Vegetarian beetroot risotto

Vegetarian beetroot risotto with short-grain rice, hard cheese, soft goat's cheese and garlic – creamy, earthy and easy for every day, with gentle seasoning.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cooking time: 35 min
• Total time: 50 min
• Calories: 420 kcal per serving
• Protein: 14 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Carbs: 62 g

Ingredients

• 200g white short-grain risotto rice
• 1 white onion
• 2 pre-cooked beetroots (vacuum-packed)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 40g good-quality Italian vegetarian hard cheese (Parmesan-style)
• 100g soft goat's cheese
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 splash of olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Coarse black pepper

Method

You’ll need: stick blender

1. Blend the beetroot finely with a little water. Work quickly, as the colour stains easily.
2. Soften the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a gentle heat until translucent. They should turn soft but not brown.
3. Stir in the risotto rice and toast briefly until the grains look slightly glossy. Then add the hot vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring regularly, until the rice is creamy and almost cooked.
4. Fold in the beetroot purée and keep cooking until the risotto is evenly creamy and deeply coloured. Work in a little more stock if needed.
5. Take off the heat and stir in the hard cheese and butter. The risotto should flow softly and not turn stodgy.
6. Divide between plates, top with the soft goat's cheese and serve with coarse black pepper.

Good to know

This risotto is creamy, vibrant and pleasantly uncomplicated. The beetroot makes it earthy and sweet, and the cheese rounds everything off softly.

Swaps

Hard cheese → vegetarian hard cheese made from sheep's milk (stronger flavour, similar protein content); soft goat's cheese → ricotta (milder); butter → ghee (less lactose and can be heated to high temperatures, but still contains milk); olive oil → avocado oil (mild, mainly monounsaturated fats)

Allergens

Contains milk. Generally suitable for children if the pepper is used sparingly; fine in pregnancy if the cheese is made from pasteurised milk and the stock is heated through.

Frequently asked questions

What's in beetroot nutritionally?

Beetroot mainly provides folate and potassium, as well as natural pigments from the betalain group. There are also small amounts of fibre and manganese.

Is soft goat's cheese an option if cow's milk cheese doesn't agree with you?

It still contains milk protein and, depending on the product, relevant amounts of lactose.

Why is hard cheese interesting nutritionally?

Hard cheese brings plenty of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12. Thanks to ripening, its lactose content is often very low, but it's still unsuitable for people with a milk protein allergy.

Do onion and garlic always agree with everyone?

Not necessarily. Both contain FODMAPs – fermentable carbohydrates that can cause wind or a feeling of pressure in the stomach with a sensitive gut.

Is pre-cooked, vacuum-packed beetroot less nutritious?

Some heat-sensitive compounds can be lost during processing – folate, for example, isn't completely stable. But many minerals and the typical colour are well preserved.