Whether you eat it as an appetizer or a main course, this vegetable risotto with homemade chicken stock is a fantastic way to wow that special person in your life. Risottos are a lot easier than you think 🙂
So I know I have been going easy with the recipes and trying to share some meals that are quick, to the point, and delicious. Don't get me wrong, I love everything I share but I really do like gourmet and sometimes gourmet takes a little bit more time and effort on the cook's part.
Risotto.
It is my FAVORITE! I love it! Anytime we go out to eat somewhere fancy, it is the first thing I look for and most of the time these restaurants have delicious mushroom risottos with fancy ingredients (think gourmet mushrooms!) I am salivating as I type this because I love it that much!
Okay, enough of that since I am pretty sure I have made my point 🙂 One thing I really do like when it comes to risottos at restaurants is how fairly priced they seem. Risotto takes time and effort. To me, if the risotto is made perfectly, I have no problem paying a fair amount (my meal is always cheaper than my husband's meat dishes, but for a vegetarian meal I still feel the price is worth it.)
The thing is, we do not always want to go out to eat, and this means I have to take matters into my own hands. I made this vegetable risotto with homemade chicken stock (you can read about my endeavours here) for my husband because 1) I had chicken stock to use up and 2) I am greedy and wanted all the mushrooms possible for my own balsamic mushroom risotto. How colorful and fun this vegetable risotto was to make! Seriously, I am weird and love making risotto. Standing at the stove, pouring in hot broth as the rice soaks up the liquid... Yummy! I know all my time will be worth it in the end.
📖 Recipe
Vegetable Risotto with Homemade Chicken Stock
Whether as a side dish, appetizer, or main course, you know this risotto will win you over.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups homemade chicken stock (or your favorite stock!), simmering on stove top.
- 3 tbsp. butter, divided
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- ½ lb mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 orange pepper, diced
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup frozen corn
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. chili flakes
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add two tablespoons butter to a saute pan, melting over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and tender about 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the mushrooms and peppers. Cook until they begin to turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
- Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in the rice and cook for a good couple of minutes. Carefully pour in the red wine vinegar. Lots of steam will appear as the liquid touches the pan. Quickly stir the bottom of the pan with a spatula so you can get all the nice brown bits up.
- Stir in frozen peas and corn. Pour in ½ cup of broth at a time, stirring until almost of the liquid is gone before you add the next amount. When you add your last half cup, try to leave a bit of extra liquid so it has a creamy look when we add the cheese.
- Stir in the cheese and mix until it is melted. Stir in butter.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
You may need more or less broth depending on how you go about making the risotto (risotto is supposed to have a bit of bite to it.)
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 727Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 1444mgCarbohydrates: 83gFiber: 8gSugar: 20gProtein: 28g
Couple fun facts/interesting tips to help you with your risotto.
1) Always use hot or simmering broth. I keep a pan on low at the back of my stove so I can ladle hot liquid from it. It helps cook the rice nicely and will result in the perfect texture. Room temperature or cold broth will just cause problems with your rice. Take the extra 5 minutes and preheat that broth.
2) Have all your ingredients prepped and sorted ahead of time. I know this is a given and everyone "does it," but you are literally standing at the stove for a good 30 minutes or more, so you do not want to be worrying about where x ingredient is.
3) Have a bit of extra broth measured out into your pot. I find sometimes I use more, sometimes less, when it comes to the recipe. With the homemade chicken stock I actually used about ¼ - ½ cup more liquid than usual when it comes to my risotto.
4) Have fun and experiment with flavors! This was my first time making a vegetable risotto and Mr. TCW loved the extra goodies in it. It was also a perfect way to use up leftovers. I mean, once you get the basics down to making risotto, the possibilities are endless!
Love this vegetable risotto with homemade chicken stock?! Try some of these recipes:
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Risotto
Stephanie
This looks like some amazing comfort food!
Kacey
I feel risotto is the ultimate comfort food!
Ashley (QLCC)
Risotto is my favorite side dish! It's so much easier than people think, and sooo flavorful.
Kacey
Completely agree, Ashley! Really easy, just some time and patience 🙂
Michelle at A Dish of Daily Life
I often order risotto at restaurants too. I'd definitely like to try your vegetable version...usually when I make it, I use seafood! This looks so good!
Kacey
Seafood is a great addition. Actually, my husband usually has the lobster risotto, and I must admit, it looks really good!
Michelle @ Blackberry Babe
WOW!!!! This looks so, so, so good. My husband would love. Saving!
Kacey
Thanks, Michelle!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
Oh! Your vegetable risotto looks fabulous! The colors are really pretty and the risotto itself looks so creamy. Looking forward to your vegetarian risotto recipe!
Kacey
Thanks, Patricia! I guess this one could have easily been vegetarian if we used a different stock 🙂
Susan | LunaCafe
Love risotto, and this one looks so tasty. Homemade stock makes all the difference.
Kacey
I agree, Susan. I want to try homemade vegetable stock next!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist
Risotto is a favorite dish here too. When I read your recipe and it said based on your tolerance for the balsamic and I just had to laugh, I can drink balsamic, so I will go with the 4 tbsp.
Paula - bell'alimento
I love to keep homemade stock on hand just for recipes like this!
Kacey
So handy! Thanks for stopping by, Paula 🙂
Kacey
Omg, haha, Michelle, I could drink a bottle myself!! More balsamic, the better 🙂
Jessica @ Sprinkle Some Sugar
Ugh, I just love risotto! This looks sooo good.
Kacey
I cannot imagine anyone hating risotto!
Connie | URBAN BAKES
This looks absolutely delicious. I've never made risotto before but I think I'm going to have to get on that because yours looks so flavorful and I'm dying to try it!
Kacey
I kind of wish I never tried risotto because I am addicted, haha. But making it at home is a lot cheaper!