Today I’m going to show you a recipe that I’ve been planning to propose for a long time, the vegan radicchio and walnut risotto. It’s delicious even this way, filling, light and ideal for Christmas or New Year’s celebrations, why not?
Whether you follow a plant-based diet like me or have a vegan guest at the table, this risotto will make everyone happy. Plus, it’s easy to prepare as long as you follow the measurements, making it suitable even for those on a diet. You can divide it into two large portions or four smaller ones, perfect as a first course leaving room for the main dish.
It’s so tasty, no wonder the radicchio and walnut risotto is a popular dish, and it was well-liked here at home. I hope you will enjoy it too. Let’s get to the recipe without further ado!
Other recipes that might interest you:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 large or 4 small
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 5 oz rice (for risotto or even whole grain)
- 1 radicchio (small or half of a large one)
- 1.5 oz walnuts
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (1 measuring teaspoon)
- 1 onion
- 2 tbsp red wine
- q.b. vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp vegetable margarine (or vegan butter)
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast (2 measuring teaspoons)
- q.b. salt
- q.b. pepper
- Total points = 24 WW points
- Points per serving if divided into 2 = 12 WW points
- Points per serving if divided into 4 = 6 WW points
Tools
- Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Knife
Steps
Start by preparing all the ingredients. If you like, leave some raw radicchio cut into strips and a few whole walnuts for the final decoration.
For the broth, you can make it yourself with vegetables or prepare it using vegan granular broth, as you prefer. The important thing is to keep it warm and ready for use.
Start by sautéing the diced onion with 1 teaspoon of oil. Do not let it burn: if it dries up too much, add a tablespoon of broth. Once the onion is softened, add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes. Now you can pour in the wine and let it evaporate, stirring constantly.
At this point, add half of the radicchio cut into strips and half of the walnuts finely chopped. Continue cooking as you would for classic risotto, adding a little broth each time the rice dries up.
When you see that the rice is almost cooked, add the rest of the radicchio and walnuts, mix well, and continue cooking with the broth, a little at a time.
As soon as the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and first adjust the salt. Then perform the classic creaming by incorporating the vegetable margarine or vegan butter and the nutritional yeast well into the risotto. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes.
And here our vegan radicchio and walnut risotto is ready to be served. Place it on the plates, use some of the raw radicchio and a few walnuts for garnish, and a sprinkle of pepper if you like.
It’s delicious and fragrant, the slightly bitter taste of the radicchio together with the walnuts makes it truly delightful. Considering it’s also light, well, what are you waiting for to try it? Please, if you do, write to me here or in my Facebook Club.
Enjoy your meal!
By Giovanna Buono
FAQ
What is nutritional yeast?
This recipe also includes nutritional yeast, which is a deactivated yeast rich in vitamin B12. It’s widely used in vegan cuisine as it imparts a cheesy flavor to dishes. For more information, read here: Nutritional Yeast: What It Is, How to Use It, and Why! You can omit it, but in that case, add spices to your liking to enhance the final dish’s flavor.
How long does it last?
Unfortunately, this risotto cannot be prepared in advance. Of course, if you have some leftovers, it will be delicious reheated in the microwave, but of course, it will lose some texture, and the rice will be a bit softer.
