Zucchini Risotto
This easy, zucchini risotto recipe is a delicious way to use up all the summer zucchini from your garden. It’s a great as a side dish served with your favorite protein for a healthy dinner, but it also makes a wonderful vegetarian main.
Why I love this zucchini risotto recipe
On the nights that my husband has a hockey game, he is usually gone by 4 or 5 p.m. which leaves me alone for dinner. I usually just make a peanut butter and jelly to bring with me to the game or I eat whatever leftovers we have in the fridge. Sometimes, I’m in the mood for something a little more substantial, and this is usually my go-to.
It’s a great way to use up that one last zucchini you have in the fridge. Plus, it can be a full meal for just one or two people. It’s also a great side dish for four. Since zucchini is plentiful this time of year, I thought now would be a good time to share tasty little dish.
If you’ve never made risotto before, please don’t be intimidated by this dish. In fact, risotto is one of the simplest things to make. It’s just a matter of taking your time and letting each addition of liquid absorb before moving on. And, all that stirring releases the starches from the rice, making it unbelievably creamy.
Ingredients:
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
- Arborio rice – This is the most common rice used in risotto. It should be widely available, but check your organic section if you’re having trouble.
- Onion – I like to use sweet onion for this recipe, but a yellow or white onion will work just fine.
- White wine – Make sure you’re using a dry wine for cooking, preferably not a totally crappy wine either. If you can’t or don’t use alcohol, feel free to use more stock plus a tiny splash of lemon juice or vinegar (about 1 teaspoon).
- Stock/broth – You can use veggie or chicken stock for this recipe. Obviously, chicken stock won’t be vegan-friendly, but use what you have.
- Nutritional yeast – This is a substitute for cheese, and it’s really good in recipes like this where it can get all melted into the dish.
How to make zucchini risotto
Sauté the onion. Heat a large skillet to medium high. Add the olive oil and onion. Sauté until the onion is soft, stirring as often as you need to prevent sticking.
Add the rice. Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil. Let the rice cook until it absorbs any excess oil.
Add the liquids. Starting with the wine, add 1/2 cup of liquid at a time. For each addition, let the rice simmer and absorb all of it before adding the next 1/2 cup.
Stir in zucchini. While the rice cooks, shred the zucchini with a box grater. When all the broth has absorbed, add the zucchini to the pot and all it to cook. Liquids will come out of the zucchini, so let them get absorbed, too.
Season and serve. Before serving, stir in the nutritional yeast (you can also use vegan parmesan) and adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste.
FAQS and tips for making vegan risotto
Typically risotto has parmesan or some type of grated cheese in it, and sometimes melted butter. But, you don’t need dairy to make a creamy risotto. The starches released while you’re cooking creates a beautifully creamy texture for vegan risotto.
Yes. You can use vegetable stock in place of chicken for risotto. It’s a great way to make any risotto vegetarian or vegan.
You definitely don’t want to rinse risotto before cooking it. That would remove the starches, and make your risotto less creamy.
More zucchini recipes:
- Creamy zucchini soup
- Zucchini muffins
- Chocolate zucchini muffins
- Potage aux legumes (creamy vegetable soup)
- Minestrone soup with meatballs
This zucchini risotto would be a great side for:
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced (about 1/2 – 3/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 small zucchini grated
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast or 2-3 tablespoons vegan parmesan*
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Sauté onion until translucent and add rice, allowing it to absorb any remaining oil.
- Pour the white wine into the pan and allow it to absorb.
- Add broth – a 1/2 cup at a time – allowing each addition be fully absorbed before adding the next, stirring frequently.
- Once broth is incorporated, stir in shredded zucchini. Allow any liquids from the zucchini to absorb into the rice.
- Stir in nutritional yeast and stir to incorporate.
- Before serving, season with salt & pepper, to taste.
