Vegan Beetroot Risotto (Gluten-Free)

Serving bowl with portion of beetroot risotto.

5 from 1 vote

Vegan Beetroot Risotto (Gluten-Free)

Naturally gluten-free Vegan Beetroot Risotto is beautifully creamy, delicious and super comforting. Simple to make, it's perfect as midweek family meal but also super impressive dinner party offering. Just look at that gorgeous dark pink hue!

Course Entree, Main, Starter

Cuisine British, Italian

Keyword beetroot risotto, vegan beetroot risotto

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 10

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 683kcal

Author Jo Allison

Equipment

Ingredients

350 g white short grain risotto rice arborio or carnaroli will both work well
400-500 g cooked beetroot peeled and most of it pureed or coarsely grated, some cut into chunks for garnish and texture, see notes
2 tablespoon rapeseed/olive oil
1 large red onion roughly chopped
2 plump garlic cloves finely chopped or minced
1 ltr hot vegetable stock from cube is fine (I use Kallo)
1 tin (400ml/13.5 fl oz) coconut milk Don't use coconum milk (drink) in the carton, only tinned one as you would for curry, see notes
2 teaspoon dried thyme feel free to use few spring of fresh thyme instead
1 teaspoon (heaped) of miso or to taste
15 g nutritional yeast
lots of fresh dill or parsley to serve
juice of half a lemon or to taste

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Ensure that you have hot vegetable stock and warmed up coconut milk at the ready and your cooked beetroot either pureed or grated.
Heat up couple of tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and sautée the onion and garlic until softened, stirring occasionally.
Add fresh or dried thyme and stir it in following with the rice. Stir it well until nicely covered in sauteed onion mixture.
Slowly start adding hot vegetable stock to your rice and keep stiring it in until absorbed.
Once the first portion of stock has been absorbed add some coconut milk and keep stirring it in until absorbed. Keep repeating the process alternating between stock and coconut milk until your rice becomes creamy but not overly soft. You might not use up all of your liquids depending on the texture and tenderness of the rice that you prefer. (20-25 minutes)
Next add some miso (if using) and stir it in, followed by pureed beetroot and nutritional yeast. Mix everything together really well until you get that lovely and uniform dark pink hue to your rice.
Add some lemon juice and stir it in too. Give your risotto a little taste and adjust seasoning if required.
Once you are happy with the flavours, cover the pan with risotto and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Stir in some freshly chopped dill and add saved chunks of cooked beetroot to the pan right before serving and mix them in.
Serve and enjoy garnished with some extra dill!

Video

Notes

Nutritional information is approximate, per serving based on 4 servings and should be treated as a rough guideline only.
Recipe timings assume you already have cooked beetroot.
I cook my beetroot in the Instant Pot but you can also roast or boil it or use vacuum packed shop bough beetroot (not the one in vinegar though).
Make sure to stir coconut milk thoroughly to mix the cream and water together. I like to heat it up as I do with my veggie stock to ensure it doesn't bring down the temperature of my risotto.
Store your leftover risotto in the fridge for 2- 3 days. Make sure to reheat it until piping hot and only once.
Not suitable for freezing.

TIPS

To ensure that you can make your risotto nice and quick, think ahead and make sure you've got cooked beetroot ready when you need it.
Use hot stock to make your risotto and warm your coconut milk up too.
Don't feel like you need to use up all of the stock in your risotto although you will most likely use up most of it. Once you reach that creamy, al dente consistency (around 20-25 minutes in) you are done.
Make sure you do tend to your risotto and keep stirring it now and again to prevent it from catching.
Feel free to grate instead of pureeing your beetroot for more texture.
Save some beetroot cut up into chunks as garnish.
Make sure you don't skip on resting your risotto at the end. This 5 extra minutes really does make a difference.
If you find your risotto a bit thick after resting simply add a splash more of stock or coconut milk and give it all a gentle stir.

Nutrition