Risotto with Beets & Goat Cheese

If you like beetroots, you have to try this amazing risotto with beets and goat cheese!

The combination of earthy beets and flavorful goat cheese is so unique. Together, these flavors create an excellent meal.

Some think beets are only for traditional beef borscht soup, but these delicious and versatile vegetables have so much more to offer! Beetroots are a vitamin-rich and delicious choice. Their sweet and earthy flavor brings out the best in this decadent and cheesy risotto!

What You Will Love About Risotto with Beets

• Vegetarian-friendly
• Easy steps
• Easy to find ingredients
• Great side dish or meatless main

Supplies You Will Need

• Two Medium Stock Pots – You will want one pot to cook the risotto in and one pot to warm the broth in.
• A Wooden Spoon – Stirring and scraping are key parts of risotto, so have the right tool on hand.
• A Grater – This recipe calls for grated beets, so a nice medium-gauge grater is just right.
• An Apron – Working with beets can make you look a bit criminal. Protect your clothing with an apron and even consider wearing gloves for your hands.

Ingredients for beetroot risotto

• Beetroot – Delectably sweet and earthy beets are the perfect seasonal addition to this recipe.
• Broth – Use vegetable broth to keep this vegetarian-friendly. 
• Olive Oil and Butter – Extra Virgin Olive oil and butter work together to add a little richness and fat to this recipe. 
• Onion – Finely chopped white onion adds a great savory flavor to this dish.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic adds a wonderful aroma and flavor to the toasted rice in this recipe.
• Arborio Rice – Arborio rice is the key to good risotto. Never wash your risotto rice.
• Red Wine – A nice dry red wine gives this grain dish a rich grapey flavor that cannot be resisted!
• Balsamic Vinegar – Adds acid and richness to the risotto.
• Goat Cheese – Goat cheese makes this recipe stand out with its tangy and creamy flavor. This cheesy addition adds a delightful body and flavor to the dish. If you can’t imagine risotto without parmesan or pecorino romano, feel free to use them in this recipe as well.
• Dill – Fresh dill adds a fresh herbaceous flavor to this dish that blends perfectly with beetroot and cheese.

How to Make Risotto with Beets

Risotto is all about technique. Here are a few tips to make your risotto creamy and rich!

• Start with arborio rice and do not wash it!
• Gently toast the rice before adding liquid to the rice.
• Always use hot broth. This helps the liquid incorporate into the starchy rice easily and without lumps. 
• Wait to add the cheese until the very end. Shut off the heat then fold in the cheese to give the risotto awesome flavor and texture.

These steps work for virtually any risotto! Once you have mastered the basic steps of making risotto you can customize it with your favorite flavors. 

If you are craving Italian mushroom risotto, get some fresh or dried mushrooms. If you’re an asparagus fan, you can’t miss this healthy asparagus risotto. And how about this amazing pumpkin risotto? Personalizing your risotto with local seasonal vegetables is a great way to eat and live mindfully and sustainably!

That is what makes this beetroot risotto so spectacular! Playing on the seasonal flavor of tasty beets makes a decadent and colorful dish you will want to eat again and again!

Risotto with Beets & Goat Cheese

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

• Author: Cook Homey
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Few dishes are as warm and comforting as this beetroot risotto! This delightful risotto fuses beetroot and melty cheese to make an unforgettable vegetarian dish!

---

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 beets (medium-sized, ca. 450g)
• 250 g rice (arborio)
• 1.4 l vegetable broth
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 yellow onion (or shallot)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 glass of red wine
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 100 g of goat cheese
• A handful of fresh dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

---

Instructions

Prepare the Beets:

1. Thoroughly wash the beetroots.
2. Cook the beets one of two ways, in the oven or on the stovetop. To bake them, preheat an oven to 400°F, gently toss them in oil then bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. To prepare them on the stove, place beets in a medium stock pot and cover them with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes.*
3. Grate the beets, and set a small amount aside for garnishing.

 

Prepare the Risotto:

1. In one pot, heat up the broth that will be gradually added to the risotto.
2. In a second pot or deep pan, heat the olive oil. Add one tablespoon of butter and finely chopped onion. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the rice, mix until it is fully coated with the butter/oil mixture, and let it toast for one to two minutes.
4. Pour in the red wine. Cook until the wine has fully evaporated, or about 2 minutes. Add the grated beetroot and stir.
5. Gradually start adding the hot broth, about one ladle at a time. Allow the broth to fully incorporate before adding more broth. Season with salt, black pepper, and thyme (optional).
6. Add the balsamic vinegar then continue to pour in the broth, and allow it to fully incorporate.
7. After about 16 minutes you should have used almost all of the broth. Check the rice for doneness. You want the rice texture to be al dente.
8. Taste the dish for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.
9. Turn off the heat and fold in the goat cheese, chopped dill, and one tablespoon of butter. Serve with extra goat cheese, beetroot, and fresh dill.

Notes

*An alternative is to peel and grate the raw beetroot and add it to the risotto. But then, in my opinion, the risotto is not so tender and tasty.

**Baked beets can alternatively be pureed in a food processor and set aside to incorporate into risotto later.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Lunch
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4 servings , Amount per serving:
• Calories: 478
• Sugar: 11.1g
• Sodium: 1862mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 5.1g
• Carbohydrates: 69.5g
• Fiber: 4.9g
• Protein: 16.6g
• Cholesterol: 14mg