Vegan pumpkin risotto with roasted thyme tofu

Pumpkin season is the best season! You can use pumpkin in many recipes including this vegan pumpkin risotto with roasted thyme tofu. This risotto is creamy and flavorful but a combination of crispy and herby tofu with delightful risotto is whole another level.

This meal may sounds complicated, but it is very simple to make.

The full recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS VEGAN PUMPKIN RISOTTO

• Vegan – This risotto is perfect for your vegan friends or family members! But this pumpkin risotto is suitable for everyone, not only for vegans/vegetarians.
• Gluten-free –  This risotto is naturally gluten-free.
• Easy to make – The full recipe is so easy and simple!
• Pumpkin – This is a star of this recipe. It makes whole risotto so creamy and delightful.
• Thyme tofu – Adding extra flavors to the tofu is a must! A combination of fragrant thyme and creamy but nutty pumpkin is so good.
• 100% delicious

INGREDIENTS

• minced garlic
• vegan butter
• spring onion
• pumpkin puree
• short grain rice
• water
• veggie stock powder
• black pepper
• salt
• lemon juice
• soy cream

Thyme tofu

• oil
• firm tofu
• garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper
• thyme

POSSIBLE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

This recipe is easily customizable. Here are some ideas:

• You can replace water and veggie stock powder with veggie stock.
• Lemon juice can be replaced with vinegar.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: In a large pan heat vegan butter and add minced garlic and chopped spring onion. Cook until the onion is translucent and the garlic is golden.

Step 2: Next, add pumpkin puree, and short grain rice and combine. I suggest making roasted pumpkin in advance. It makes such a difference in taste.

Now, we can add water with the veggie stock powder, salt, and pepper. But don't add too much water. Just 1 or 1/2 cup will be ok. Don't forget to stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 3: Keep adding more liquid in small amounts until the rice is fully cooked. It will take around 40 minutes.

Step 4: When the rice is done, add lemon juice, soy cream, and salt or pepper to taste.

Step 5: Moving on to the next step which is making herby thyme tofu. In a medium-sized pan heat the oil and add chopped tofu along with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme. You can use fresh or dry thyme, but fresh is always better.

Cook until tofu is crispy and golden from each side. Serve with pumpkin risotto. Enjoy!

SERVING

Serve this roasted pumpkin risotto with thyme tofu and vegan Parmigiano. You can also serve it with lemon slices and extra soy cream.

STORING

Store this pumpkin risotto in the fridge for up to 2 days, but it is best eaten fresh right away.

I don’t recommend freezing it because the consistency might change.

FAQ

Can you use white rice for risotto?

You can use white rice, but not long grain rice. Risotto needs short grain starchy rice for its creaminess and its specific texture.

You can use short-grain rice or traditional Arborio rice.

What protein goes with risotto?

In this vegan risotto recipe, I used crispy thyme tofu, but you can use fried tempeh or textured vegetable protein pieces to make pumpkin chicken risotto.

Should I roast the pumpkin and make my own pumpkin puree or use canned pumpkin puree?

I always suggest making your own pumpkin puree if you can. Roasting the pumpkin before making any meal makes such a difference.

But if you don't have that much time, canned pumpkin is just fine!

Is this pumpkin risotto dairy-free?

Yes! This recipe is vegan, gluten and dairy-free!

MORE PUMPKIN RECIPES:

GLUTEN-FREE VEGAN PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH GARLIC BUTTER
CREAMY PUMPKIN PASTA SAUCE
EASY VEGAN ROASTED PUMPKIN SOUP

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