Vegan Garlic Mushroom Risotto
Author:Ultra creamy, ultra dreamy, Vegan Garlic Mushroom Risotto that feels like a fancy restaurant meal. So unbelievably rich, creamy, and delicious it's hard to believe this vegan risotto is completely dairy-free!
Ingredients
For the roasted garlic
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 whole garlic bulbs (not cloves, whole bulbs)
- 2 squares of baking foil
For the cashew cream
- ½ cup (75 grams) raw cashew nuts
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ cup (120 mls) water
For the risotto
- ½ cup (15 grams) dried mushrooms (I used chanterelles & morels but porcini, oyster or a mixed blend would also be good).
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion , diced
- 1 cup (200 grams) risotto rice such as Arborio, carnaroli, or Vialone Nano
- 1 cup (240 mls) dry white wine ( use more stock instead if you prefer)
- 2 cups (480 mls) vegetable or mushroom stock , (use the water you drain off the dried mushrooms and make it up to 2 cups)
- 3 cups (225 grams) sliced crimini mushrooms , or white/portobello
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1½ teaspoons sea salt , plus more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , plus more to taste
To serve
- vegan parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
For the roasted garlic
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the foil squares with olive oil. Cut the top quarter off each garlic bulb (not clove, the whole bulb) so the cloves inside are exposed. Discard the top, and pop the rest in the middle of the foil. Draw it up around the bulbs and squeeze tightly shut.
- Place on a tray and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Check they feel squishy through the foil. Return to the oven for a few more minutes if not. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a bit. This step can be done up to 4 days ahead. Just keep them unopened in the fridge.
For the cashew cream
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the cloves (If you squeeze from the base up the little soft cloves will pop out easily) and put them into a high powered blender. Add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, and water and blend until completely smooth.
For the risotto
- Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for at least 15 minutes then squeeze, drain and chop, reserving the liquid to use as part of the stock.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide shallow pan over a medium heat. Add the onion sauté until translucent.
- Add the risotto rice to the pan and stir for a minute or two until it starts to make little popping noises, then pour in the white wine and the dried mushrooms. Stir constantly until the wine is almost absorbed. It will only take a minute or two.
- Gradually add 1½ cups of stock, half a cup at a time, stirring constantly between each addition. Only add the next half a cup when the previous one has almost been absorbed. The stirring when making risotto is really important. It breaks own the starch and will make your vegan risotto irresistiably creamy!
- Add the fresh mushrooms to the pan, stir and gradually add the last half a cup of stock. Keep stirring until almost absorbed again. Check that the rice is tender. If not add a little more stock and continue cooking until it is.
- Turn down really low and add the cashew cream, salt and pepper. Stir until it has warmed through then turn off the heat, check the seasoning adding more salt and pepper as needed, then add the vegan butter and fresh thyme leaves. Stir them through then serve immediately with lots of vegan parmesan.
NOTES
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a small pan on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water prior to heating to moisten it up.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1411mg | Potassium: 700mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 573IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 5mg
