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Risotto with vegetables

Vegetable Risotto

A delicious Italian-style meatless dinner of rice and vegetables. When you want to shake up the family dinner rotation, it's always fun to cook something with a bit of international flair. Vegetable risotto is easy to make, yet it's a welcome change of pace on any night — meatless days included.

Anna

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Round rice (Arborio or risotto rice)

150

Green string beans

100

Carrot

0.5

Onion

0.5

Garlic

Celery (stem)

Bell pepper

Green peas (frozen)

Butter

Olive oil

Vegetable broth

500

White wine

Salt

0.25

Ground black pepper

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 10 % 2 g

Fats 29 % 6 g

Carbohydrates 62 % 13 g

112 kcal

GI: 23 / 77 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 40 min

Step 1:

Gather your ingredients. You can use any vegetables you like for this risotto — frozen or pre-cut vegetable blends work well too. But for a proper risotto you do need the right rice: Arborio (I used a medium-grain variety) or another risotto-style rice. You'll also want vegetable broth, though you can substitute a vegetable bouillon cube or, in a pinch, boiling water. You'll need two skillets for this recipe.
Step 2:

Wash and chop the vegetables for the risotto. Set a skillet over the heat and let it warm up. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the vegetables over high heat at first, then lower the heat and keep cooking, stirring constantly, until tender — about 15 to 18 minutes. The timing will vary depending on which vegetables you use.
Step 3:

Heat a second skillet over high heat, add olive oil and the butter, and let the butter melt into the oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
Step 4:

Add the rice to the pan and stir. Toast the rice with the onion and garlic until the grains look translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the dry white wine and let it cook off.
Step 5:

Lower the heat to just below medium, add 150 ml (about 2/3 cup) of vegetable broth to the rice, and keep cooking, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Once it's absorbed, add another 150 ml of broth and continue cooking and stirring the same way.
Step 6:

When the vegetables are nearly done, stir in the peas and keep cooking until they're tender. Add a splash more vegetable broth to the vegetables if needed.
Step 7:

Add the rice to the finished vegetables and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 8:

Pour in the remaining broth and cook, stirring the rice and vegetables together, until the rice is done — but keep it al dente (literally "to the tooth," meaning cooked to the point where the grain is still slightly firm but not hard).
Step 9:

Serve the vegetable risotto hot. It stands on its own as a main dish but also works as a side for meat dishes. If you like, sprinkle the rice with grated Parmesan.

Making a great risotto isn't hard at all, but you want to end up with risotto — not pilaf or porridge. To get the right creamy-yet-firm texture, add the broth to the rice a little at a time and let each addition cook down before adding the next. Risotto is also made with a special variety of rice that soaks up the flavor and aroma of the other ingredients. The rice should take no more than 16 to 18 minutes total; it should be neither mushy nor dry — soft but still holding its shape. That balance is the trickiest part of this dish.