All that Thanksgiving recipe research I did yesterday made me hungry, & I was ready to make a scrumptious meal. It was cold & rainy evening, so the obvious choice would’ve been a hearty stew. But I had something else in mind…
I absolutely love risotto for so many reasons! First, it is versatile. You can tailor risotto to the season – asparagus & pea in the spring, tomato & basil in the summer, butternut squash in the fall. Second, it’s fun to make. It may require some TLC, but I enjoy the process of standing over the stove, stirring with one hand & sipping a glass of wine with the other! Next, it’s great as a meatless main dish, but also makes a nice side. Finally, it’s always a crowd pleaser! So on that damp & dreary Sunday, I put on my slippers, lit some candles, poured some wine & made a fit-for-fall risotto. I was craving rich & warm “Thanksgiving-ish” flavors. I remembered a recipe I saw here, took a quick inventory of pantry items & found that I had pumpkin puree, a few sweet potatoes, ginger, sage & all the other elements needed & my vegan version was born…
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 Tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 cups organic vegetable broth
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- pinch ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut sweet potato into ¾” cubes, drizzle with evoo & sprinkle with sea salt. Place on a foil lined baking sheet & roast for about 25-30 minutes, or until very tender.
- Meanwhile, bring vegetable broth to a simmer in a small stockpot. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add shallot & saute until translucent, but not brown.
- Add rice to the shallot mixture, stir to coat the rice in the oil, then toast rice for about 2 minutes. Add wine & simmer about 2 minutes, until mostly absorbed.
- Add 2 ladles worth of broth, plus sage, salt & pepper, nutmeg, ginger & pumpkin puree. Stir frequently until broth is almost absorbed. Repeat adding 1 ladle at a time until broth is all used. Remove from heat and stir in sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast, season if needed & serve.
Let it shine as a main dish, or serve in individual ramekins as a satisfying side.
Enjoy!
Vegenista's Kitchen is a plant powered food blog dedicated to eating consciously & living compassionately.
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