Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Name: Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Prep time: 34 min
Cook time: 1 h 26 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 1 lb (about 4 medium) (450 g) medium beets, scrubbed, stems and root tails trimmed to ½ inch; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, divided: 1 cup for the beet purée, 4 cups kept hot; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (¼-inch pieces); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced; 1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature; 1 tbsp leaves (plus a few sprigs or extra leaves for garnish) (3 g) fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems, divided: 2 tsp for the risotto, 1 tsp for garnish; kosher salt, to taste, starting with ½ tsp; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes; ½ cup (30 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated; 4 oz (115 g) fresh goat cheese (chèvre), cold, crumbled into small pieces, divided in half; 2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice; ⅔ cup (70 g) walnut halves, coarsely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy arborio risotto swirled with roasted beet purée for a brilliant magenta color and earthy sweetness, finished with tangy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and fresh thyme.

Prep: 34 min
Cook: 1 hr 26 min
Wait: 22 min
Total: 2 hr 22 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 main-course servings or 6 starter servings)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

For the beets
1 lb (about 4 medium) (450 g) medium beets, scrubbed, stems and root tails trimmed to ½ inch
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the risotto
5 cups (1200 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, divided: 1 cup for the beet purée, 4 cups kept hot
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, peeled and finely diced (¼-inch pieces)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced
1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature
1 tbsp leaves (plus a few sprigs or extra leaves for garnish) (3 g) fresh thyme, leaves picked from stems, divided: 2 tsp for the risotto, 1 tsp for garnish
kosher salt, to taste, starting with ½ tsp
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
To finish
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup (30 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
4 oz (115 g) fresh goat cheese (chèvre), cold, crumbled into small pieces, divided in half
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
⅔ cup (70 g) walnut halves, coarsely chopped

Equipment (8)

Rimmed baking sheet or small baking dish
Aluminum foil
Blender or immersion blender with tall jar
Medium saucepan (3-quart / 3 L) for warming broth
Large, wide, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven (10–12 inch / 25–30 cm)
Small skillet (8-inch / 20 cm) for toasting walnuts
Wooden spoon or flexible spatula
Ladle

Steps

Before you start

Wear an apron and use a plastic or lined cutting board; beet juice stains. Rubber gloves help when peeling.
Beets roast for about 55 minutes and need 20 minutes to cool, so start roughly 1½ hours before you want to eat. You can roast them a day ahead.
Risotto needs your attention for about 30 minutes of steady stirring. Have every ingredient measured and the broth hot before the rice goes in.
Use low-sodium broth. The broth reduces and the cheeses are salty, so you control the seasoning at the end.

1
Roast the beetsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss the scrubbed beets with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Set them on a large sheet of foil, fold into a sealed packet, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast for 50–60 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A paring knife slides into the center of the largest beet with no resistance.
Tip: If your beets differ a lot in size, pull the small ones out early and keep roasting the larger ones.
2
Cool and peel
- Open the foil carefully (steam escapes) and let the beets cool for about 20 minutes, until you can handle them.
- Rub off the skins with a paper towel or gloved fingers and trim off the tops and tails.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Skins slip off easily under light pressure.
Tip: Peel while still warm; cold beets hold their skins more stubbornly.
3
Purée and dice beets
- Cut 2 of the beets into rough chunks and blend with 1 cup (240 ml) of the broth until completely smooth, about 1 minute; scrape into a bowl.
- Cut the remaining 2 beets into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice and set aside separately.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Purée is silky, bright magenta, and has no visible flecks.
Tip: Keep the diced beets apart until the end, or they will bleed and turn everything uniformly dark.
4
Toast the walnuts
- Place the chopped walnuts in a dry 8-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Stir or shake the pan often for 4–5 minutes.
- Tip onto a plate to stop the cooking.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Walnuts smell nutty and are a shade darker, with golden edges.
Tip: Nuts go from toasted to bitter quickly; remove them from the pan as soon as they smell fragrant.
5
Heat the broth
- Pour the remaining 4 cups (960 ml) broth into a medium saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until steaming, not boiling.
- Keep it hot on a back burner with a ladle nearby throughout the risotto.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Broth is steaming and hot to the touch, with tiny bubbles at the edge.
Tip: Cold broth stops the rice cooking and makes it gummy; always add hot broth.
6
Soften the aromatics
- In a large, wide sauté pan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter over medium heat until the butter foams.
- Add the onion and ½ tsp salt and cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning; garlic smells fragrant.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, reduce the heat slightly. Color will muddy the beet's bright hue.
7
Toast rice, add wine
- Add the arborio rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes so each grain is coated and the edges turn translucent while the center stays white.
- Pour in the wine and stir until it has almost fully evaporated, about 2 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rice edges look translucent, and the pan is nearly dry with no sharp wine smell.
Tip: Do not rinse the rice; its surface starch is what makes the risotto creamy.
8
Add broth gradually
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add 2 tsp of the thyme leaves, then ladle in about ¾ cup (180 ml) hot broth.
- Stir often until the liquid is mostly absorbed and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail, about 2 minutes.
- Repeat with more ladles of broth for about 10 minutes total, using about 2 cups (480 ml) of the hot broth.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rice has swollen, the mixture looks loose and creamy, and the grains still have a firm white core.
Tip: Keep a gentle simmer; hard bubbling evaporates the liquid before the rice can soften.
9
Stir in beet purée
- Pour in the beet purée and stir well; the risotto will turn deep magenta.
- Keep adding hot broth ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, stirring often, for another 10–12 minutes.
- You will use most or all of the remaining broth.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Rice is tender with a slight bite in the center (al dente), and the risotto flows slowly into the gap when you drag a spoon through it.
Tip: If you run out of broth before the rice is tender, finish with hot water, 2–3 tbsp at a time.
10
Finish and rest
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Vigorously stir in the cold butter cubes, Parmigiano, and half of the goat cheese (2 oz / 57 g) until creamy.
- Fold in the diced beets, lemon juice, and plenty of black pepper.
- Taste and add salt as needed.
- Cover and rest for 2 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Risotto is glossy and flows like thick lava; it should spread gently when spooned onto a plate.
Tip: If it seems stiff, stir in 2–3 tbsp hot broth or water. Risotto thickens quickly as it sits.
11
Garnish and serve
- Divide the risotto among 4 warm shallow bowls.
- Top with the remaining goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and the remaining 1 tsp thyme leaves.
- Serve immediately.
+ Show details− Hide details
Tip: Warm the bowls under hot tap water and dry them first; risotto cools and tightens fast.

Good to know

Tips

Use a wide pan. More surface area helps the liquid evaporate evenly and the rice cook at an even pace.
Beets vary in sweetness. The lemon juice at the end brightens the flavor, so taste and add a few more drops if the risotto seems flat or too sweet.
Pre-cooked vacuum-packed beets work in a pinch (about 14 oz / 400 g), which skips the first two steps.
Season in layers: a little salt with the onions, then the final salt after the cheeses go in.

Make ahead

"Roast, peel, and refrigerate the whole beets up to 2 days ahead in an airtight container. Toast the walnuts up to 2 days ahead and store at room temperature. The risotto itself is best made right before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 1 hour. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended, as the rice turns mushy. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until creamy and hot, 4–5 minutes. Leftovers also work well formed into patties and pan-fried."

Substitutions

arborio rice → carnaroli or vialone nano rice. Use the same weight; both make a very creamy risotto. Long-grain or basmati rice will not work.
dry white wine → additional broth plus 1 tsp white wine vinegar. Use ½ cup (120 ml) broth and the vinegar to keep the acidity.
walnut halves → toasted pistachios or hazelnuts. Same amount and toasting time.
fresh goat cheese (chèvre) → mascarpone or crumbled feta. Mascarpone is milder and creamier; feta is saltier, so season more carefully.