Rich and creamy pumpkin risotto with scallops and a delicious sage-butter sauce. The perfect hearty cold-weather meal!
I love all things pumpkin. I am the person who starts cooking and baking (and seeking out all things pumpkin at local restaurants and bakeries!) with pumpkin in September, and forces myself to wind things down sometime in January. So if this scallops with pumpkin risotto recipe is the last pumpkin dish I make till next September, I definitely ended things on a glorious high note.
This recipe, adapted from Gourmet, will blow. your. mind. It is, dare I say, the ultimate comfort food. If you’ve never made risotto, or never even tried risotto, this is the recipe to start with. It’s rich and creamy, and the squash and onions add a nice touch of sweetness. The parmesan cheese creates depth and a nice saltiness to balance the sweet pumpkin and onions. And the sage butter? The sage butter will transport you to another world.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Make Risotto:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place diced squash on baking sheet. Roast squash until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep at a light simmer.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over moderate heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed.
- Continue simmering, adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes total. (There may be broth left over.)
- Remove from heat and stir in diced squash, cheese, and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Add salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.
Prepare Scallops:
- Pat scallops dry and season with salt. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer scallops to a bowl with a slotted spoon and discard any oil remaining in skillet (do not clean skillet).
- Cook butter in same skillet over moderate heat until it foams and turns light brown. Add sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips For Success
- An important part of making risotto is to keep stirring when incorporating the stock into the rice.
- Keep your chicken stock at a low simmer. You always want to add warm liquid when making risotto.
- Be sure to pat the scallops dry. This will ensure a nice, crisp crust when sauteing them.
- If you want to add vegetables to your risotto, add them at the end after risotto has finished cooking.
Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.
More Dinner Recipes!
Scallops with Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients
For Risotto
- 1-1/4 cups diced, peeled, and seeded small butternut squash (you will have squash left over)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/3 cup)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Scallops
- 20 large sea scallops 1-1/2 lbs., tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh sage
Instructions
Make Risotto:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place diced squash on baking sheet. Roast squash until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Bring stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep at a light simmer.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over moderate heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring 1 minute.
- Add 1 cup simmering stock and cook at a strong simmer, stirring constantly, until stock is absorbed.
- Continue simmering, adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente, about 18 minutes total. (There may be broth left over.)
- Remove from heat and stir in diced squash, cheese, and butter, stirring until butter is melted. Add salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.
Prepare Scallops:
- Pat scallops dry and season with salt. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, turning once, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer scallops to a bowl with a slotted spoon and discard any oil remaining in skillet (do not clean skillet).
- Cook butter in same skillet over moderate heat until it foams and turns light brown. Add sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve:
- Put one cup of risotto on a plate, place 5 scallops on top, and drizzle sage-butter sauce on top of scallops.
You’re amazing!
Thanks, doll. It’s people like you who make me feel amazing.