Beet risotto
Magenta risotto from grated raw beet, topped with roasted beet, feta and toasted walnuts.
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Total time
63 min, show breakdown
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 40 min
- Clean up 8 min
- Pans
- 2
- Ingredients
- 12
- Cost/serving
- $3.80
Per serving
- Calories
- 622
- Protein
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 5.6 g
- Net carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 28 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 32%, Folate 30%, Vitamin A 24%, Riboflavin (B2) 22%, Calcium 21%, Vitamin B6 21%, Zinc 20%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 2
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
150 g arborio rice, dry
Same amount as: 5¼ oz, about ¾ cup.
- 2 medium beets (164 g)
1½ tbsp olive oil (20 g)
Same amount as: 20 mL.
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped (15 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
- ½ medium onion (55 g)
1 clove garlic, smashed (3 g)
Same amount as: 1 tsp fresh minced garlic, ½ tsp jarred minced garlic, ⅛ tsp garlic powder.
3½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth (840 g)
Same amount as: 840 mL.
1 tbsp butter (14 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, about ⅛ stick.
20 g parmesan, grated
Same amount as: 0.7 oz, about 4 tbsp.
2 tsp lemon juice (10 g)
Same amount as: 10 mL, ¼ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
¼ cup feta, crumbled (38 g)
Same amount as: 60 mL.
½ tsp dried thyme (0.5 g)
Same amount as: 2 mL.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
- butter
- olive oil: Much less saturated fat. Uses a little less, since oil is all fat. Best for cooking, not baking.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 2 servings. Past 3 servings, use a wide pot so the rice cooks in a shallow layer. Risotto is best straight away; leftovers make good pan-fried cakes.
Nutrition Facts
2 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (665 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 622 | ||
| Total fat | 28 g | 36% | |
| Saturated fat | 10 g | 50% | |
| Cholesterol | 39 mg | 13% | |
| Sodium | 880 mg | 38% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 77 g | 28% | |
| Dietary fiber | 5.6 g | 20% | |
| Total sugars | 10 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 72 g | ||
| Protein | 15 g | 30% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.23 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 271 mg | 21% | |
| Iron | 2.6 mg | 14% | |
| Potassium | 645 mg | 14% | |
| Vitamin A | 220 mcg | 24% | |
| Vitamin C | 8.7 mg | 10% | |
| Vitamin E | 1.9 mg | 12% | |
| Vitamin K | 12 mcg | 10% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.15 mg | 13% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.29 mg | 22% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.3 mg | 14% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.36 mg | 21% | |
| Folate | 120 mcg | 30% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.45 mcg | 19% | |
| Magnesium | 69 mg | 16% | |
| Zinc | 2.2 mg | 20% | |
| Selenium | 18 mcg | 32% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Heat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Wear gloves or wash up right after: beet stains hands and boards.
Peel both beets. Cut one into 1 cm (½ in) cubes, toss on the sheet pan with 1 tsp of the oil and 1 pinch of salt, and roast 25 minutes. Add the walnuts to a corner of the pan for the last 5 minutes. Finely grate the other beet.
Done looks like: Cubes tender with browned edges. Walnuts smell toasty. Heat the broth until steaming, in the microwave or a small pot. Keep it hot. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
Heat the rest of the oil in the pot on medium. Cook the onion 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and stir 2 minutes, then the grated beet and thyme for 1 minute.
Done looks like: Every grain stained deep pink. Add a ladle (about ½ cup) of broth. Stir often until it is almost absorbed, then add the next. Keep going for 18–22 minutes.
Done looks like: Rice tender with a slight bite. Loose and creamy; it flows slowly when you shake the pot. Off the heat, stir in the butter, parmesan and lemon juice. Rest 2 minutes. Taste for salt.
Done looks like: Vivid magenta, glossy, and a spoonful spreads slowly on a plate. Plate on warm, flat plates. Spoon the risotto into the middle and tap the underside of the plate until it spreads into a disc. Scatter the roasted beet on one side, crumble the feta so white shows against the pink, break the walnuts over and finish with pepper.
Done looks like: Three colors and three textures on top: soft pink rice, chewy roasted beet, crunchy walnut. Make it yours next time. Change one thing only: goat cheese for feta, orange zest for lemon, hazelnuts for walnuts, or carrot for half the beet for an orange risotto. Keep what works and write it down.
Equipment
Medium pot with lid, about 2 L (2 qt) $15–35
What to look for
- Lid that fits snugly
- Thick base so it does not scorch
Skip: Glass lids that fog up are fine; copper is not needed.
Rimmed sheet pan (half sheet) $12–25
What to look for
- Heavy aluminum that does not warp in a hot oven
- Rim all the way round so juices stay in
Skip: Dark non-stick sheet pans; they burn the bottoms of vegetables.
Box grater $10–20
What to look for
- Four sides, including a coarse side for cheese and vegetables
- Stable base that does not slide
Skip: Rotary graters. A box grater does more.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Brown or muddy color | Beet cooked too long before the broth, or acid added too early. | Add the grated beet only 1 minute before the broth, and the lemon only at the end. |
| Gluey and stiff | Cooked too long, or not enough liquid at the end. | Stir in a splash of hot broth right before plating. It should flow. |
| Tastes earthy and flat | Beet needs salt and acid to taste bright. | Add lemon juice and salt a little at a time until the beet tastes sweet, not muddy. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 35 min, total 63 min. | 622 kcal 15 g protein 5.6 g fiber 72 g net carbs 28 g fat |
| Vegan | Nutritional yeast instead of parmesan, no butter, no feta. Also vegetarian, dairy-free. Hands-on 35 min, total 63 min. | 501 kcal 11 g protein 6.7 g fiber 71 g net carbs 16 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Use feta made from pasteurized milk.