Beet Risotto: the easy recipe for a colorful and tasty dish
Beet risotto is a tasty main dish that's perfect to impress your friends on a special occasion. It is a quick and easy recipe: toast your rice on a pan with onion, oil and red wine and then, adding vegetable broth little by little, boil until ready. A few minutes before the rice is ready, add the beetroot – previously cooked and blended – and the creamy cheese. The final addition of butter and grated parmesan will ensure a creamy, irresistible result.
The beetroot or beet has a quite delicate, but also earthy flavor, that goes perfectly well with fresh and creamy cheeses. For better results, it is ideal to use a chunky kind of rice, such as Carnaroli or Vialone nano, as it soaks the broth well, while keeping an “al dente” texture. Follow this step-by-step recipe for an incredible beet risotto.
Tip
For a spectacular result you can serve the risotto in a risotto plate with wide edges and pair it with a parmesan cream or fondue.
It is possible to use any spreadable cream cheese, or replace it with diced provola or gorgonzola chunks.
To add a crunchy note, we added crushed almonds – but you could also use pine nuts, nuts or pumpkin seeds.
How to make Beet Risotto
Start by making vegetable broth. Peel and dice the beet.
Start by making vegetable broth. Peel and dice the beet.
Transfer into a food processor.
Transfer into a food processor.
Process until the beetroot is reduced to a purée. Put on the side for later use.
Process until the beetroot is reduced to a purée. Put on the side for later use.
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a pan and add the finely chopped onion. Fry until the onion turns soft.
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a pan and add the finely chopped onion. Fry until the onion turns soft.
Add the rice. Toast the rice over a low flame until the grains become translucent.
Add the rice. Toast the rice over a low flame until the grains become translucent.
Add some red wine and cook to let the alcohol evaporate.
Add some red wine and cook to let the alcohol evaporate.
Start adding a ladle of vegetable broth - that you will have prepared in the meantime - and keep stirring. Once it is completely absorbed, pour another ladle of broth.
Start adding a ladle of vegetable broth – that you will have prepared in the meantime – and keep stirring. Once it is completely absorbed, pour another ladle of broth.
5 minutes before the rice is ready, add the beet purée. Stir and keep adding the warm broth until the rice is cooked. Follow the time instructions on the rice box.
5 minutes before the rice is ready, add the beet purée. Stir and keep adding the warm broth until the rice is cooked. Follow the time instructions on the rice box.
Once cooked, add the butter and turn off the stove.
Once cooked, add the butter and turn off the stove.
Add the creamy cheese.
Add the creamy cheese.
Add the grated parmesan. Mix thoroughly to combine the risotto with the cheese.
Add the grated parmesan. Mix thoroughly to combine the risotto with the cheese.
Sprinkle with crushed almonds.
Sprinkle with crushed almonds.
Mix again.
Mix again.
Transfer the risotto on individual plates.
Transfer the risotto on individual plates.
With a spoon, add some creamy cheese on top of each portion.
With a spoon, add some creamy cheese on top of each portion.
Sprinkle crushed almonds and minced chives.
Sprinkle crushed almonds and minced chives.
Your beet risotto is ready to be served. Enjoy!
Your beet risotto is ready to be served. Enjoy!
