Hello, it’s been a little while.
Sometimes I have a million ideas for new recipes, and sometimes I have zero inspiration.
It ebbs and flows, and that’s okay.
Well to be honest, I do have a list of recipes I want to make but they’re all a bit involved and potentially quite time consuming for a first go-around, so I’ve been procrastinating when it comes to whipping them up!
Therefore you get another risotto recipe.
An end-of-summer variety that utilizes juicy raw corn and colorful tomatoes.
You can allow those two to carry the flavor profile, but I decided to add a spoonful of miso for a little extra something something.
Again, not necessary, but I wanted to try something new!
Then we have our standard arborio rice, dry white wine, low-sodium vegetable broth, vegan cream cheese, nutritional yeast, fresh lemon juice, crushed red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper + pink sea salt base.
After folding in that delicious corn, top your bowls off with those sweet tomatoes, more corn, and herbaceous basil. Season with salt then dig in!
P.S. Be sure to use a vegetable broth that actually tastes good. Store-bought broths vary tremendously, some tasting like straight up celery water, while others offer a more rich, well-rounded vegetal flavor. Unfortunately I was not a fan of Imagine’s low-sodium broth in this recipe, although Trader Joe’s would have probably sufficed. (I use low-sodium since miso is salty and you can always add more salt—obviously you can’t take any sodium out once it’s all up in that hot pot of cozy goo.)
P.P.S. The amount of liquid you’ll need totally depends! Your rice may be tender before you use up all the hot broth. And we all have different tastes so make your risotto as al dente or as mush as you want. Same goes for the liquid factor. I personally prefer a less soupy risotto, although others will argue for the liquidy variety. This particular pot turned out looser than I usually go for, but it will make nice leftovers.
P.P.P.S. Apparently you’re not supposed to boil miso. She’s fragile. That’s why I have you whisk it in at the end.
P.P.P.P.S. As always, taste and make the flavor proportions right for you. (Whoever is privileged enough to share the pot just has to deal if their taste buds think otherwise.)
Vegan Miso Risotto with Raw Corn, Tomatoes & Basil
Ingredients
- 4 cups high-quality low-sodium vegetable broth (reserve 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste (use a gluten-free brand for a gluten-free recipe)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- 2 tablespoons plain vegan cream cheese (I like Kite Hill)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup raw corn kernels (removed from cob with knife)
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Pink sea salt, to taste
Toppings
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Raw corn kernels (removed from cob with knife)
- Fresh basil leaves, sliced thin if large
- Pink sea salt, to taste
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium-small pot, heat the vegetable broth to just below a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm throughout the risotto cooking process. Scoop 1/2 cup of the warm broth into a small bowl, then whisk in the miso.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized pot. Toast the rice for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the wine, gently stirring.
- Once the wine is mostly absorbed, add about 1/2 cup hot broth. Stir occasionally. Once the broth is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup hot broth, repeating the process for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is plumb and just tender—you don't want your rice to be too crunchy (undercooked) or too mushy (overcooked). When tasting for doneness, remember that the rice is not seasoned yet. We're just focusing on texture. Once the risotto is done, you may have some broth left over.
- Fold in the reserved miso-broth mixture, followed by the cream cheese, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, corn, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Taste, then adjust ingredient amounts if you'd like.
- Scoop the risotto into warm bowls, then top with tomatoes, more corn, and basil. Season the toppings with salt, and serve with lemon wedges.