This recipe is versatile because it can be used as a side dish or as a main course for a vegetarian meal. The difference would be just use a smaller Portobello mushroom for a side dish portion like in the picture above, and use a large Portobello for a main course portion.
And since I am the lazy cook, the Risotto I used is Lundberg brand Organic Florentine Risotto. Why start from scratch when a box of organic goodness is just as nice I say! This recipe is also vegan and gluten-free.
Yes, it is possible to make a tasty vegan risotto. I also like risotto made with chicken stock. It's exciting to know that dairy (for me with the cow milk allergy) is not required to create a wonderful risotto. Here's another risotto creation I made using Lundberg, "Butternut Squash Risotto with Chicken, Portobello, and Manchego."
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 1 box Lundberg Organic Florentime Risotto
- 5 Portobello mushrooms (4 will be used as bowls, and 1 will be diced into small pieces and put into the risotto)
- 4-5 tbsp Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin puree (Use 5 tbsps puree if you want a more pumpkiny taste)
- 1-1/2 cup Rice Milk in Original flavor or So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage in Original flavor (I use the coconut milk to get a slightly creamier consistency.)
- 1 cup water ( The recipe on the Risotto box calls for 2-1/2 cups liquid so I broke it into 1-cup water + 1-1/2 cup coconut milk)
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary chopped finely
- Olive Oil
Let's get cooking:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- With your hands, massage olive oil all over the Portobellos that will be used as bowls. The mushroom will absorb the olive oil quickly which is fine. Place the Portobellos on a baking pan and cook at 350 for 8 minutes. Any longer than that, and the mushroom will start to get overcooked.
- Take the portobellos out of the oven and let them cool down.
- In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, saute the rice in 1/2 tbsp olive oil for about 2 minutes. Toss in the diced Portobello and saute with the rice for about a minute.
- Add in the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, water, fresh sage or thyme, and 2/3 of the risotto seasoning packet. I don't put the whole packet in to help cut down on the sodium. Stir all ingredients mixing them well.
- Heat to boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Do not cover the pan. Cook risotto for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Take risotto off the burner and let it cool down. Top the Portobello bowls with the risotto and garnish with pumpkin seeds or sprigs of thyme or rosemary.
Enjoy!
