Need to cook to impress? Look at this gorgeous deep fuchsia Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese. The color alone makes this delicious risotto look like it came from a five-star restaurant. It will surely impress anyone.
It is also a hearty vegetarian dish. The roasted beet wedges add meatiness and a contrast of texture to the creamy risotto.
My Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese is simple to make and the perfect meal for a romantic occasion. Like any fabulous risotto, it takes time, patience, and love—the key to any Italian recipe.
It’s also healthy for you! Red beets are a great source of vitamins and fiber. So you can feel good about going for a second serving. Trust me. You will.
What is Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese?
I love risotto because you can make it as simple as grated parmesan cheese, a classic risotto alla Milanese (saffron), a bountiful seafood risotto, or a hearty Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese.
Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese is a creamy, healthy, Italian vegetarian dish made with risotto—a specific short-grain white rice from Northern Italy.
Risotto is cooked slowly by adding small amounts of stock or broth to the rice. This type of risotto uses homemade beet juice as the cooking liquid.
The red beets are roasted till tender and pureed with vegetable broth to make a deep red beet juice. Then, it is added to the risotto, one ladle at a time, until it reaches a creamy consistency. Fresh thyme and crumbled goat cheese are sprinkled on top for an extra velvety consistency and a sharp, tart finish.
Making Roasted Beet Risotto with an Italian Chef
In 2016, I was fortunate to spend two months traveling through Italy. During those two months, I spent two amazing weeks in Brescia, a beautiful town in Northern Italy. I stayed with Marco, an Italian chef, and his loving family.
Chef Marco taught at a prestigious Italian cooking school and needed to learn English to teach Americans. So, cooking through his recipes, I taught him English, and he taught me how to cook authentic Italian dishes. Talk about a fair trade!
While Chef Marco learned how to say “stir with a spatula” and “ladle the broth into the risotto” in English, I learned how to make freshly handmade tortellini with sage, vegetable lasagna, Mediterranean Couscous Salad, Pesto Orecchiette, and this comforting bowl of Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese.
I never liked beets until I made this risotto with Chef Marco. This recipe was unique at the time and opened my eyes to a new world of creativity with vegetables in a risotto.
So, if you are questioning red beets in a risotto right now, I hope my recipe can change your mind just like Chef Marco changed mine.
List of Ingredients in Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese
Of course, the main star ingredient is red beets. Red beets have so many nutritious benefits. It can reduce inflammation and blood pressure, is high in fiber to improve digestive health, promotes heart health, and is an excellent source of potassium.
I highly recommend fresh red beets, which you can find year-round in the grocery store. If not, you can use canned red beets or other colored beetroots, like golden beets, but in both cases, you would miss out on that vibrant fuchsia red in the risotto.
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
- Olive oil
- Red beets
- Shallot
- Garlic cloves
- Arborio risotto
- Dry white wine
- Vegetable broth (or chicken stock/broth)
- Unsalted butter
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh thyme
- Goat cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese
Risotto can be intimidating for some, but I LOVE cooking risotto! To help boost your risotto skills and confidence, here are a few simple tips that I learned in professional kitchens and from my Italian chef (host).
One of the most important things about making risotto is to stir it frequently but not over-stir. I know it sounds contradictory, but there is a fine line.
You want to stir the risotto to release the starches and ensure every grain of rice cooks evenly. I like to stir 1-3 times after a ladle of cooking liquid. If you stir too much, the texture will be wrong. It should be creamy, not gluey or porridge-like.
Furthermore, you should only add a ladle of cooking liquid at a time. Once the liquid is completely absorbed into the risotto, add another.
If you follow those two key rules and the directions, you will make a creamy bowl of risotto!
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
Roast – peel and slice the red beets into wedges. Toss the beets in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Lay them onto a sheet tray and roast in the oven at 375° for 25 minutes until tender.
Make beet juice – remove the roasted red beets from the oven and place 3/4 into a blender with a small amount of vegetable broth. Puree the beets and slowly pour more vegetable broth until it is smooth and completely liquid. Pour the homemade beet juice and remaining vegetable broth into separate pots. Place the pots of cooking liquids on medium-low heat.
Toast risotto – sauté the diced shallots with olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Once the shallots are translucent, add the minced garlic and cook until aromatic. Add the risotto and lightly toast the rice for 3 – 5 minutes.
Slowly cook risotto – deglaze the pot with white wine and stir occasionally until the risotto absorbs all the liquid. Add a small ladle of the hot vegetable broth into the risotto and frequently stir until the risotto absorbs all of the broth. Now, repeat with a ladle of the homemade beet juice. Continue alternating the cooking liquids and cook the risotto for 18 minutes or until just al dente.
Add – stir the unsalted butter, shredded parmesan cheese, and chopped thyme into the creamy risotto.
Assemble – add spoonfuls of the Roasted Beet Risotto into a bowl, and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tidbits
Here are a few tips and tidbits about beets that can help you prepare this recipe.
How to Prepare Beets
Prepping beets is as easy as peeling and slicing any vegetable. Wash the beets under cold running water. Then, scrub the beet with a stiff bristle or paper towel to remove mud and dirt.
Slice off the root end and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beet as desired.
Extra tip: red beets can easily stain your hands and cutting board. To remove the stains, rinse your hands with lemon juice and water and scrub the cutting board with salt.
Can You Use Canned Beets?
Yes, you can use canned beets. However, it’s not ideal for several reasons. I tested this myself, and you will lose flavor, texture, nutrients, and the deep, profound color of the risotto.
If you use canned beets, get unsalted whole beets and make sure they’re not pickled. Drain the canned beets, pat dry with a paper towel, and continue following the recipe as directed.
More Risotto and Pasta Recipes
- Authentic Seafood Risotto from Southern Italy
- Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce with Tagliatelle Pasta – an Authentic Italian Recipe
- Classic Pesto Orecchiette – A Homemade Pesto Recipe
- Orecchiette Pasta with Sausage and Bell Peppers
- Easy and Delicious Spaghetti Carbonara
Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese
A sexy red bowl of creamy and delicious Roasted Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese crumbled on top. A hearty and healthy vegetable dish you will desire.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 lbs. red beets (about 4-5)
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken stock)
- 1 large shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups risotto
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. goat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Wash the red beets under cold running water and scrub them with a stiff bristle or paper towel to remove mud and dirt. Slice off the root end and peel the skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beet in half and then slice it into wedges.
- Place the beet wedges in a bowl and drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until the beets are fully coated. Place the beets on a sheet tray and roast them in the oven for 25 minutes until tender.
- Meanwhile, warm up 3 cups of vegetable stock in a small pot on medium heat. You can also use this time to prep the other ingredients: dice the shallots, mince the garlic cloves, chop the thyme, and grate the parmesan cheese.
- Remove the beets from the oven. Place 3/4 of the beets into a blender or juicer. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable broth and puree. Slowly add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of broth to the blender and puree until the juice is smooth and completely liquid. Pour the homemade beet juice into a separate pot on the stove and keep on warm heat.
- Warm the olive oil on medium heat in a large, tall-sided pot or Dutch oven. Add the diced shallots and saute until it is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the risotto to the pot and toast the kernels for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from browning. Then, pour the dry white wine to deglaze the pot and stir occasionally until the risotto absorbs all the liquid.
- Add a small ladle of the hot vegetable broth into the risotto and frequently stir until the risotto absorbs all of the broth. Now, repeat with a ladle of the homemade beet juice. Continue alternating the cooking liquids and cook the risotto for 18-20 minutes or until just al dente. See notes about stirring.
- Turn the heat off and add the unsalted butter, grated parmesan cheese, and freshly chopped thyme. Stir the ingredients into the creamy risotto.
- Add spoonfuls of the Roasted Beet Risotto into a serving bowl, and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
One of the most important things about making risotto is to stir it frequently but not over-stir. I know it sounds contradictory, but there is a fine line. You want to stir the risotto to release the starches and ensure every grain of rice cooks evenly. I like to stir 1-3 times after a ladle of cooking liquid. If you stir too much, the texture will be wrong. It should be creamy, not gluey or porridge-like.
Furthermore, you should only add a ladle of cooking liquid at a time. Once the liquid is completely absorbed into the risotto, add another.
If you follow those two key rules, you will have a fool-proof, creamy bowl of risotto!
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