How to Make an Excellent Vegan Risotto
Tips and instruction for making delicious vegan risotto. Recipes include Basic Saffron Risotto, Risotto with Cima di Rapa and Lemon Risotto with Asparagus and Wild Garlic
Risotto comes from the Italian word for ‘rice’ (‘riso’). It has an augmenting suffix ‘-tto’ added that makes the word ‘Risotto’ literally mean ‘big rice.’ And big rice is a perfect description of this famed Italian dish that delivers big flavors, creamy nourishment and total satisfaction.
But cooks often make risotto incorrectly and it turns into a gruel, swimming in way too much butter and cheese. Vegan cooks strip away the butter and cheese but that often leads to a flat tasting and dry rice dish without character. Both are common mistakes…and both are not a true risotto.
Italian risotto is made with medium-grain specialty rice varieties that are rich in starch. The entire idea of a risotto is to cook the rice in a flavorsome broth while allowing the starch from the rice to slowly release.
The cooking liquid is added to the rice in small amounts in an open pan over medium-high heat. This causes much of the moisture to evaporate, meaning over time, the cooking liquid’s flavor concentrates in the dish and thickens into a creamy consistency as the starch is released from the rice. This is the secret of making a good risotto…and it’s not simple.
Begin by reading seven of my tips for making an excellent vegan risotto, then move onto the recipes and get started on making your perfect vegan risotto.
Please feel free to leave a comment below or share your creations with me or on your social media sites. I am always happy to hear from you or answer your questions.