Microwave Pumpkin Risotto, so seasonally scrumptious! My “secret” shortcut allows me to get this rich and creamy dish on the table in 20 minutes without standing over a pot stirring non-stop. Today, I’m going to share this easy pumpkin side dish with you along with all my tips on how to make microwave risotto!
This pumpkin rice recipe will make a complementary side dish to all sorts of fall-inspired meals including turkey at Thanksgiving, a beef roast for Christmas or as part of other celebratory feasts. The simple fact is, it’s just so easy and quick to make, it’s ideal for weeknight dinners too – love to serve it with sauteed shrimp on top or slices of leftover steak.
Use Arborio rice! Or, in a pinch, any other short or medium grain rice will yield a good result.
To garnish, I used fresh snipped Sage, a robust herb that shines in hearty, rich dishes. Also, I drizzled just a bit of sweet-tangy balsamic syrup to complement the savory and play up the pumpkin. You can reduce balsamic vinegar by boiling it for some time to make a balsamic syrup, but I find it much more convenient to buy the syrup. BTW, these garnishes are optional.
Microwave Pumpkin Risotto Tips
Type of Rice:Arborio rice is the is the go-to rice for making risotto. It’s a short-grain rice that can absorb lots of liquid and yields a creamy, hearty texture. In a pinch, you can substitute any type of medium- or short-grain rice with a good result. Just never use a long grain or instant rice.
Cooking Container: Ensure that you are using a large enough microwave-safe container so that the ingredients don’t boil over and make a mess. I suggest an 8-cup capacity glass measuring cup with handle. It’s safe for the microwave, reduces the amount of measuring cups dirtied, and the handle is the safest way remove/return the microwave between stirring sessions.
Vegan: It’s easy to swap the chicken stock for vegetable broth to keep the recipe plant-based. Also, instead of Parmesan cheese, use a vegan parm substitute
Fresh Herbs: Go with what floats your boat, or skip all together. I thought fresh sage, with its earthy and bold profile, was a nice complement to this richer pumpkin dish.
The dish looks watery at first, but the Arborio rice soaks up all that goodness during cooking and releases a creamy texture.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Any commissions earned are used to offset operating expenses for The Fit Fork. Thank you!
Microwave Pumpkin Risotto, so seasonally scrumptious! A “secret” shortcut gets this rich and creamy dish on the table in 20 minutes without standing over a pot stirring non-stop. A complementary side dish to fall-inspired meals including Thanksgiving turkey, Holiday beef roast, or fast and easy with salmon or shrimp for a weeknight meal!
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
fall, pumpkin, rice, thanksgiving
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 195kcal
Ingredients
1/2cupchopped onion
2.5tbspbutter or olive oil
1/2tbspminced garlic
3/4cuparborio rice
2cupschicken or vegetable stock
1/2cuppumpkin from can
1/2teaspoonground black pepper
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
½cupfresh grated Parmesan cheeseplus 1-2 tbsp more for topping
Garnishoptional fresh snipped sage and balsamic syrup.
Instructions
In a 2-quart microwave-safe glass bowl, add chopped onion, butter, and garlic. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
Stir in rice to onion mixture and microwave on high for another 3 minutes.
Mix in stock, canned pumpkin, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Microwave this mixture on high for a total of 16 minutes, removing every 4 minutes to stir for 30 seconds (don’t skip stirring each time, this is what releases the starches for “creaminess”).
Remove and while still hot stir in cheese. Drizzle with balsamic syrup, and top with snipped fresh sage. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Makes 4 servings, each with: 195 cal, 30g carb, 7g fat, 3g protein.
Shopping for a “fit foodie” can be tough. I mean, they pour a lot of passion into working out AND eating, and it’s hard to know what makes the cut it terms of supporting that fitness lifestyle. But, the good news about working out, running and hitting the gym is that you can eat a lot, and consequently need good food and kitchen gear to keep up the routine. And, by all means, don’t ever let anyone in your sweat squad get hangry. To help make holiday shopping easier, here are the best gifts for fit foodies – all The Fit Fork approved and the things I am obsessed about!
Moonlight Maker’s Dish Towels: Bring a smile to your kitchen with one or more of these cute and funny flour-sack dish towels! Laughing burns calories, so use these “punny” towels to help clean up after your meal prepping and healthy recipe making! Make from 100% cotton flour sacks, screen printed in eco-friendly, non-toxic ink. Unfolded size is 28” x 28” and they get suber absorbent after a few washes. All handmade by a small, woman-owned biz from Asheville, NC! More designs and other holiday gift ideas at Moonlight Makers approx. 14.95 per towel
Apron with Built-in Oven Mitts from Grand Fusion – This heat-resistant light canvas apron is so genius, not only to you keep your clothes clean and splatter-free when baking, roasting, or grilling, but you have TWO oven mitts always at the ready – no more frantically trying to find a mitt when something needs to be taken off the heat asap! Adjustable straps, one size that fits most men or women, large front pocket, easy to wash, and available in grey or yellow! An oven mitt apron is the perfect holiday baking gift for that person who is always losing stuff!
Wildgrain: Wildgrain is a delicious bread subscription box that also delivers artisanal pastas, pastries all kinds of breads (made with clean, nutritious ingredients) to your door that are frozen and ready to prepare in a flash – no more than 25 minutes from freezer door opening to your mouth opening for the first bite! I love to cook, but baking from scratch is a whole ‘nutha skill set and patience level. Wildgrain is perfect this holiday season for your own entertaining and recipe making but also for giving to fit foodie friends who need a little more carb days in their life!
Use code THEFITFORK to save $10 on your first box (AND, if you sign up now, they will treat you to a free 4-pack of croissants with each and every box you have delivered for life – and these croissants ARE AMAZING, we fight over them at my house!!!)
Instant® Cold Brewer: Cold brew is the original pre-workout in my opinion. This makes a great holiday gift for food and fitness lovers. The new Instant® Cold Brewer lets you skip the coffee shop line and make true cold brew at home, in under 20 minutes – no overnight waiting. Use your favorite ground coffee, and customize the brew strength to your preferences. Cold brewer also makes iced tea. Pitcher holds 32 oz for brewing, serving and storing, and is dishwasher safe for easy up. $99
WODBottom:They make fun and funky bootie shorts for workouts. The prints are always novel and SO clever . . . like these tasty snack-cake inspired “Santa Batch” bootie shorts you can get now when you sign up for the Shortie of the Month Club. When you join, take $5 off your first month and free shipping with code JOINTODAY! Don’t worry, shorts (and fun tanks) available for non-club purchase too – always love their food inspired ones like tacos, pies, donuts and more. Also super cool, the ballsy and funny gym shorts are actually marketing for a bigger purpose – to raise funds for domestic abuse.
Lumen Metabolic Tracker : Any fit foodie looking to dial in their nutrition will love Lumen, a portable device designed to measure track and analyze your metabolism instantly and provided nutrition recommendations to help reach goals. It does this by measuring the CO2 in your breath. I’ve been using my Lumen for 4 months now and it has helped me make better choices and when and what to eat to perform my best support my athlete lifestyle. It’s also a great tool to help you manage weight or become more aware of how various factors affect your overall health. Save $50 with code THEFITFORK
The Instant® 20-cup Multigrain Cooker: Not just an ordinary rice cooker, it’s a low carb rice cooker (say what?!) It offers 8-in-1 functionality and smart features to make rice and grain cooking simple. PLUS features breakthrough CarbReduce technology reduces carbs and sugar in rice up to 40% with a special steam basket that gets carb sugars to separate and drip away from rice while cooking. Of course, also all types of grains – quinoa, oats, you name it. This is one of the best gifts for gym freaks and meal preppers I’ve seen this year.
Organic Herbal Greek Mountan Tea (Spartan Tea): In ancient times, Spartan warriors drank a refreshing tea that provided energy, healing, and restoration. The elixir’s name in Greek means “he who is made of iron”, and now this same tea is available to you and to gift to your friends – I mean, who wouldn’t want to drink this stuff! This makes a great holiday gift for runners, obstacle course races and others into wellness and recovery. I’m feeling powerful already! Aroo! Save 20% on all Spartan Nutrition products with code SAP-718613Z at Spartan.com
save 20% at spartan.com code: SAP-718613Z
ZipTop Bags: Kind of like a plastic storage bowl and a zip lock baggie had a genetically superior baby, these ZipTop Containers are part genius food storage system and part eat-right-out-of bags. Love ZipTop so much for storing staples (like the Spartan Tea and grains), packing them for on the go gym snacks (one size even stands up perfectly in a car cup holder), prepping cut fruit and other ingredients – and even storing, freezing and reheating leftovers. One of the best gifts for meal preppers.
Snap-Corner Silicone Baking Mat (No Leak, Non Stick) From Grand Fusion: This is a pretty handy-dandy adjustable baking mat. Not only can you bake cookies on it that slide right off without spray, the corners fold up to create a leakproof tray that will contain juices as you cook. As a silicone baking tray, it’s perfect for oven-baking salmon, chicken breasts, veggies and such without having mess running all over the pan (like never use foil again!). Super easy clean up, oven-safe to 450F degrees and fits in half-sheet pan (about 11.8” x 15.75” snapped up). $14.99
Seriously Good Chili Cookbook: 177 of the Best Recipes in the World: This one is for the protein lovers!!! All the best chili recipes around (and, ohhh . . .did I mention that little ole me has a recipe featured — Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili (pictured above), it’s a bona fide winner! This book is from Brian Baumgartner — remember him? He was Kevin on the hit series “The Office” and one of his most epic episodes was when he dropped that huge pot of chili all over the floor at the office party. Available in Hardcover Spiral and Kindle
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on purchase made through links, however the price to you remains the same. Proceeds help offset the operating costs for The Fit Fork, thank you and happy holidays!!
Flying solo on dinner plans? Stay home and cook up a comforting, delicious serving Mushroom Risotto for One that is well worthy enough to make any restaurant menu.
Maybe you’ve made risotto before and are like, “No, way . . .that’s going to take too long and/or I don’t have the patience.” However, unlike traditional risotto that takes 20 minutes of constant stirring and devoted attention (a real PITA) to produce, this easy-make risotto cooks up in the MICROWAVE in less than 10 minutes.
Check out how easy it is to make risotto in the microwave!
Plus, since it is a single-serve mushroom risotto recipe, you have automatic portion control that will keep you from eating an entire pot full. It’s so creamy and velvety and mushroom-y, you are going to love this under 10-minute risotto recipe.
The recipe uses all of the traditional risotto ingredients including Arborio rice, which (consider this your warning) you should NOT swap out for another type of rice. Arborio a medium-grained rice that is that textbook standard for producing the right starchy, creamy texture of this beloved rice comfort dish. Also of course, butter, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms! I think Baby Bella (aka Cremini) mushrooms work great, but those simple white button mushrooms will do just fine too!
Pin this for later!
Serving: 300 cal, 13g fat, 27g carb, 6g protein). I used a vegetable-based culinary concentrate from Zoup to whip up the broth, so convenient and rich-tasting, there was no point in opening a big carton of broth for just ½ cup.
Pro Tip: Use a really big mug, about 20 – 24 ounces (or bigger). This will at first appear too big when you see the small amount of rice in it, but the large size is mandatory to prevent any messy over-boiling. If you’d like a large yield microwave risotto dish, check out my recipe for Microwave Risotto with Lemon & Asparagus which serves four
Note: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission from purchases, however price to you remains the same. Proceeds help offset operating costs for The Fit Fork – thank you!
Mushroom Risotto for One (in a Mug, in the Microwave)!
Prep Time
2mins
Total Time
10mins
In less than 10 minutes, whip up creamy, velvety Mushroom Risotto in the microwave (in a mug)! Delicious, restaurant-worthy, easy and perfectly portioned for dinner for one!
Course:
rice, Side Dish
Cuisine:
comfort, Italian
Keyword:
mushroom, rice, risotto
Servings: 1serving
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
½tbspbutter
1tbspfinely chopped onions
¼cupof arborio riceno substitutes
1/2cupof veggie broth
1tbspof dry white winecan sub broth or water
Pinchgarlic powder
Pinchground black pepper
3tbspfinely chopped mushroomsabout 2 white buttons
1tbspgrated Parmesan cheese
Optional garnish: chopped thyme or p
Instructions
Place the butter and onion in oversized 20- to 24-ounce mug. Mug will look “too big” for ingredients, but it will boil up so you need that room. Microwave on HIGH for 90 sec, stopping to stir halfway through.
Add the rice, garlic powder, ground pepper, and broth to butter mixture.
Microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes. Let “rest” for 2 minutes, then at 50% for another two minutes.
Stir in wine and mushrooms. Microwave at 50% for 2 more, let sit 2 minutes. If it is liquid-y or rice still has “crunch” then microwave again at 50%, adding water if getting too dry.
Add cheese and herbs, if desired, and heat another 1 minute at 50% power.
*Because microwave cooking times can vary depending on wattage, if at any time too much liquid is evaporating and rice looking dry, add a tablespoon more of broth/water back in.
March is National Nutrition Month. It’s a great time to become better informed about your food choices and make any tweaks necessary to support healthful eating that fuels your body and goals.
For example, my goal is to eat a balanced diet rich in lean proteins, fruits and veggies, and whole-grain carbs to give me enough energy to perform my runs and workouts along with the proper nutrients to recover quickly. I like making homemade meals, but often convenience is king. However, I’m not willing to scrap my nourishing meals for takeout, so I keep my pantry stocked with quality convenience foods, condiments and better-for-me snacks to help ensure success.
Nutritious Pantry Staples for Quick Meals & Snacks
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos are a lower sodium, soy-free way to add flavor!
Coconut Aminos: One of my must-have pantry staples is Organic Coconut Aminos from Coconut Secret. For those of you who don’t do soy products or are being mindful of salt consumption, this soy sauce alternative really delivers that slightly sweet yet savory punch of umami you crave from a condiment. Made from hand-harvested, naturally fermented organic coconut blossoms, the only other ingredient in Coconut Aminos, is just a hint of sea salt. Coconut Aminos has 72% less sodium than the leading soy sauce brand. It’s also gluten-free, msg-free, has no added sugar, and is Whole30 approved. A 1:1 ratio soy sauce replacement, I use Organic Coconut Aminos in so many ways including in my ramen bowls, in marinades and glazes for grilling and oven roasting, and in veggie skillets.
I love how Might Sesame Co. Tahini comes in a squirt bottle – so convenient!
Tahini: It’s amazing what kind of amazingly flavorful dishes you can create in a flash with a bottle ofMighty Sesame Organic Tahini.If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s a creamy product made from sesame seeds. The squeeze-bottle on the Mighty Sesame Harissa Tahini is SO CONVENIENT and VERSATILE — it’s shelf-stable, always creamy, always drizzle-ready and is kicked up with a little bit of roasted chili pepper! There is no gunky stirring and spooning from a jar like I’ve persevered with other tahini brands. Perfect to drizzle on salads, grain bowls, tacos and raw veggie snacking for a boost of flavor, healthy fats and extra protein (7g per serving). Suitable for vegan, glute-free, dairy-free, kosher, and halal diets.
Oh, hello! Wholesome whole grains in 60 seconds with Minute rice cups!
Pre-Cooked Grains: Keeping shelf-stable, pre-cooked grains (like rice and quinoa) in the pantry allows for quick, creative meal-making on even the busiest nights. I’ve stocked up with Minute rice cups, they are easily made in the microwave in about 60 seconds, perfectly portioned so I don’t overeat, and feature just quality rice – no weird chemicals, harmful ingredients, or weird processing methods. Even the plastic cups are BPA-free and can be recycled. TheMinute Basmati microwavable rice cupsoffer that nutty, aromatic rice experience that’s hard to resist and Minute Brown Rice & Quinoa microwavable rice cupshave a delightful texture with chewy brown rice and crunchy quinoa. Both are non-GMO, preservative-free, MSG-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free and suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets. These easy rice cups are a smart and simple way to add the beneficial nutrients, like fiber from whole grains, into your busy lifestyle.
Yes, please! Nutiva Hazelnut Spread with 40% less sugar than the leading brand.
Nut-based Spreads: Naturally, almond butter, cashew butter and peanut butter are always stocked in my pantry – -but sometimes something chocolatey can really sooth that sweet tooth! When cravings hit, I grab a jar of Nutiva Organic Classic Hazelnut Spread from the pantry. It’s creamy, it’s decadent-tasting, it’s delicious all while being a product I can feel good about eating. Not only does it have 40-percent less sugar that the leading brand (that’s huge!), it’s non-GMO, suitable for vegan diets and the hazelnuts are harvested in a way that is rainforest and orangutan safe. My favorite ways to enjoy this vegan nutella -like spread is to smear it on whole-grain toast, drizzle on my oatmeal, or use as a dip for fruit!
The first rule of game night is to always have nuts nearby! RECIPE 33 infused almonds keep my hands neat and are yummy to eat!
Nuts: I LOVE nuts, especially almonds! They store so well in the pantry and are a good source of grab-and-go nutrients including fiber, protein, vitamin e and more. A favorite brand is RECIPE 33 infused almonds,not only for the inherent benefits of nuts, but also because the are flavored yet mess free! A proprietary, small-batch process takes real ingredients to infuse flavor into each almond without artificial flavors or additives. The result is an amazingly flavorful snack that leaves no messy, oily, sticky or other unwanted residue on your hands. These mess free almonds are so perfect for squashing hunger when out and about (I keep a bag in my purse), on salads and other recipes, or for charcuterie boards! Save $2 on any 4-ounce infused almond bag with code Try RECIPE33. SHOP HERE
Oven Butternut Squash Risotto with Shrimp makes a comforting, delicious and arguably balanced meal-in-a-pot boasting a whole grain, vegetable and protein.
Plus, this butternut risotto cooks up fast and with much less hands-on prep than a traditional risotto recipe – there is no endless stirring at the stove top. Instead, the rice bakes up in the oven for 20-minutes, being stirred up with Parmesan cheese just as serving.
With olive oil and simple spices, the oven-roasted shrimp only take 10 minutes to make and can be popped into the oven on a baking sheet, at the second half of the rice timer. This way, the shrimp and risotto and done at the same time!
Ingredients for the butternut risotto are simple and easy!
Learning how to make oven butternut squash risotto is a game changer. Use a Dutch oven pot in the oven and just walk away until done – this method has freed me up to finish other dinner chores and/or just have more time to connect with family members who have gathered in the kitchen to investigate the inviting, comfort food aromas wafting about.
Plus, elevating oven risotto with butternut squash helps keep the dish creamy, adds an earthy, lightly sweet flavor, and increases the nourishing benefits with dietary fiber, vitamin A, and more. To keep the oven butternut squash with shrimp recipe simple, I purchase fresh-cubed butternut squash in the produce department. However, you can also cut up your own squash and/or use a bag of thawed frozen butternut chunks.
If you are just learning how to make risotto in the oven or traditionally (or you’ve had a risotto fail in the past), please note that you should NOT use a long-grained rice. A short-grained rice offers the signature creamy results of a classic risotto and Arborio rice is a common variety used. Some medium-grain rice may be used, too.
Some people call this method “cheater’s risotto,” however I see nothing suspect about it, lol! It’s just a smart way to get a nourishing meal on the table fast! I typically pair my cheater’s butternut squash risotto with an apple kale salad for extra fall-season flair.
If you want to keep the recipe non-dairy, you can swap a non-dairy butter alternative for the butter and use an alternative to Parmesan cheese, like Parma.
Making the shrimp is just as easy, toss together olive oil, garlic salt and paprika and bake alongside the risotto during the last 8 minutes.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from products purchase, however the price to you remains the same. Proceeds are used to offset operating expenses for The Fit Fork – thank you for your support.
Oven Butternut Squash Risotto withShrimp makes a comforting, delicious and arguably balanced meal-in-a-pot boastinga whole grain, vegetable and protein. It’s so simple and easy to make, an under30 minute meal with little hand-on effort, many call this oven method “cheater’srisotto” – but it’s totally legit!
Course:
dinner, dinner, entree, entree
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
butternut squash, rice, risotto, shrimp
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2tablespoonsolive oil
1tablespoonminced garlic
1cuparborio riceor other short to medium grain rice
1/3cupwhite winecan omit
3 ½cupsreduced sodium chicken broth
1 10-ouncebag chopped butternut squashproduce dept shelf or frozen and thawed
½teaspoonsea salt
½teaspoonground white pepper
1tablespoonsbutteror non-dairy butter alternative
2/3cupgrated Parmesan cheeseor non-dairy Parmesan alternative
20large shrimpshelled and veined (thawed if frozen)
1tablespoonolive oil
2teaspoonspaprika
1teaspoongarlic salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
In 3.5-quart Dutch oven with lid, heat oil over medium heat on stove top. Add garlic and rice and stir around for 2 minutes to toast rice.
Pour in wine to deglaze pan, stirring around over heat, stirring until mostly evaporated. Add chicken broth and butternut squash cubes and bring to a boil for 1 minutes.
Put lid on pot and place on middle rack of oven, baking for 20-mintues.
Meanwhile, quickly prepare shrimp by placing on rimmed baking sheet and tossing with olive oil, salt, and paprika.
In the last 6 to 8 minutes of cooking the risotto, place pan of prepared shrimp in the oven. Roast until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove rice from oven, most of the water should have been absorbed. If it still looks a little watery, let cool for 5 minutes with lid off before stirring in butter and cheese.
Serve risotto with shrimp and garnish with finely chopped fresh sage and a little extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.
