I wish you could have had a bite of two of this risotto. Truth be told though, even if you had been here, my dinner cohort, Mrs. BranAppetit, would likely have gnawed your hand off for snitching a bite. She was a bit possessive of it, to say the very least.
Yeah…it was THAT good.
Creamy, full of the fall flavors of pumpkin and fresh sage. Earthy and filling, and laden with cheesy Johnsonville Sausage. You can make a meal out of it, no main dish required – as it stands alone. However, it would be ideal paired with an apple stuffed pork, or a grilled rosemary chicken. Actually, there are lots of options, but I’ll leave those up to you! We actually served Johnsonville Sausage Burgers on Pretzel Buns with ours – what a meal. It was like a “meat coma,” to quote Brandi.
That is, of course, the best kind of coma.
Ingredients
- 2 Quarts Chicken Stock
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 1/2 pound mild ground sausage
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 8 fresh sage leaves, chiffonade
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 cup grated cheddar or Dubliner cheese
Instructions
- Bring chicken stock to a boil.
- In a separate heavy bottomed pot, sautee onions in the butter until translucent. Add in ground sausage and fry until no longer pink. Stir in half of the sage. Add in the rice and allow it to slightly brown, around two minutes.
- Begin adding the stock 2 cups at a time, stirring after each addition. As the rice absorbs the stock, continue to add another 2 cups until nearly all of the stock has been used and the risotto is very creamy. Stir in pumpkin and remaining sage. Taste quickly, and season as needed.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Serve immediately.
You may have noticed I titled this post “Blog For A Cause.” So what’s with that, you ask? Well, let me fill you in.
A few weeks ago I was invited to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to meet the folks of Johnsonville. I loved having my friends Brandi, Paula from Bell’Alimento, and Jen from How To:Simplify there. It was a great couple of days, wrapping presents for the Salvation Army, eating, mingling, eating, cooking, eating, and learning all about the company while sharing the experience with other bloggers. We even cooked alongside Antonia Lofaso from Top Chef! While that was certainly a highlight, nothing outweighs what Johnsonville had up their sleeves for us…
Blog For A Cause.
Thanks to their generosity, I will be able to support one of my local charities, all in the name of She’s Becoming Doughmesstic. See? I’m Blogging. For A Cause. Up to $1000 will be donated to the United Fund of Giles County, in support of Hope House.
I am fortunate that I live in a community of close knit, family oriented people. When bad things happen, people pitch in, families take their own back into their nests, donations are made, fundraisers are held, things typically work out. However, not everyone always has that support system. Hope House is there to give shelter to hurting families until they can get back on their feet. A place to live, to eat, to shower, to feel human until they can help themselves. I know it is helping many folks, and I am happy to be able to give to them and in turn help those who are in need.
So how does this Blog For A Cause work?
That’s where YOU come in. For every comment left on this post that mentions ANYTHING you’ve made with sausage, Johnsonville will donate $50, up to $1000. SO I need at least 20 comments. Can you help? Sausage gravy? Sausage Biscuits? Whatever you’ve made counts. Just tell me here and together, we’ll pay it forward just a bit.
Thank you, Johnsonville, for the amazing experience in Wisconsin and for this wonderful opportunity. And thank YOU, sweet readers, for leaving me a comment!
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Good luck with raising the money – - you are doing an amazing thing and I truly wish you the very best of luck. And so, I will certainly do my part. As it turns out – yesterday I made something quite similar to this – - except instead of risotto I used gnocchi.
It was as, I called it Pumpkin, Sausage and Bay Fall Gnocchi.
A great cause and a great recipe. I am totally freaking out that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away!
I would have left a comment anyway … this risotto looks so good! And I have a wealth of pumpkin in my kitchen right that needs cooking! Thank you for a lovely recipe.
Yum! I think this is going on my Thanksgiving dinner menu! Thanks!
Yum! I normally make a sausage cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving but have been looking for another way to incorporate the sausage without putting it in the stuffing this year. This looks perfect!!! Thank you!!
This looks SOOOOO good! I will have to try this soon. Pumpkin and sage are such a great combo.
I <3 Milwaukee!! Being born and raised in WI, Johnsonville is almost like a food group!
Best of luck on raising the funds!
I have yet to attempt risotto, even though we love it. With product from the heart of my state, I think I may have to tackle this because I know you'd never steer me wrong!
Pumpkin and rice? Yes please love risotto!
Looks divine
Looks really good! I have made Stuffed Pepper Soup with the Johnsonville Sausage. We also like the sweet basil links on a bun with peppers & onions. This is great thing & good luck with the fundraiser.
Looks and sounds yummy. As a quick meal I like to fry up potatoes, sausage and green beans. A little cajun spice and a one pan meal is ready in no time.
Good luck with the fund raising!
Wow, I have been wanting to make some pumpkin risotto and this fits the bill! Good Luck with the fundraiser, I’m off to make some risotto!!!!
My husband loves sausage and I love pumpkin so I will have to give this recipe a spin. Thanks for a new recipe with our favorite flavors.
Yum! I don’t have pumpkin on hand, but I do have some butternut squash, which I assume would be close enough. Looks like a project for this weekend!
i want that risotto again. tonight!
my favorite thing has got to be my mom’s breakfast casserole that we always have on Christmas morning. it’s the best.
I love making a sausage, onion and red pepper quiche. My husband makes a delicious sausage stuffing for Thanksgiving that I am so looking forward to. I love Johnsonville sausage and we use it often in all of our cooking!
I love pumpkin risotto (anything pumpkin and risotto is a hit for me). Love your recipe!
OK, that recipe?? OHHHHHHHH YES! and the opportunity to contribute to your favorite charity?? So awesome. I’ll be sure to pass this along!
xo
My mom makes this GREAT easy chowder. She uses creamed corn, dry chicken noodle soup mix, and adds crumbled sausage. We were just talking about this yesterday! It’s a great quick and easy recipe that’s hearty and delicious.
And I really hope you exceed your goal!
My husband loves grilling sausages, carmelizing onions on the grill and making sausage sandwiches. It’s a summertime hit at our house. And for the winter we slice the sausages, saute them up & add to either Rice a Roni or Zatarains rice. Very yummy & satisfying.
I think it’s great that everyone is commenting, but according to the rule your comment has to mention something you make with sausage in it. Most seem to have missed that part. We also make a breakfast scramble with potatoes, sausage, eggs, spices and then top with shredded cheese just before serving.
Awesome, and my oh my does that risotto look amazing! I just posted a sausage recipe, a yummy hearty breakfast casserole with spinach and sausage.
Wow…that looks yummy!!!!….
I love putting sausage in my jambalaya, pasta, and sometimes just to serve with eggs for breakfast…super yummy…got me hungry!!!…:P
Will definitely have to try this – risotto is a favorite at our house.
I’ve made a sausage spaghetti squash and it was delicious, had never had spaghetti squash before.
This looks like something I can put together. I think dinner is solved!
I make a great sausage casserole with rice, cream of mushroom soup, peas – and I throw in anything I just feel like when I”m making it. Easy and yummy!
This looks like a really good cause – and your risotto looks delicious!
I like to make lasagna with sausage … or pasta with sausage … and love a big pot of beans with sausage, onions, garlic, kielbasa, red bell pepper, carrots and diced tomatoes … YUM!
This recipe sounds so good, but sausage makes everything better. Good luck on raising the money, such a good cause!
I just used Johnsonville sausage this week in a slow cooked meat sauce for lasagna. It was delicious!
this looks WONDERFUL! i actually just tried their sausage ball recipe, using the johnsonsville italian sausage…and last week we made “Chicken Bog” using a pack of smoked and a pack of spicy johnsonville sausage. you should try sometime..it was great too!
My fiance loves sausage, so one night for dinner I sauteed up some josnsonsville italian sausage that i cut into about 1 inch pieces with onion and green peppers, added some spaghetti sauce and put it on top of pasta for a wonderful italian sausage pasta dish! He loved it!!!
Great recipe with flavors I never would have thought to put together….thanks and good luck!
I use Johnsonville sausage for my stuffed mushrooms! I hit at every party and so simple to make! Thanks Johnsonville for helping such a great cause!
Starchy Pumpkinny Goodness
that looks great, I wish you would send leftovers to work with your wonderful husband
That looks delicious and it’s so cool that you got to meet Antonia!
I just made some Cornbread Sausage Stuffing with Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage!
It was great! This is a keeper recipe. Dad already feels better.