Spinach and Herb Risotto

I absolutely love risotto, it’s the type of food I could eat everyday! It’s a wonderfully diverse dish because you can incorporate so many different versions/flavors to it, and if you have the base recipe down, you can go almost anywhere with it. It also pairs really well with meat (for those of you with carnivore partners, like me lol)! I have a few favorites that I like to make, but this spinach and herb risotto I created over the weekend has to be one of the best I have made! The spinach, parsley and basil ‘pesto’ that you incorporate at the end adds a great depth of flavor, and makes it feel much healthier getting all those greens in!

Notes

Like any risotto dish, I have used the fundamentals, which is arborio rice, dry white wine, butter and parmesan. I decided to use dairy products in this dish as a treat, but feel free to use non dairy butter and parmesan to keep it vegan, it will work just as well. Risotto also works without the white wine, but it really does add a depth of flavor if it makes no difference to you diet wise!

I like to cook with organic products as much as possible, or use imported products from Europe (the arborio rice in this case), as there are a lot less pesticides used when growing the food. The arborio rice I used was imported from Italy, but if you don’t have access to that, go for non GMO or organic versions where possible. Lundberg have a great offering in this area with lots of organic options, and can be found in most grocery stores! Link below for ease!

https://www.lundberg.com/collections/rice-quinoa

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 3-4 large handfuls washed baby spinach (organic)
• 1.5 handfuls basil (leaves only)
• 1.5 handfuls flat leaf parsley (leaves and stalks), roughly chopped
• 1 cup finely diced shallots (white onion also works)
• 1 tsp ghee or 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3-4 cups veggie stock water
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan plus extra for serving
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

Spinach and Herb Risotto

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Administrator
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 3-4 1x

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Description

Spinach and Herb Risotto with Parmesan Shavings

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Ingredients

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• 3–4 large handfuls washed baby spinach (organic)
• 1.5 handfuls basil (leaves only)
• 1.5 handfuls flat leaf parsley (leaves and stalks), roughly chopped
• 1 cup finely diced shallots (white onion also works)
• 1 tsp ghee or 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3–4 cups veggie stock water
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup shaved parmesan plus extra for serving
• 2–3 tbsp butter
• 2–3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

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Instructions

1. In a frying pan, wilt the spinach for 2-3 mins and set aside.
2. Using a deep saute pan (with high sides), fry your finely chopped shallots in ghee or olive oil for 7-8 mins on a low heat. Shallots should turn translucent but not start to brown. Add the garlic and fry for a further 2-3 mins.
3. While the shallots are frying, measure out your rice, white wine, and stock water (boil water in the kettle if using stock cubes, or heat up the ready made stock).
4. Add your 1.5 cups of rice to the shallots with a dash of extra oil/ghee and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add a generous dash of salt and pepper.
5. Pour your wine into the rice and mix gently, then leave to reduce for a couple of minutes (3-5 mins).
6. Once the wine has reduced enough, start to add the stock to your rice, adding one cup at a time, stirring each time then leaving it to reduce for about 4-5 mins before adding in the next cup. Repeat until stock is finished or until the rice tastes just about ready (about 20-25 mins max). There should still be a good amount of liquid, you don’t want stogy rice. 
7. While you complete step 6, add your wilted spinach, parsley, and basil to a blender. Add about 1/3 cup of boiling water, salt and pepper and blitz until smooth. Be generous with the herbs, the flavor really makes the dish! 
8. Once step 6 is complete, add your butter, parmesan and spinach and herb ‘pesto’ to the risotto. Mix well, turn off the heat and let this sit for a few minutes for all the flavors to come together, the rice will also soften further and absorb more liquid. Serve with parmesan shavings and fresh herbs on top. Enjoy! 

Notes

Like any risotto dish, I have used the fundamentals, which is arborio rice, dry white wine, butter and parmesan. I decided to use dairy products in this dish as a treat, but feel free to use non dairy butter and parmesan to keep it vegan, it will work just as well. Risotto also works without the white wine, but it really does add a depth of flavor if it makes no difference to you diet wise!

I like to cook with organic products as much as possible, or use imported products from Europe (the arborio rice in this case), as there are a lot less pesticides used when growing the food. The arborio rice I used was imported from Italy, but if you don’t have access to that, go for non GMO or organic versions where possible. Lundberg have a great offering in this area with lots of organic options, and can be found in most grocery stores! Link below for ease!

https://www.lundberg.com/collections/rice-quinoa

• Cook Time: 55
• Category: Lunch/Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian