Vegan Radicchio Risotto
Risotto al Radicchio is a classic elegant Italian dish: rich, velvety slow‑cooked rice balanced by the distinctive bitter‑sweet flavour of radicchio. This fully vegan version replaces butter, parmesan, and meat stock with plant‑based ingredients, keeping the signature creamy texture, deep savoury taste, and authentic Italian character — with no animal products at all.
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Time
45 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
medium
đź›’ Ingredients
- #Main Ingredients;
- 300 g Arborio or Carnaroli rice (risotto rice)
- 1 large head radicchio, washed and roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, finely diced.. 2 garlic cloves, minced.. 800–900 ml warm vegetable stock
- 100 ml dry white wine (optional; replace with extra stock if preferred)
- 4–5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Squeeze of lemon juice (optional, to balance bitterness).. Fresh thyme leaves
- Optional: 1 tbsp nutritional yeast or grated vegan hard cheese for extra savoury depth
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sauté base: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan. Cook onion gently for 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- 2
Cook radicchio: Add about two‑thirds of the chopped radicchio and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted and slightly softened.
- 3
Toast rice: Add the rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes until the grains turn translucent and glistening. Pour in wine (if using) and stir until fully absorbed.
- 4
Simmer: Begin adding warm stock one ladle at a time, stirring continuously — only add more stock when the previous amount has almost been absorbed. Continue for about 18–20 minutes until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite.
- 5
Finish: Stir in the remaining fresh radicchio and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off heat, cover, and let rest for 2 minutes. Season well with salt, pepper, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and a drizzle more olive oil.
- 6
Serve: Garnish with extra radicchio leaves and fresh thyme. Serve warm immediately.