Not all wines are vegan, but many of them are. To quickly determine if a brand of wine is made without animal products, use the website Barnivore.com . It is a vegan beer, wine, and liquor guide that has evaluated most brands!

How do I know when the risotto is ready?

The best way to test the doneness of risotto is to check its texture. When ready, the risotto should be creamy and consistent, like thick porridge or oatmeal. Like al dente pasta, the rice should be fully cooked yet still firm and chewy.

Can I make this risotto with another short-grain rice?

We do not recommend swapping in another kind of rice. Although other grains, such as white rice, are high in starch, arborio rice is particularly high in a starch called amylopectin. This unique starch is released during the slow cooking process and is essential for creating the traditional creamy texture.

Can I make this risotto in the Instant Pot?

We have not tested a pressure cooker version of this easy vegan risotto recipe. Instead, you might be interested in our rice cooker risotto recipe .

Creamy Vegan Risotto with Asparagus

Description

This Creamy Vegan Risotto recipe is the ultimate rich and creamy comfort food. Finish with extra vegan parmesan, fresh lemon zest, and crisp asparagus spears for a pop of color and flavor.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegan butter, divided
1 white onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
4½ cups vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 bunch of asparagus
½ cup vegan parmesan
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
Black pepper, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prep the asparagus. Trim and discard the tough ends of the asparagus spears. Then, diagonally cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
Heat the broth. Add the broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low.
Cook the onions. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of vegan butter. Once melted, add the diced onion and salt. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toast the rice. Add in the garlic and arborio rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan. Add the white wine to help deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is absorbed and the alcohol is thoroughly cooked off, about 2 minutes.
Add the broth 3/4 cup at a time. Once the alcohol has cooked off, add the broth to the rice 3/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly between additions until the rice mostly absorbs the broth. When you can drag the spatula down the middle of the skillet and have it leave a trail for a second before flooding back, you know you can add the subsequent addition of broth.
Add the asparagus. When adding the fourth addition of broth, add the asparagus spears.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Once the broth has been absorbed and the risotto is creamy, add 2 tablespoons of vegan butter, cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir until well combined.
Serve. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then enjoy immediately while warm!

Notes

Storage: Once cooled to room temperature, leftover risotto can be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for 3-4 days.
Reheating: Note that the risotto will thicken upon refrigeration. To make it nice and creamy again, reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave with an additional splash of vegetable broth to loosen up and taste fresh.
Wine: Not all wines are vegan, but many of them are. To quickly determine if a brand of wine is made without animal products, use the website Barnivore.com. It is a vegan beer, wine, and liquor guide that has evaluated most brands!
Arborio Rice: We do not recommend swapping in another kind of rice. Although other grains, such as white rice, are high in starch, arborio rice is exceptionally high in a starch called amylopectin. This unique starch is released during the slow cooking process and is essential for creating the traditional creamy texture.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Stove Top