If you are stuck with what to make for dinner tonight, this garlic mushroom risotto is a quick and easy meal for 4. You might think risotto is difficult and takes too long to cook, but I really think it fits into the easy mid-week meal category.
This garlic mushroom risotto is super creamy and totally flexible. It’s great on its own or, if you would prefer, you can add other veggies (or some beans for extra oomph).
Are vegan risottos simple to make?
Vegan risottos are definitely easy to make if you know how to replace some of the key ingredients. My version is a bit of a twist on the Italian classic way of cooking risotto. Meaning that there is no butter or parmesan.
However, it doesn’t compromise on flavour and there are some amazing ingredients to make it taste both creamy and delicious. Instead of butter, I use olive oil instead. And instead of parmesan, I make my own vegan parmesan which takes minutes to make.
The whole dish is surprisingly simple to make, even for beginners. There’s a bit of chopping and a bit of stirring but it’s really not that complicated at all.
The Simple Ingredients
One of the best things about this risotto is you don’t need many ingredients to make it. This recipe only uses the following ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Arborio rice
- Vegetable stock
- Plant milk (I used soy milk)
- Spinach
- Nutritional yeast
- Lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
- Chopped parsley
It’s topped with an easy homemade vegan parmesan made from cashews, nutritional yeast and garlic.
Try it for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments!
The Nutritional Benefits of the Main Ingredients
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the star of this dish, and they bring more than flavour. They are naturally low in calories but high in nutrients like B vitamins, as well as Vitamin D. They’re also a good source of minerals like selenium and potassium. Their texture is a great replacement for meat in a lot of plant-based dishes too. I used chestnut mushrooms for this dish, but you can use any mushroom (or a variety of them, if preferred).
Garlic
One of my favourite ingredients, garlic not only enhances the flavour of this risotto but also adds a range of health benefits. It’s rich in antioxidants and is also known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, making it a fantastic ingredient to include in your diet on a regular basis.
Arborio Rice
Arborio rice give a much creamy texture than regular white rice and is perfect for risottos. It’s a short-grain rice and a great source of carbohydrates, which are essential for energy. Try and find an organic rice, if you can.
Plant milk
Adding milk as well as stock really helps to make this risotto creamy. You can use any milk for this. I like to use organic unsweetened soya milk as it has a high protein content, but use whichever milk you prefer.
Nutritional Yeast
What is nutritional yeast? This has to be one of the most asked questions I get when I talk about vegan food. Nutritional yeast is a fantastic ingredient that adds a cheesy, nutty flavour to the risotto, without the need for dairy. It’s packed with B vitamins, including B12. In fact, it’s one of the few B12 sources on a plant-based diet. Nutritional yeast is also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. It’s great in this risotto as it adds a lovely cheesy flavour to it!
Olive Oil
I use olive oil in place of butter in this risotto. It’s one of my preferred cooking oils as it rich in antioxidants and is fine to cook with as long as you don’t overheat it.
Spinach
I like to add some greens at the end of the cooking time. I prefer spinach as it will wilt quickly. Spinach is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, so it’s a great choice.
What can you serve garlic mushroom risotto with?
Mushroom risottos are great on their own, however, if you want more to add more protein and calories you can add an extra protein source. Vegan choices are some griddle tempeh or tofu (or some white beans stirred through the risotto). Non – vegans can add any meat or fish of their choosing.
How to store risotto
It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To store, allow the risotto to cool to room temperature before transferring it into an airtight container and refrigerating.
When reheating, you may want to add a splash of water or stock to it. Warm it up on the hob over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If you’re in a hurry, you can also reheat it in the microwave but make sure it’s piping hot before serving.
Can you freeze risotto?
Unfortunately, I don’t think risotto freezes particularly well, so I don’t recommend it.
Recipe Tips for garlic mushroom risotto
- Use warm stock: Keep your vegetable stock warm in a separate pan while you cook the risotto. Adding cold stock to the risotto can slow the cooking process, making it take longer. I add the milk to the stock pan, so they are both warm.
- Don’t forget your seasoning: Make sure you season well at the end of cooking. It really makes the flavour come alive when you get the seasoning right.
- Don’t overcook the mushrooms: Cook the mushrooms last and add them in at the end. That way, they retain their texture and don’t become too soft or rubbery.
- Add more protein: Add some white beans for the final few minutes of cooking time, if you would like to up the protein content. Or serve with griddled tempeh or tofu (or any protein of choice).
Here are some other easy mid-week meals:
Garlic Mushroom Risotto
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients for the risotto:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1½ cups arborio rice (350g)
- 5 cups veg stock (1¼ litres)
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk (250ml) (or any plant milk)
- 2 handfuls of baby spinach
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt & pepper
- Chopped parsley
Ingredients for the garlic mushrooms:
- 2 cups mushrooms (about 250g)
- 1½ tbsp oil
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
Ingredients for the cashew parmesan*:
- ½ cup cashews (70g)
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and garlic. Warm the oil up in a large frying pan and add the onion, garlic and salt. Sauté for about 10 mins. Add the rice and stir through.
- Add the stock (and milk), a ladleful at a time until the rice is nearly cooked. Stirring frequently. This could take about 25 mins.
- Once the rice is cooked, add the nutritional yeast, the spinach and the lemon juice and stir again. Remove from the heat. Season to taste then cover and leave for 5 mins whilst you cook the mushrooms.
- In a separate pan sauté the mushrooms and chopped garlic in the oil for 5 mins, add to the risotto. Serve topped with the parmesan and some chopped parsley.
- *If you also want to make the cashew parmesan, simply toast the cashews in a dry frying pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and add to a blender with the other ingredients. Blend until finely chopped.
Notes
- You can use any milk. However, the nutritional information is based upon organic soya milk.
- This will store in the fridge for about 3 days.
- The cashew parmesan will keep in the fridge in a jar for up to a month, if you don’t use it all at once.
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