If you like risotto, you'll love this rich, creamy, flavorful beet version! Topped with tangy crumbled goat cheese, chives and parsley, it's ready to serve in 30 minutes, considering you have your beets roasted.
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Unique rice dish
Rice is such a versatile ingredient. I admire Italians for taking the simplest ingredients and turning them into jewels. Dishes that have depth, flavor and color, not to mention richness.
Making risotto is almost a ritual. You take the time to prepare the ingredients and then slowly go from sizzling to creamy. And the next day, you make the best risotto cakes with the leftovers.
Almost anything can go into a risotto. I cannot think of a vegetable or condiment that doesn't complement rice. Even rice pudding can be made risotto style with fruits and milk (or cream!)
This is more of an Indian summer or pink risotto, as it's called in some books, due to its bright, stunning and deep magenta color. The intense colors make for a striking dish.
You can easily customize it to suit different dietary preferences and tastes by adding complementary ingredients such as goat cheese, walnuts, or herbs and using different types of broth and wine.
FAQ
Yes, you can use pre-cooked beets to save time. Simply peel and dice the beets before adding them to the risotto towards the end of cooking. This will allow them to heat through without becoming overcooked and losing their vibrant color. It's not my first choice, but it's an option.
Absolutely! While wine is traditionally used in risotto to add flavor and acidity, you can omit it if you prefer or if you don't have any on hand. You can substitute with some vegetable or chicken broth to deglaze the pan and add moisture to the rice.
While risotto is best enjoyed fresh (and I highly recommend it), you can prepare some components ahead of time to streamline the cooking process. You can precook the beets and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use. However, it's recommended to cook the risotto just before serving to ensure the best texture and flavor.
Rice for risotto
We need short-grain, glutinous rice to make this superb dish. This means the rice has a high starch content and absorbs more liquid than your regular supermarket.
The most common varieties are Arborio rice and Carnaroli risotto rice. The third not-so-popular sibling is Vialonne Nano rice (my personal favorite). All three do a fantastic job.
You might find your favorite in time, but if this is your first time making risotto, the first two are easily available in most supermarkets and gourmet stores.
Ingredient list
- Beets: I recommend roasting fresh ones, but you can use cooked ones if you are in a hurry.
- Olive oil.
- Salt.
- Black pepper: freshly ground is best.
- Stock or broth: use vegetable (if vegetarian) or chicken stock.
- Red wine: if unavailable, white wine also works but is milder in color and flavor.
- Unsalted butter.
- Shallots: if unavailable, you can use a mix of onion and garlic.
- Risotto rice: Arborio or Carnaroli rice are the most easily available. Vialone Nano is another favorite of mine.
- Cheese: asiago, Parmesan or reggianito.
- Fresh parsley.
- Goat cheese: for serving, optional.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Roast and grate beets
Here are a few pointers when baking beets:
- Wash well, dry, and cut stems and leaves (if you don't want to throw them away, just google recipes with beet leaves).
- How long until they're done? It depends on the oven and the size of the beets. For medium beets it's about 45 to 60 minutes. A fork should very easily pierce the beets through the foil.
- Let cool just until you can handle them, and peel off the skin. It comes out way more easily if the beets are still very warm.
Preparing the beets: put raw, unpeeled beets in a large piece of aluminum paper, season with salt and pepper, and gather the foil to make a packet. Prick a few times with a fork without tearing it.
Chopping and grating: half of the beets will be chopped and the other half coarsely grated. This way, the risotto will have different textures. I like this handheld large-holed grater.
Steps for making risotto with beets
- Have ready the simmering stock: if it's not hot when you add it, it will affect how the rice absorbs it.
- Coat the rice in the oil first. This should be done for a minute or two over medium-low heat, stirring quickly and being careful not to brown the rice. You need to warm the grain thoroughly before adding the wine and broth.
- Serve immediately: risotto waits for no-one. This dish takes 20-25 minutes, so make sure family and guests are ready to sit when it's done.
- Adding a splash of red wine (or white) is perfect for scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
- The hot stock is added ½ cup at a time and stirred until it almost evaporates before adding the next half cup. You mustn't add too much at a time.
- Half of the beets are added at the end, preventing the risotto from turning brown and adding a fresh pop of color.
- The final step is called mantecatura and it involves mixing ingredients for a creamy and full-bodied consistency. This is where the butter, cheese and herbs are added and stirred quickly, allowing all the ingredients to bind together.
Serving risotto
The first rule: risotto waits for no one! So have everyone ready and seated before you serve it.
Cheese on top: goat cheese pairs wonderfully with beets, but you can adapt to what you have. Crumbled feta cheese and salty ricotta are other options.
Plain, with just a sprinkle of chopped parsley. This is a classic way of eating risotto, as it already contains flavorful ingredients.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- What to make with leftover risotto: this dish is not meant to be reheated. It becomes pasty, and the feel is entirely different. Leftover risotto is fantastic for making risotto cakes and arancini (fried risotto balls).
- What can I serve with beet risotto? It pairs well with a variety of proteins such as grilled chicken, seared fish, or roasted vegetables. You can also serve it alongside a simple green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette to balance out the richness of the risotto. Crusty bread or garlic bread makes a delicious accompaniment.
- Rice texture: achieving the perfect texture for the risotto rice can be challenging, as it should be creamy yet still have a slight bite (al dente). To prevent it from becoming too mushy or too firm, be sure to add the broth gradually, stirring frequently, and tasting the rice for doneness as you cook, especially in the last 10 minutes.
- Consistency: risotto is creamy yet not too soupy or dry; this can be challenging for some. Monitor the amount of broth you add and stir the risotto frequently to release the starches from the rice, creating a creamy texture. Adjust the amount of broth as needed and don't add too much at the end, when the rice is not quite done but you know only a few more minutes are needed. Remove immediately from the heat when it's done.
- Mantecatura is the final step when you add the butter and grated cheese. Make sure the pan is removed from the stove first.
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Roasted Beet Risotto
Ingredients
To roast the beets:
- ¾ pound beets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and black pepper
For the risotto:
- 5 cups broth, approximately
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup minced shallots
- 1 ½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
- 1 cup roasted beets, peeled
- 3 tablespoons butter, diced
- ⅓ cup grated asiago cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, freshly grated is best
- 2 ounces goat cheese, for serving
Instructions
For the beets:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- On a large piece of aluminum foil, put washed, unpeeled ¾ pound beets. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.
- Lift the foil to encase the beets and make a pouch. Prickle a few times with a fork, and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until they can be easily pierced with a knife. The time depends a lot on the size of the beets. Let cool until you can handle them and peel. The skin comes off more easily when they haven't cooled completely.
For the risotto:
- Dice half of the roasted beets, and grate the other half. Reserve.
- Bring 5 cups broth to a steady, slow simmer in a saucepan.
- Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pan over moderate heat. Add ⅓ cup minced shallots, lightly salt them, and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes, until beginning to soften, being careful not to brown it.
- Add 1 ½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice and, using a wooden or silicon spoon, stir for 1 minute, making sure the grains are very well coated. Add ½ cup red wine around the edges of the skillet, and stir until completely absorbed.
- Add ½ cup of broth and 1 cup roasted beets. Stir well and wait until the liquid is almost absorbed. Then continue adding the simmering broth, ½ cup at a time.
- Stir as needed to prevent sticking. The risotto will take about 18 to 20 minutes, and the rice will be tender but still firm.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add 3 tablespoons butter, ⅓ cup grated asiago cheese, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Stir vigorously to combine with the rice.
- Add ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and check for salt; add more if needed.
- Divide equally between the plates, sprinkle 2 ounces goat cheese on top, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
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