A bowl of creamy risotto is hands down one of the best comfort foods I can think of. Depending on the season, you can create a perfect bowl for all times of the year. I love this bowl in spring and summer, using fresh asparagus and green peas. The veggies keep it feeling season appropriate, lighter for the warmer months.
Now here’s the twist. This is a vegan risotto. There is no butter and no cheese. Two things that make traditional risotto what it is. It was a bit of a challenge to get the flavor correct and get it creamy enough to taste right, but with a few key ingredients, like white wine and miso, this comes together and tastes just as good as traditional risotto.
First thing to go over is the rice. Typically risotto is made with arborio rice. This will give you the creamiest results. If you can’t find it, use a short grain white rice. Jasmine, or a longer grain white rice, is a lot harder to use. Trust me on this. I made the mistake and couldn’t get the rice to cook right, it stayed slightly crunchy and was just not that great. So trust me and use arborio or a short grain white rice.
Flavor. Risotto is creamy and full of cheesy flavor, but when it’s vegan, how can you replicate that? I think the white wine used to deglaze the pan in the beginning adds a nice depth of flavor. I also think using a good vegetarian broth is important. Also, I don’t use a low sodium because I want all the flavor out of it. Another ingredient that brings a lot to this dish and even contributes to the creaminess is the white miso. It might seem strange, but the savory umami flavor that has the tiniest bit of sweetness gives a hint of cheese flavor to the dish. It all comes together and works perfectly.
Now for the veggies. This risotto is a great base for adding some fresh, seasonal vegetables. I love the peas and chopped asparagus in this. I even added some sauted mushrooms to leftovers that was an excellent addition. You could even use something like butternut squash, zucchini, or stir in some spinach. You’ve got a great base to work with so get creative if you don’t want to go with the peas and asparagus.
Ingredients
Method
- In a small pot, heat the vegetable broth on low heat
- In a separate large pot, heat some oil then saute the onion for a couple minutes on medium heat with a good pinch of salt and a little pepper. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and coat the onion. Stir in the white rice and deglaze the pan.
- Once the wine is mostly absorbed stir in the rice and turn heat to low/medium. Now we start ladling in the broth. I work in 1/2 cup increments. Stir the first pour until mostly absorbed, then stir in the miso. Continue to ladle in the broth in 1/2 cup amounts. Once it's mostly absorbed, stir in another 1/2 cup. It will take about 15-20 minutes.
- When you ladle in the last amount, stir in the asparagus, peas, and lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Stir in the parsley now if you're adding it. The rice should be thick and creamy now. Serve and enjoy!
Some of my other favorite comfort dishes:
Sweet Potato Burrito Bowl, probably one of my favorite dishes. Who doesn’t love a big burrito? This is just a lighter version in a bowl
Creamy Polenta Bowl with Herbed Mushrooms. Now this is comfort food! It’s like a healthier grits with delicious mushrooms on top.
I think chili is a great staple comfort food. This Vegetarian White Bean Chili is warm and soothing, perfect for that comfort food craving.
High on the list of favorite comfort foods is a quesadilla. This one is kicked up with sweet potatoes and seasoned black beans. It’s so good and easy with several layers of flavor.
