I present to you my latest experiment: my beet risotto recipe!
I had been craving for a while to make a different recipe with beetroot. I’m not sure why, but I was craving it.
I bought the damn beetroot, which wouldn’t let go of my thoughts, and I thought that due to its purple color, it would look good in rice with broth.
I could make crepes or pancakes, but I really wanted to make something different and delicious!
But I didn’t really know what to do if I am being honest. I made a bit of an impulse buy, just really because I felt like trying a different recipe with beetroot.
Don’t judge me… How many times have you made impulse purchases?
It was then that I saw a recipe on social media (I’m honest, I don’t remember from whom… it was a bit random) for some kind of risotto that had nothing to do with my beetroot. But I immediately thought that a beetroot risotto could be wonderful!
There are things like that, inspirations that come almost out of nowhere.
And it turned out really tasty!
On this side, I LOVED this risotto and I can tell you that people at home loved it too. And do you know how I know that? There’s almost nothing left!
Would you like to read more recipes with beetroot? Check this Salmon Gravlax Recipe.
What tricks will ensure that this Beetroot Risotto Recipe tastes just right?
There are a few considerations and tips that I want to pass on to you as you make this wonderful beetroot risotto!
You should roast the beetroot in the oven so that it releases all its flavor. Boiling the beetroot in water will make it lose some of its flavor and color.
You can grate the beetroot instead of putting it in the oven. The flavor will be more intense if you put it in the oven, but grating it won’t completely change the final result.
It is important that the broth is very hot when you use it. Otherwise, it will slow down the process because it will make the risotto temperature drop and then rise again (when it boils again). Some creaminess is also lost.
You can use white wine. I used red wine to intensify the color of the risotto.
Butter is not a key element in this recipe. I used it only to add creaminess to the risotto, but you can replace it with a drizzle of olive oil or simply remove it from the recipe.
Let’s check the step-by-step?
Beetroot Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 beetroot
- 1 ½ cup risotto rice
- 1 package red wine
- 1 lt homemade vegetable broth (preferably)
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Parmesan to taste
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 200º.
- Wash the beetroot well and peel it.
- Slice the beetroot into quarters, wrap them in aluminum foil, and bake them in the oven for approximately 35 to 45 min, depending on the power of your oven.
- In a pan, put the diced onion with a dash of olive oil and let it stiffen a bit.
- When the onion is soft and translucent, add the chopped garlic and the coriander, also chopped.
- Let it sautee for a few more minutes.
- Add the risotto rice and once again let it sautee for a few minutes. This process will help the rice to incorporate the flavors.
- As soon as the rice starts to get a little translucent, you can add red wine. Mix well until it spreads throughout the pan.
- When it starts to bubble, you can add the vegetable broth little by little.
- Add ladle by ladle and stir well, so that the risotto becomes creamy. As soon as the rice begins to incorporate the broth and begins to dry out, it's time to add the next ladle.
- Remove the beetroot from the oven, dice it and place them in the risotto pan.
- Stir well so that the beetroot pieces will spread into the rice. This will result in the whole risotto having a stronger color.
- Once the risotto is almost done, add a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese and butter.
- Stir well and turn off the heat.
- Serve with a few pieces of beetroot on top and some coriander.
