Dairy-Free Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto

This creamy and comforting risotto makes a great meal by itself or a side dish served alongside a protein and more vegetables. It pairs well with Prosecco, Champagne, pinot grigio, or sauvignon blanc. It’s also both gluten and dairy-free; although you could make a dairy included adaptation if you prefer. Just know that I did serve the dairy-free version to a group of picky eaters who would have never eaten it had I disclosed I used vegan butter and cheese and they all agreed it was delicious. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 cups of chicken broth 

• 1 cup of white wine 

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Miyoko’s)

• 1 cup finely chopped onion

• 2 cups of arborio rice 

• 1 ½ cups roughly chopped baby bella mushrooms 

• 2 cups asparagus steamed and cut into one-inch pieces

• ¾ cup grated parmesan alternative (I used Violife Just Like Parmesan)

• Salt and pepper to taste

For a fully vegan risotto, you can substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth or stock. I used the Organic Better Than Bullion Chicken Base and water to make chicken broth. I find that this has way more flavor than canned or boxed broth. As far as wine, I used a pinot grigio but any white wine that isn’t sparkling or sweet would be absolutely fine. When you steam your asparagus to prep just do it for a few minutes until it’s al dente. Otherwise, when you add it to the risotto and it gets reheated it will turn to mush. Feel free to substitute the mushrooms for whatever you can find at your local store or farmer’s market. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, just use regular butter and parmesan.
   

Directions: 

1. Combine chicken or vegetable broth and wine in a medium saucepan and heat until just simmering. You’ll want to keep this warm the entire time you’re cooking. 

2. Add butter to a separate large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once fully melted add the chopped onion and cook until fragrant and translucent. About 2 minutes. 

3. Add the rice to the pan with the onions and cook until the rice grains are translucent around the edges. About 3 minutes. Be sure not to let the rice or onions begin to brown during this process. 

4. Reduce the heat on the rice and onions to low and use a ladle to add just enough of the wine and chicken stock mixture to cover the top of the rice. Stir very often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Once all the liquid is absorbed, repeat this process over and over until rice is cooked through and all the liquid has been added. Be patient, it will take approximately 35-45 minutes for the rice to be fully cooked and absorb all the liquid. 

5. After the last round of liquid has been mostly absorbed add the mushrooms and asparagus. Continue to stir until the risotto is creamy and no longer soupy, mushrooms are softened, and the asparagus is heated through. 

6. Remove from the heat and stir in parmesan or vegan alternative and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

This recipe is quite easy but it does require a lot of babysitting to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of your pan and burn. It is definitely not a set-it-and-forget-it or pop it in the oven and multi-task kind of dish.

Note: Unless you’re feeding an army, you’ll most likely have leftovers from this risotto. If that’s the case and you want to reheat it, you may want to add a little extra broth or milk to bring it back to its original consistency. 

Godere!

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