If you love comfort food, this vegan beetroot risotto is the perfect dinner for you! Beetroot is combined with arborio rice, herbs and broth for a vegan and gluten free meal that comes together in around 30 minutes. This risotto is made without wine and uses vegetable stock instead.
Risotto always feels so cosy, and you may also like to see my roasted butternut squash risotto and coconut turmeric quinoa risotto. Both perfect for the winter months!
And if beets are your favourite, have a look at my cosy beet sweet potato soup for a cosy lunch!
This vegan beetroot risotto is a warming comfort food dinner, with that gooey taste and texture that is so good from risotto. Made with lots of healthy vegetables and herbs, it's full of flavour and is very simple to prepare.
This post was updated on 31 January 2022 with new photos, and amendments to the recipe and tips.
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
- Lots of flavour – beetroot has a lovely earthy flavour, and is made even more tasty with garlic and herbs.
- One pan meal – we only use one pan (and a blender), so it’s great for easy clean up.
- Vegan and gluten free – we use olive oil in place of butter for a vegan risotto, and rice is naturally gluten free.
🥘 Ingredients
Make sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list and their quantities!
With relatively few ingredients, this recipe uses mostly pantry staples. The main ingredients you will need are:
- Beetroot – you can either use pre-prepared beetroot which come in a vacuum package (as I usually do) or roast beetroot yourself. The latter will have a more ‘earthy’ flavour. Be sure not to use beetroot in vinegar!
- Arborio rice – it is important to use a rice that is specific to making risotto, such as arborio rice. Other forms of rice won't have the same texture or absorb liquid in the same way.
- Vegetable broth / stock – if you are gluten free and using store-bought, then be sure to check the ingredients as a few have gluten in them.
- Thyme – this is one of the main flavours of the risotto, alongside onion and garlic. If you like a particularly ‘herby’ taste then you can increase the quantities slightly.
🍚 Which rice to use for risotto?
Risotto calls for a specific type of rice, usually either arborio or carnaroli rice. These types of rice absorb the liquid, such as vegetable stock and become plump and creamy in taste and texture.
🔪 Step by step instructions
A very simple recipe, this vegan beetroot risotto has all simple steps:
Step 1
Fry onion, garlic and dried thyme in olive oil for 4-5 minutes, or until softened.
Step 2
Add the rice to the pan, and stir well so it is coated in the onion mixture. Gradually add the stock, ladle by ladle, stirring continuously. It will take around 20-25 minutes for the rice to absorb the stock and become creamy in texture.
Step 3
Blend the beetroot in a food processor to the consistency of your preference.
Step 4
Once the rice is cooked through, spoon in the beetroot puree and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if using. Plate up the risotto and garnish with fresh parsley.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- The most important tip is to continuously stir the risotto while cooking. This helps it absorb the liquid and become creamy in texture.
- Make sure to use risotto rice, usually arborio or carnaroli rice.
- Add the vegetable stock ladle by ladle, only adding more when most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
- Blend the beetroot to preference. Personally I like to have it still a little chunky rather than completely smooth.
- And if you’re wearing a white top or dress be careful when handling the beetroot, very careful . . .!
📋 Frequently asked questions
You definitely need a rice suitable for risotto so it absorbs the stock and goes creamy and delicious. Arborio rice or carnaroli rice are the most popular used for risotto.
You can definitely use roasted beetroot. It will add extra time to the overall cook time, but will be so tasty!
A simple green salad is always good with risotto, or for something a little different my apple radish salad and my pear fennel salad are both light and flavourful ideas.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Beetroot Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ white onion finely diced
- 1 garlic clove minced or finely diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup arborio rice
- 2 small beetroot cooked or pre-prepared
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
- small handful parsley chopped
Instructions
- Fry onion, garlic and dried thyme in olive oil for 4-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the rice to the pan, and stir well so it is coated in the onion mixture. Gradually add the stock, ladle by ladle, stirring continuously. Add another ladle of stock once the previous ladle has been absorbed by the rice.
- Blend the beetroot in a food processor.
- When the rice has been cooked, which usually takes 20-25 minutes, stir through the beetroot and season with salt and pepper, if using.
- Divide between your plates, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Use a rice suitable for risotto such as arborio or carnaroli rice.
- Stir frequently, if not continuously when making the risotto. This is how the rice absorbs the liquid and becomes creamy in texture.
- Add the stock ladle by ladle, adding another once the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
- Add more garlic or herbs to taste preference.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
Swiss Interest Group Histamine Intolerance (SIGHI) food compatibility list for histamine All ingredients in this beetroot risotto score 0 on the SIGHI list, with the exception of:
- vegetable stock, which will vary depending upon ingredients.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 1.
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