Beet Risotto Recipe
Creamy Beet Risotto with roasted beets and Arborio rice- rich, colorful, and full of earthy flavor. Easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and guaranteed to impress.
How to Make the Best Beet Risotto
This stunning beet risotto is a show-stopping dish that proves vegetables can be the star of any dinner table. The vibrant magenta color comes from roasted beets that are pureed and stirred into creamy Arborio rice, creating a dish that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. The earthy sweetness of the beets pairs perfectly with the tangy goat cheese and fresh dill, while toasted walnuts add a satisfying crunch.
What makes this risotto special is the technique of using both pureed beets for color and texture, and diced roasted beets folded in at the end for pops of flavor and visual interest. The result is a restaurant-quality dish that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Roasting the beets ahead of time means most of the work can be done in advance.
This naturally gluten-free recipe is perfect for vegetarian dinner parties or when you want to impress guests with something unexpected. Serve it as a main course with a simple green salad, or as a stunning side dish alongside roasted chicken or grilled fish.
Beet Risotto
Creamy Beet Risotto with roasted beets and Arborio rice- rich, colorful, and full of earthy flavor. Easy to make, naturally gluten-free, and guaranteed to impress.
Ingredients
Roasted Beets
Risotto
Toppings
Instructions
Roast the Beets
- Wash beets and cut the stems and leaves off. Wrap beets in parchment and then cover tightly with foil.
- Roast in the oven at 400°F. Check beets at 40 minutes depending on size. Cook until a knife easily pierces through. The longer they bake, the sweeter and more intense the flavor becomes.
- Let cool and peel if desired—the peel is filled with nutrients. This can be done up to 3 days beforehand.
Prepare the Beet Puree
- Dice one cup of beets to leave whole and set aside.
- Combine the remaining beets with ½ cup of the broth in a blender or food processor. Whip into a smooth puree and set aside. This will give the risotto color and luscious texture.
Make the Risotto
- Put the remaining broth in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute until soft and fragrant.
- Add Arborio rice and stir to coat for about one minute. Deglaze with white wine and let the wine cook off.
- Add 1 cup hot veggie broth, salt, and pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, letting the rice absorb all the broth.
- Add another cup of the hot broth, letting the rice absorb it slowly.
- Stir in the beet puree until rice has absorbed it. Continue adding broth, stirring often. You may not need all the broth.
- Risotto is perfectly cooked when the rice is tender yet the grains are visible and intact—not crunchy or mushy, but al dente.
- Stir in the diced beets. Loosen the risotto with more broth if needed; you want it loose, not thick like porridge, but not watery.
Finish and Serve
- Adjust flavor with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Mix in goat cheese (or garnish on top) and fresh dill.
- Serve topped with toasted walnuts and optional steamed beet greens.
Notes
- Save the beet greens! They can be steamed and served alongside the risotto.
- For maple-roasted walnuts, toss walnuts with a drizzle of maple syrup and toast in the oven until fragrant.
- Use a heat-resistant silicone spatula when stirring in the beet puree to avoid staining wooden spoons pink.
- The roasted beets can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
