This Lazy No-Stir Risotto Is Perfect for Cozy Season

I learned the method from an Ina Garten recipe.

By
Molly Adams
Molly Adams
Molly Adams
A self-proclaimed food-pusher, Molly Adams has been cooking for the loved ones for as long as she can remember. She is a classically-trained chef with a background in catering, private cheffing and food media. Her experience includes recipe development, recipe testing and food writing. 
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Published November 10, 2025
Molly Adams
Bowl of pumpkin risotto with herbs and a wooden spoon

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
  • This easy oven-baked risotto saves you from constant stirring at the stove. Put it all together in one pot and let the oven do the work!
  • Pumpkin purée brings warm, earthy autumn flavor to classic risotto.
  • An optional crispy sage topping adds a restaurant-style finish at home.

I am a reformed recipe snob. If something wasn’t by the book, or painstakingly overcomplicated, I wasn’t making it. I’m not sure if it’s my old age or my three kids, but those days of standing over a stove and avoiding recipe shortcuts at all costs are very much over for me. If there is an easier way to make something that requires less energy, dishes, and ingredients, sign me up. 

I think the gateway recipe to this change in my cooking style was Ina Garten’s easy parmesan risotto. To this day, I have nightmares about risotto day during culinary school. I could not get the texture of the risotto just right (it should flow like lava for what it’s worth) and I was so scared of my chef instructor's reaction.

Over the years I figured out the technique, but it took a while. Needless to say, I was skeptical of Ina’s “no-stir” oven-baked risotto recipe. After all, what was risotto without a little sweat and a few tears? 

A plate of creamy pumpkin risotto garnished with sage leaves with a fork partially embedded in the dish

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

How To Make No-Stir Risotto

Like almost every recipe of Ina’s I’ve ever made, this one did not disappoint. You dump everything into a pot, place it in the oven, and let it do its thing for about 45 minutes. Was the texture the exact same as a perfectly lava-like pot of authentic risotto? No. Was the taste just as rich and delicious? 100% yes. 

While I sometimes make risotto the “hard way,” I reserve it for special occasions. When I’m making dinner for just my family, I almost always use the oven method. It’s a dish everyone will happily eat, and it’s a fairly hands-off side that still feels special. 

A Risotto With Fall Flavors

This recipe is heavily inspired by Ina’s original, but with fall flair. I use a full can of pumpkin purée to give it a warm, earthy flavor and top the whole thing with crispy fried sage leaves to really amp up the fall vibe. I like to serve this with steak, roasted chicken, or seared scallops. It’s also delicious topped with braised beef or roasted pork. We don’t often have leftovers, but when we do, they are great for making arancini!

If you do not drink or cook with wine, you can swap it for two tablespoons of good-quality vinegar or fresh lemon juice. You just need something slightly acidic to balance the flavors.

Two bowls of risotto with garnishes served with spoons and a striped napkin

Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond

No-Stir Pumpkin Risotto

Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 55 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 6 servings
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Ingredients

For the risotto

  • 1 (32-ounce) container low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée

  • 1 3/4 cups arborio rice

  • 1 shallot, minced

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 1 1/2 cups (3 ounces) grated parmesan cheese

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  • 1/4 cup dry white wine

For the fried sage (optional)

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

  • 5 fresh sage leaves

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Combine the risotto ingredients and bake:

    In a Dutch oven, combine the stock and pumpkin and whisk until the pumpkin has dissolved. Stir in the rice, shallot, salt, and pepper. Place the lid on top and bake for 45 minutes.

  3. Add the cheese and continue baking:

    Remove the pot from the oven and remove the lid. Stir in the parmesan, butter, and white wine. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside while you fry the sage.

  4. Fry the sage (optional):

    Line a small plate with paper towels. In a small skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the sage leaves in a single layer and fry until very crisp, about 20 seconds on each side. Remove with tongs and set on the paper towel-lined plate to drain.

  5. Serve:

    Once cool and crisp, crumble the crispy sage over the risotto and serve. 

    Refrigerate leftover risotto in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, place some in a small pot with a splash of water or stock and set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it is warmed through.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    A bowl of fall risotto garnished with herbs placed with a wooden spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
247 Calories
12g Fat
26g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 247
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 926mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 10%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 5mg 24%
Calcium 161mg 12%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 369mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.