Recipe: Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto (Dairy-Free)

This dairy-free risotto is next-level delicious! Ever since I learned how to make a classic risotto, I’ve been inspired to healthify it to make it not only extra delicious but also to make you feel good. If you don’t love asparagus, I encourage you to try it in a risotto, it’s seriously delicious! This dish is naturally gluten-free and plant-based.

Ways to make this gluten-free and dairy-free risotto extra delicious:

• Stay present with this recipe – although it doesn’t take long to make and the ingredients are super simple, it’s all in the way you prepare the dish. Stir it with love and don’t be afraid to add extra salt and olive oil to make it super delish!
• Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice that is often used for risotto, but you can easily use sushi rice if you don’t have any on hand – I did and it turned out just as great.
• The toppings are everything! I recommend serving the risotto warm with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, freshly chopped herbs, a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper. It just ties everything together.
• If you’d like to add some extra protein to your dish, I recommend a fried egg on top! Opt for a pasture-raised free-range egg and pan-fry it until the yolk is soft. Pop it on the top of the risotto and it’s superb! This helps to balance blood sugar levels and add extra minerals. For a vegan option, add some brown lentils into the mixed rice – delish!

I hope you love this dairy-free risotto recipe as much as I do!

Dairy-Free Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto

Recipe by The Pure LifeCourse: MainCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Once you try this risotto, you’ll realize how easy and delicious it is to make as a week-night staple!

Ingredients

• 2 cups arborio rice

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup chopped leeks

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

• spices: 2 tbsp dried Italian herbs; 1 tbsp dried oregano and optional 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, generous amounts of sea salt and pepper

• 1.5 cups of button mushrooms, sliced

• 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped into small 1-inch pieces, save the tips

• 1 handful chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• the juice of 1 lemon

• 4 cups of water

Directions

• In a bowl, soak the rice for at least 20 mins while you prep your ingredients. This helps with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
• In a large pot, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat to a high setting. Add the leeks and sauté for a few mins until soft and almost golden, add the garlic and reduce the heat to medium. Add the dried herbs, sage, salt and pepper.
• Add the asparagus pieces but save the tips. Add half of the sliced mushrooms. Sauté these for a few minutes until soft.
• Drain and rinse the rice and add it to the pot, stir well. Start by adding cups of water at a time and continue to stir so it doesn’t stick. Add all the water and half of the nutritional yeast, half of the parsley, juice of 1/2 lemon, more salt and pepper and keep stirring.
• Cook on low-medium heat with the lid slightly ajar, stirring often, for about 15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and creamy. Finish it off with the rest of the olive oil and the other half of the herbs.
• In a small separate frying pan, add a tbsp of olive oil and sauté the mushroom slices and asparagus tips until golden brown (mushroom) and crunchy (asparagus). Top these onto each serving of risotto with fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast, a drizzle of olive oil, more salt and pepper.
• Once the risotto is cooled, store in a glass storage container for 3 days. Enjoy!

Notes

• I used short-grain sushi rice instead of arborio rice and it worked great!