Here’s a somewhat creamy and comforting Vegan Tomato and Basil Risotto. I love the combo of tomatoes and basil. I feel like these are one of those classic combinations in Italian cuisine and this risotto was inspired by my love for combining the two together.
I also grow a lot of basil in my garden so this was a great way to use up some of my basil leaves!
TOMATO AND BASIL RISOTTO
I love risotto. It’s one of my go to dishes when I’m craving something warm and comforting. I decided to give a tomato and basil combo a try this risotto time around. I’m so happy it turned out really good and REALLY CREAMY.
This was even creamier than my mushroom risotto if you ask me. I find that cooking it slowly on medium heat really helps. Speeding up the cooking of risotto won’t yield creamy results because it really takes time to break down the starches of the arborio rice!
Anyway, hope you guys give this tomato and basil recipe a try! It’s super easy and really comforting. The perfect pick me up dish too, if you ask me. Recipe is below!
HOW TO ENJOY YOUR RISOTTO
Well of course you can enjoy your risotto in its purest form–as is!
OR, you can stuff your risotto into some bell peppers!
I also made a batch of this and stuffed it in some roasted peppers! I basically roasted the peppers first before adding in the cooked risotto and it was so good too!
Have leftover risotto?
You can either reheat the risotto (reheating tip below!) or make some Arancini (Fried Risotto Balls!)
If you make this recipe, please tag me on my Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #thefoodietakesflight 🙂
Looking for more vegan recipes?
You can get a copy of my cookbook, Vegan Asian!
If you crave vegan-friendly versions of classic Asian dishes, this cookbook is packed with Southeast and East Asian dishes inspired by those I grew up enjoying at home and those I’ve tried from my travels. From iconic Thai dishes to piping-hot Japanese fare and everything in between, the recipes in this will take your palate on a delicious food trip across Asia, and hopefully keep you coming back for more!
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
Vegan Tomato and Basil Risotto
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth or more depending on desired doneness
- 3/4 cup uncooked arborio rice this is essential
- 1/4 cup chopped red or white onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup dry white wine optional but highly recommended!
- 1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes or sub with canned diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chopped sundried tomatoes* see notes
- 1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt or to taste** see notes
- Extra chopped basil for topping
Instructions
- Prepare your stock. I simply boiled around 4 cups of water then added in a cube of vegetable cube. You can also of course use packaged vegetable broth You can opt to make your own stock by boiling leeks, celery, carrots, and onions with a generous amount of salt for 3 hours.
- In a large pan/pot over medium high, heat the olive oil. Add in the onions and garlic. Sauté until tender and aromatic, around 2 minutes.
- Once cooked, add in the chopped tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the arborio rice. Coat in the oil-tomato mixture well.
- Pour in the white wine, if using.. Mix until it has been absorbed (the rice will turn a bit creamy).
- Pour in 1 cup of the stock to the rice. Add in the tomato paste, basil, and sun dried tomatoes.
- On medium heat, continue to mix frequently until the rice absorbs the stock. Keep stirring until the rice absorbs the liquid.
- Add another 1/2 cup of the stock. Mix frequently until it is absorbed. Repeat this step every 5 mins or so.
- After 25-30 mins or so, rice should be perfectly cooked and still chewy. Season with salt as needed.
- If the risotto is a bit dry, feel free to add in 1/4 cup of stock and mix well.
- Serve and enjoy immediately! Garnish with some chopped basil if desired. You can also stuff these in some roasted peppers, if you'd like!
Notes
Sun-dried tomatoes:
- The sundried tomatoes I used were those bottled and soaked in oil. Feel free to use dried ones.
Salt:
- The seasoning of your risotto will depend greatly on your stock. If your stock is well seasoned, you’ll need to add minimal salt to the risotto
Have leftovers?
You can either reheat the risotto (reheating tip below!) or make some Arancini (Fried Risotto Balls!) Reheating tips:Â Place the leftover risotto in a pan. Add in 1/4-1/2 cup of stock and mix well until hot and creamy. Season with some salt, as needed. Enjoy!NUTRITIONAL INFO
You can pin these images on your pinterest board:
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This Post Has 6 Comments
My favorite risotto ever! I’ve been using this recipe for years it’s a staple in my home I’ve cooked it for my family my husband and it’s always a hit. Thank you for this!!
Ahh thank you too Alyssa, so so happy to hear ◡̈
Love the surprise mouthfuls of sun-dried tomato when eating this and it’s so creamy. Added extra fresh basil on top as well as cracked black pepper, yum!
Thanks Pauline, hope you enjoyed it! ◡̈
I’ve made this so many times and it’s to die for !!!!! Is It gluten free ? I’d like to make It for a friend who is gluten free and dairy free 🙂
Hi Sydney! The rice is of course GF as well as the tomatoes and basil. You can double check the broth/stock you use if it’s GF as well ◡̈