Creamy pumpkin rice with pork – flavors to remember
Creamy pumpkin rice – a simple yet flavorful recipe that turns an ordinary meal into a special experience
Creamy pumpkin rice with pork
Course: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Comfort foodDifficulty: Medium, Easy4
servings15
minutes35
minutes620
kcal50
minutesLet’s talk a little about flavors to remember. It’s not hard to guess what I mean: those flavors we encounter often by chance, which, for a thousand reasons, stay deeply etched in our memory. Of course, they can also be dishes from childhood, culinary memories we hold dear, but today I want to focus on flavors discovered more recently—ones that surprise us and win us over instantly.
And since it’s autumn, I prepared a dish that fits perfectly into this category. I wish I could convey its taste and aroma through the screen. For me, the combination of roasted pumpkin and creamy rice is a perfect match. It’s exactly the kind of dish that makes you think: “How did I not know about this combo sooner?” It’s very similar to a risotto, both in the cooking method, with the broth added gradually, and in its creaminess. However, it has a firmer texture, with the rice grains keeping their shape. The best part? It stays just as creamy the next day—if there’s any left on the plate.
Pumpkin rice can be found in many corners of the world: in northern Italy, in rich and creamy risottos; in North America, in sweet or savory dishes with cinnamon and nutmeg; or in Asia, where pumpkin is combined with rice and vegetables for hearty, flavorful meals.
In Romania, pumpkin is a staple in desserts or traditional dishes, but paired with rice and pork, it’s less common. Yet the combination is absolutely delicious. I chose to bring together roasted pumpkin, creamy rice, and a simple pork roast, with no complications. A comforting dish, full of flavor, with a velvety texture and a taste that lingers from the very first bite.
Let me show you how to make this creamy pumpkin rice with pork.
You can also find the recipe soon on Chef Adrian Hadean’s blog, alongside many other recipes I’ve prepared as an intern.
Ingredients:
300 g pork (shoulder or neck), cut into large chunks for roasting
250 g short-grain rice
250–300 g pumpkin purée (from roasted pumpkin or canned, unsweetened)
2 green onions or 1 medium onion
2–3 garlic cloves
1 l hot vegetable or chicken broth
50 g butter
50 g grated Parmesan
2 tbsp olive oil
100 ml white wine (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation method
- The ingredients are simple and easy to find, but they can be adapted to taste: the pork can be replaced with chicken or turkey, the white wine can be omitted without any problem, and the Parmesan can be swapped for another type of aged cheese.
- I started by preparing the vegetables: since the pumpkin was already roasted and turned into purée, all that was left was to chop the onion and garlic. I sautéed them in olive oil over low heat, being careful not to burn them.
- I seasoned the pieces of pork with salt, pepper, and, if desired, a bit of paprika or other favorite spices, then cooked them separately on the grill until they developed a beautiful golden color and were cooked through evenly.
- Once cooked, I covered the pork with foil and let it rest, allowing the juices to redistribute and keeping the meat juicy and flavorful.
Note: The meat was cooked in parallel with the rice, but I’ve presented the steps together to avoid making the recipe unnecessarily complicated. This way, readers can easily follow the entire process without confusion. - We return to the pan with the vegetables, which had already softened slightly. I added the rice directly, without rinsing it—just like in risotto—and stirred it well so the grains were evenly coated with the flavorful oil. I cooked it over low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it absorbed the flavors of the vegetables, then added the white wine and let it evaporate completely. I chose to use it and highly recommend it for the subtle aroma it brings to the dish.
- I started adding the hot broth, one ladle at a time, stirring the rice constantly. The liquid is gradually absorbed, just like in risotto, helping the grains release their starch and create a creamy texture. I continued this process until the rice had absorbed almost all the broth and became tender, while the grains still held their shape.
- When the rice was nearly done, I added the pumpkin purée and stirred it gently, creating a uniformly creamy rice with a warm, orange color.
- I stirred in the butter and grated Parmesan, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, and let it cook for a few more minutes over low heat so the flavors could meld. Finally, I added the separately cooked pork pieces and gently folded them into the creamy rice, keeping the meat juicy.
- Finally, I added the separately cooked pork pieces, sliced into strips, on top of the rice, allowing everyone the freedom to choose how much and in what way to serve themselves.
- I served the creamy rice in white bowls so that the vibrant orange color of the pumpkin would stand out. I placed the strips of pork on top, sprinkled extra Parmesan, and added a few parsley sprigs for freshness and a pop of color.
- The taste is absolutely comforting: the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin blends perfectly with the flavor of the meat and the creaminess of the rice, and each spoonful brings that warm, autumnal feeling to the plate. It’s the kind of dish you savor slowly, enjoying every flavor and texture, and one that will surely linger in your memory long after you’ve finished eating.
