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
- 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:
- Thoroughly wash the beetroots.
- 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.*
- Grate the beets, and set a small amount aside for garnishing.
Prepare the Risotto:
- In one pot, heat up the broth that will be gradually added to the risotto.
- 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.
- Add the rice, mix until it is fully coated with the butter/oil mixture, and let it toast for one to two minutes.
- Pour in the red wine. Cook until the wine has fully evaporated, or about 2 minutes. Add the grated beetroot and stir.
- 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).
- Add the balsamic vinegar then continue to pour in the broth, and allow it to fully incorporate.
- 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.
- Taste the dish for seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.
- 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