Vegan Beet Risotto

This creamy beet risotto is vegan and naturally gluten free! It's a comforting, easy dinner, perfect for Valentine's day or a date night at home.

Why we love this recipe

Risotto has always been our go-to recipe for entertaining! It's surprisingly easy to make, impressive and so flavorful.

Roasted beets add an earthy, slightly sweet flavor and the most beautiful vibrant color to this risotto. It's the perfect Valentine's Day dinner, don't you think?

Of course, this beet risotto is also made without dairy, and since it's rice-based, it's also naturally gluten free. Perfect for just about any dietary restriction!

Pair with your favorite dry, crisp white wine and top with fresh dill. Date night at home, sorted!

Ingredients

Here are a few of the key ingredients you'll need to make this vegan beet risotto:

• Roasted beets
• Onion and garlic
• Arborio rice
• Dry white wine
• Vegetable broth
• Fresh herbs: dill and oregano

Love beets? Here are a few more ways to add them to your meal plan:

Ingredient Notes

• Vegan butter: you can also substitute with olive oil, but we find vegan butter makes this risotto a bit creamier and more flavorful.
• White wine: a dry white wine is best in risotto, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
• Arborio rice: rice is the main ingredient in any risotto, and you can't just use any variety. Arborio is typically easiest to find in the US, but you can also use carnaroli or vialone nano rice. As a general rule of thumb, risotto rice should be short grain, plump and high in starch.
• Vegan parmesan cheese: if not vegan, use regular parmesan!
• Beets: you could also use golden (yellow) beets, which have a slightly milder, sweeter flavor than red beets. (However, of course, the risotto won't be that beautiful bright red color!)

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Roast beets

Preheat oven to 375˚F. 

Wash, peel and dice beets. Toss in 2 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan and roast for 20-22 minutes, until tender. 

Step 2: Make beet broth

Transfer roasted beets to a blender with 4 cups of vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.

Transfer to a saucepan and heat over medium. Once simmering, reduce to low and keep heated while cooking the risotto. 

Step 3: Make risotto

Heat butter in a large pot over medium and add onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add garlic and continue cooking for a few minutes. 

Add rice, salt and pepper. Stir well and let the rice toast for a minute. Add wine and stir well. Once wine is mostly absorbed, add a ladleful of heated beet broth. Reduce heat to low. 

Once the broth has been mostly absorbed, add another ladleful of broth. Continue this process until rice is al dente and broth has been completely absorbed.

Stir frequently to prevent rice sticking to bottom of pot. 

Step 4: Add seasonings

Once you've used all of the broth, stir in dill, oregano and cheese. Cook for a few more minutes, then remove from heat. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with more fresh herbs and vegan parmesan. 

Enjoy warm topped with more fresh dill!

Expert Tips and FAQs

• The key to perfect homemade risotto? Patience! For perfectly al dente risotto, you have to add the broth slowly, waiting between each interval until the broth has been mostly absorbed.
• That being said, risotto doesn't actually take that long to cook, it just requires close attention to prevent burning. It only takes about 20 minutes for the rice to reach a perfect al dente texture. Stir every 30-60 seconds for perfect consistency.
• Don't use cold broth. It's essential to keep the broth warm (just below a simmer) while cooking the risotto. If it's too cold, it will take too long to absorb into the rice.
• Storage: Risotto is best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video Tutorial

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