This low carb pumpkin cauliflower risotto is made with cauliflower rice, pumpkin puree and plenty of Parmesan! It's a creamy, savory keto pumpkin dinner or side that's comforting, filling and perfect for a cold Fall or Winter day.
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I'd thought for AGES about making a low carb risotto with cauliflower rice. I tried an Instant Pot version a while ago, but there was WAY too much liquid, and I never got around to trying it again.
But with the huge influx of pumpkin recipes that September brings, I finally made a low carb risotto - with pumpkin! If you've been hunting for savory keto pumpkin recipes (not just another pumpkin spice dessert), this is the one to try first.
I've seen high-carb risotto recipes that use cubes of pumpkin, but I've used pumpkin puree here for two reasons. Firstly, when I decided to make it, pumpkins weren't in the stores yet. And secondly, while pumpkin isn't a high carb ingredient, it isn't low carb either, so you don't need a lot of it. Just a little scoop. Not worth cutting up a whole fresh pumpkin!
So it's the convenient option for sure. But don't worry - it tastes like you spent all day making it. I just know you're going to love this warming and comforting pumpkin cauliflower risotto! And if you do, you might also like my Low Carb Seafood Risotto with cauli rice.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Riced cauliflower. This stands in for the arborio rice, and it soaks up all that pumpkin and Parmesan flavor. You can buy it pre-riced (fresh or frozen) or make your own with my tutorial on how to make cauliflower rice. If you use frozen, let it thaw and squeeze out the extra water first so the risotto doesn't turn soupy.
- Pumpkin puree. Use 100% pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced. One cup is enough to turn the whole pan a gorgeous orange without pushing the carbs up too far. Butternut squash puree works too.
- Parmesan. This is what makes it taste like a real risotto: salty, nutty and creamy. Freshly grated Parmesan melts much more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind, which is coated to stop it clumping. Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano are good swaps.
- Chicken broth. A good broth adds a lot of flavor here. I like Kettle & Fire chicken bone broth, but any chicken or vegetable broth is fine.
- Butter, heavy cream and thyme. Butter and olive oil for sautéing, a splash of heavy cream for richness, and dried thyme for that cozy, savory flavor that goes so well with pumpkin.
How to Make a Low Carb Pumpkin Cauliflower Risotto
To start, melt some butter in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add some olive oil, the riced cauliflower and a little onion powder, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add the chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer) and the pumpkin puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook until most of the liquid has reduced and the cauliflower is just tender.
Stir in the dried thyme, heavy cream and Parmesan. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Like a homemade soup, I usually find it needs a lot, but it depends on the broth you've used. Divide the risotto between your bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Helpful Tips
Don't overcook the cauliflower rice. This is the big one. Cauliflower goes from tender to mushy fast, and mushy cauliflower tastes more like baby food than risotto. Start checking at around 8 minutes of simmering. You want it tender but still with a little bite, just like al dente rice.
Let the liquid reduce. Cauliflower releases water as it cooks, so the pan can look quite wet at first. Keep it at a gentle simmer and let most of the broth cook off before you add the cream and cheese. That's how you get a thick, creamy risotto rather than a pumpkin soup (the lesson I learned from my Instant Pot attempt!).
Use a wide pan. A big, deep skillet like this Calphalon nonstick jumbo frying pan gives the liquid more surface area to evaporate, so the risotto thickens faster and the cauliflower doesn't sit in liquid for too long.
Grate your own Parmesan. A Microplane grater turns a block of Parmesan into fluffy shreds that melt straight into the sauce. Add it off the heat so it melts gently instead of turning stringy.
Season at the end. Broth and Parmesan both bring salt, so wait until everything is stirred together before you add any more. Then be generous with the black pepper.
Variations
- Add chicken. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or diced cooked chicken thighs with the cream and cheese to turn it into a complete one-pan dinner.
- Add sausage. Brown some crumbled Italian sausage (check the label for sugar) in the pan first, set it aside, then cook the risotto in the tasty fat and stir the sausage back in at the end.
- Sage brown butter. Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a small pan until it smells nutty and turns golden, fry a handful of fresh sage leaves in it until crisp, then drizzle it over each bowl. No fresh sage? A pinch of rubbed sage in the risotto itself works nicely too.
- Add bacon. Crumble crispy bacon over the top for a salty crunch that's lovely against the sweet pumpkin.
- Make it vegetarian. Use vegetable broth and a vegetarian hard cheese in place of the Parmesan.
Serving Ideas
A quick note about serving size. This recipe is really filling, and it definitely serves more than two, especially with a side salad. But it isn't quite enough for four people as a main. So a yield of three servings is about right, and at that size it still comes in at keto-friendly net carbs. Plan to share it with your significant other, and keep the last third for yourself to enjoy for lunch the next day!
As a side dish, it stretches to four to six people and goes beautifully with roast chicken, pork chops or a juicy steak. For a cozy Fall menu, start with a bowl of Indian Butternut Squash Soup, or serve the risotto alongside crispy Spaghetti Squash Fritters for a vegetable-packed dinner. A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness nicely too.
Storing & Freezing
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The risotto thickens as it cools, so reheat it gently in a pan over low heat or in the microwave with a splash of broth or cream, stirring until it's creamy again. Try not to overheat it or the cauliflower will soften further.
I don't recommend freezing this one. Cauliflower rice goes watery and soft once it's frozen and thawed, and the cream sauce can separate. It's so quick to make that it's better cooked fresh. If you want to get ahead, you can rice the cauliflower and grate the Parmesan a day or two in advance.
FAQs
Is cauliflower risotto keto?
Yes! Cauliflower is one of the lowest carb vegetables around, and the rest of the risotto is butter, cream, broth and cheese. The pumpkin adds a few carbs, but with just one cup across three servings, this pumpkin cauliflower risotto still works out at 9g net carbs per serving. You can check the full nutrition in the recipe card below. For more swaps like this, see my guide to the best low carb rice alternatives.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
You can. Roast a small sugar pie pumpkin until soft, then scoop out the flesh and blend it until smooth. Homemade puree is usually wetter than canned, so let it drain in a sieve for a while, or simmer the risotto a few minutes longer so the extra liquid cooks off. You could also stir in small cubes of roasted pumpkin at the end for a chunkier texture. Just keep the amount to about a cup so the carbs stay in check.
More Low Carb Pumpkin Recipes
If you love this recipe, here are a few more pumpkin recipes you might enjoy:
- Baked Sausage and Pumpkin Bites
- Keto Pumpkin Muffins
- Keto Pumpkin Ice Cream (with Candied Bacon)
- Low Carb Pumpkin Mousse
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 30+ Low Carb Halloween Recipes
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Pumpkin Cauliflower Risotto
Ingredients
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, riced cauliflower and onion powder, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cauliflower starts to soften.
- Stir in the chicken broth and pumpkin puree. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring now and then, until most of the liquid has reduced and the cauliflower is just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Don't let it cook much longer or the cauliflower will turn mushy.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the dried thyme, heavy cream and Parmesan until creamy. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed (the amount depends on how salty your broth is).
- Divide the risotto between three bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve right away.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
Bryan says
Pumpkin season always gets me excited because of all the different recipes I come across. I've never thought of a pumpkin risotto though! I definitely need to give this recipe a try
Chrismar says
I made this recipe and I loved it. It was very satisfying. It reheated beautifully. I made the recipe exactly. I also used your cauliflower rice recipe. I had made cauliflower rice before in my food processor but this was so much better. I am not sure why. I will make this again and my only change will be to add fried sage instead of parsley. Just a personnel choice.