Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Sometimes I refer to Monday as Meatless Monday. Sometimes I call it Vegan Monday and that really makes me laugh.

Ha! Me? Give up cheese? Not happening.


And if you know me or have read my blog at least once, you know that the last thing I am is a vegetarian.

Not that there is anything wrong with being a vegetarian, but I have a passionate love affair with bacon that I am not willing to give up.

Vegetarian or not, this Roasted Vegetable Risotto is a satisfying main course or side dish that you will love.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

You can read about my other risotto dishes HERE.

The vegetables I chose to roast were Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Portobello Mushrooms.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Preheat the oven to 450F, slice the vegetables, toss with olive oil, and set them aside.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

They will cook faster than the risotto so we don’t need them just yet.

I use this Thai Coconut Curry broth.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

It is a chicken-based broth but you can use a vegetable broth if you are making this a vegetarian meal.

You’ll want to warm the broth over low heat in a separate saucepan so that it is warm when you add it to the risotto.

I start with leeks and fennel.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Slice the leek and put them in a bowl of water.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

This will allow all of the dirt that is stuck in there to fall to the bottom of the bowl.

Next, slice the fennel:

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

And the fennel fronds.

Fennel Roasted Vegetable Risotto

We’ll use those later.

Heat butter in a pan over medium heat and then add the fennel.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

After about 5 minutes or so add the leeks.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Sauté them together until they begin to get a little color. Color is flavor.

Add a cup of Arborio Rice to the butter, fennel, and leek mixture.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Let the rice soak up all of the flavors in the pan and toast a little bit.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Pour a glass of dry white wine.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Take a sip and then pour it into the pan.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan and continue to stir until the rice has soaked up all of the wine.

Now one cup at a time add the warm broth.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Stir until the rice has absorbed all of the broth before you add another cup.

It’s time to put the vegetables in the oven.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Roast them for about 15 minutes at 450F. I season them halfway through cooking.

Continue to add broth to the rice one cup at a time until you have used up all of the broth.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

When all of the broth is added and absorbed, add the mascarpone cheese.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

As many dollops as you want to. No one is looking.

You can use heavy cream but I adore the silkiness of mascarpone.

Once that is mixed together and creamy add the chopped fennel fronds.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Then the roasted vegetables.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Carefully combine everything together and let the risotto flavor cover the vegetables.

I guess you could just top the risotto with the roasted vegetables but I wanted them to get covered in the creaminess.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

I love the colors.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

This Roasted Vegetable Risotto was so delicious and it was perfect as our entrée last Monday night.

Roasted Vegetable Risotto

And like all risotto, the leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day so hide them in the back of the refrigerator so no one gets to them before you do!

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