe for weight loss. So, in the end, it's a win-win risotto recipe.

I am eager to read your comments, go ahead, make this recipe and let me know how it turns out for you.

Pin, share this recipe please, and enjoy your brown rice risotto.

My love to you, Githu.

📖 Recipe

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5 from 12 votes

Perfect brown rice risotto with pumpkins

This perfect brown rice risotto with pumpkins is both nutritious, comforting, delicious and so satisfying. The nutritional yeast gives the cheesy taste add lemon to that to makes this risotto recipe absolutely perfect!

Prep Time3 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

soaking time12 hours hrs

Total Time13 hours hrs 3 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: anti-inflammatory

Keyword: brown rice risotto, risotto recipe, risotto with pumpkins

Servings: 4 people

Calories:

Author: Githu

Cost: 5€

Equipment

• large hard-based pan or sauce-pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups short-grain rice
• 1 medium red onion/ 2 small ones
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 root of turmeric
• 2 tablespoon cold-pressed oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 5 cups hot vegetable broth or boiling water
• 3 cups diced pumpkin, like acorn
• fresh thyme or herbs of your choice
• 5 tablespoon nutritional yeast as much you'd use if using some cheese
• ground black pepper
• 1 lemon

Instructions

• Rinse and soak your brown rice for at least 12 hrs, the longer the better
• 1 hr before cooking, drain and rinse your rice and leave it to drain all the water
• Grate the ginger, garlic, and turmeric
• Put them in a large pan, then add oil and stir. Cover and let them cook for 3 mins at medium-high heat.
• Add the ground turmeric, stir and add the drained rice with some of the thyme, stir well cover and let it cook for 5 mins for the rice to absorb the spices
• Add salt, then add 4 cups of the hot broth. Stir, cover, and bring the heat to moderate-high
• Simmer for 30 mins
• During that time chop the pumpkins keeping the skin into small equal sizes
• Dice the onions and keep aside, get the thyme leaves for garnishing
• After the 30 mins, add the pumpkins and the remaining cup of broth, it should be hot, stir and cover to cook for 10 mins
• The rice should remain firm, cut off the heat, add onions and cover for 10 mins
• Now add the pepper and thyme of which you'll have removed the stem
• Before serving, add nutritional yeast, squeeze the lemon and add the juice, adjust the seasoning and fold everything delicately
• Enjoy your perfect brown rice risotto, thank you for pinning and sharing. love you.

Notes

You might want to use long grain rice like basmati, just note that the texture will not be the same. 

Whole basmati rice cooks rather fast like in this pilau recipe, it' ll not give the creaminess like the short-grain rice.

However, I do love basmati's more pronounced flavor.