VEGAN MUSHROOM RISOTTO

It’s easy to whip up, comes together in one pot, versatile, tasty, healthy and everybody always goes crazy for its naturally creamy texture.

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Recipe

A creamy, rich and tasty Vegan Mushroom Risotto made with peas for an extra splash of color. The creaminess of this risotto dish comes from the way it is cooked in the vegetable broth - adding the broth bit by bit and stirring it until the rice is cooked and the vegetable broth is soaked up. The cashew cream added at the end adds an extra element of creaminess to this dish!



Ingredients

• 2 white onions, diced
• 3-4 gloves garlic, diced
• 2 tsp herbes de provence
• 5 cups white button mushrooms, chopped
• 1½ cups arborio rice ("risotto" rice)
• 5 - 5½ cups vegetable stock
• ¼ cup dry white wine*
• 1 tsp truffle oil (optional)
• 2 - 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Sea Salt + Pepper to taste
• Sea Salt to taste

Cashew Cream

• ⅓ cup cashews
• ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• 2 - 3 tbsp water

Garnish

• Fresh Basil

Directions

1. Soak cashews in hot water while preparing the risotto.
2. Over medium high heat, in a large and deep pan, saute the diced onions and garlic with the herbes de provence in a splash of vegetable broth until they begin to soften. Add chopped mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms soften and reduce, adding a bit of extra vegetable broth if necessary.
3. Add the arborio rice to the hot pan and saute with the vegetables for a couple of minutes until the rice begins to turn a light golden brown. (*Saute continuously to ensure that the rice does not burn).
4. Add 2 cups of the vegetable broth and stir until the rice has soaked up the broth. Add a cup more broth and stir continuously until the rice has soaked up the broth. Add the dry white wine (if using) and stir until the rice has soaked up the wine. Add another ½ cup of vegetable broth and continue stirring until the rice soaks up the broth. Continue adding vegetable broth, by the ½ cup, until the rice is just cooked. (Note: I used a total of 5½ cups of broth but you might need a bit more or less depending on the heat of your stove etc.)
5. Stir in truffle oil (optional), nutritional yeast, lemon juice and frozen peas. Stir for a couple of minutes until the peas are lightly cooked. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cashew Cream
7. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Using an immersion blender, blend the cashews, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and water until a creamy and smooth mixture is formed. Add additional water, by the tablespoon, until the desired consistency is reached. Season with sea salt to taste.
8. Stir the cashew cream into the risotto (or, alternatively, leave the cashew cream on the side and allow people to add it directly to the risotto on their plate) and garnish with fresh basil.

Notes
1) Stir the rice continuously to ensure that the rice does not burn while cooking.
2) Leave out truffle oil to keep this recipe oil-free.
3) Leave out cashew cream and pine nuts for a nut free version.
4) Make sure your white wine is vegan if necessary.
5) Leave out white wine and add an extra tbsp of lemon juice to keep this recipe alcohol free.

Recipe Adapted : VEGAN MUSHROOM RISOTTO @ cearaskitchen