Looking for a charming dish to impress your guests? This vegan beet barley risotto is as gorgeous as delicious and ready in just 30 minutes!
Preparing it is super simple: all you have to do is simmer pearl barley in vegetable stock until tender; then, stir in mashed beetroots, cashew cream, and finish it off with chopped mint. Scoop it into your nicest bowl, and get ready to savour the best veggie risotto ever!
Risotto is a staple Italian dish consisting of short-grain arborio rice, first sizzled with chopped onions and extra virgin olive oil and then slowly cooked in stock.
In our recipe, we swapped white rice with barley and parmesan with a rich cashew cream. It's a fun twist on the classic risotto, suitable for those on a vegan diet or with dairy allergy.
Why did we use barley instead of rice? Barley has an earthier note and a crunchier texture than rice. We loved the way it paired with the nuttiness and creaminess of the cashews. Plus, it sounds and looks quite fancy!
As for that marvellous pink hue, we have beetroots to thank. These precious veggies also boost the dish with a generous amount of antioxidants.
And to round things off, we balanced everything with refreshing mint and our zingy lemon cashew cream.
You won't believe a vegan beet risotto can taste this good!
Fancy more vegan barley recipes? Check out this Barley Soup with Vegan Creme Freche or these crunchy Cretan Barley Rusks!
Ingredients
| Cashew Nuts | 50 g |
| Beetroots (cooked or raw) | 3 |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 1 tbsp |
| Red Onions | 1/2 |
| Pearl Barley | 140 g |
| Vegetable Stock | 400 mL |
| Almond Milk | 60 mL |
| Lemon Juice | 2 tbsp |
| Garlic Powder | 1/4 tsp |
| Lemon Zest | 2 tsp |
| Fresh Mint | to taste |
Step 1
Add the cashews to a cup, cover with hot water, and let them soak while you prepare the risotto (1).
Meanwhile, blitz the beetroots in a food processor (2).
You can use either fresh or cooked beets; if you're using raw beetroots, peel them before blending them.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a skillet and sizzle finely chopped red onions for 2 minutes.
Then, stir in the barley, rinsed and drained, and cook it for 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the vegetable stock to boil in another pot.
Step 3
Now, cover the barley with the vegetable stock and simmer the risotto over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
Step 4
Drain the cashews and blitz them with almond milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper until smooth (1).
Then, add the cashew cream and blended beets to the barley risotto.
Cook for 8 more minutes until the stock has reduced and the risotto is creamy.
Now, remove the pan from heat and tip in the lemon zest (2)
Step 5
Divide the risotto among bowls and top it with finely chopped mint leaves.
You can finish it off with some roasted cashews and cracked black pepper.
Tips
You can add a splash of red wine to the skillet with the dry barley in step 2.
You can swap mint with fresh parsley or dill.