Vegan Tomato and Roasted Garlic Risotto

Name: Vegan Tomato and Roasted Garlic Risotto
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 12 min
Total time: 1 h 32 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 heads (120 g) whole garlic heads, top ¼ inch (6 mm) sliced off to expose the cloves; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, kept hot in a saucepan at a bare simmer; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed; ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature; 1 lb (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice, juices kept; fine sea salt, to taste, about ¾ tsp (4 g) total; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste; 3 tbsp (15 g) nutritional yeast (optional); 2 tbsp (28 g) vegan butter, cold, cut into small pieces (optional); 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed; ½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces just before serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy, dairy-free arborio risotto built on sweet roasted garlic, fresh ripe tomatoes and a spoonful of tomato paste, finished with olive oil, nutritional yeast and a flurry of torn basil.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 12 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 47 min
Makes: 4 main-course servings (about 6 cups / 1.4 L total)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the roasted garlic
2 heads (120 g) whole garlic heads, top ¼ inch (6 mm) sliced off to expose the cloves
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the risotto
4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth, kept hot in a saucepan at a bare simmer
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
1½ cups (300 g) arborio rice, not rinsed
½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, at room temperature
1 lb (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) dice, juices kept
fine sea salt, to taste, about ¾ tsp (4 g) total
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
To finish
3 tbsp (15 g) nutritional yeast (optional)
2 tbsp (28 g) vegan butter, cold, cut into small pieces (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
½ cup, loosely packed (15 g) fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces just before serving

Equipment (6)

Baking sheet or small oven-safe dish with foil
Large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet (3–4 qt / 3–4 L)
Medium saucepan (2 qt / 2 L) for hot broth
Ladle (about ½ cup / 120 ml)
Wooden spoon or flexible spatula
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Roasted garlic can be made up to 3 days ahead; if you do that, skip to step 3 and save about 50 minutes.
Use ripe, fragrant tomatoes. In winter, substitute one 14.5-oz (400 g) can of diced tomatoes with their juice.
Keep the broth hot on a back burner the whole time. Cold broth stalls the cooking and makes the rice gummy.
Do not rinse the arborio rice. Its surface starch is what makes the risotto creamy.

1
Roast the garlicOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Set the garlic heads cut-side up on a square of foil, drizzle each with ½ tbsp (7 ml) of the roast oil, and wrap tightly.
- Place on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes.
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Ready when: Cloves are deep golden, very soft and squeeze out like paste when pressed
Tip: If the cloves still feel firm, re-wrap and roast 10 minutes more.
2
Cool and mash garlic
- Unwrap the garlic and let it cool for 10 minutes until comfortable to handle.
- Squeeze the cloves from their skins into a small bowl and mash with a fork into a smooth paste.
- Discard the skins.
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Ready when: Garlic forms a smooth, spreadable paste with no lumps
Tip: Use this time to dice the onion and tomatoes.
3
Prep tomatoes and broth
- Core and dice the tomatoes, keeping all their juices in a bowl.
- Dice the onion.
- Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until it barely simmers, then reduce to low to keep it hot.
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Ready when: Broth is steaming with tiny bubbles at the edges
4
Soften the onion
- Heat the 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil in the large pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat; browned onion makes the risotto taste bitter.
5
Toast rice and paste
- Stir in the tomato paste and half of the mashed roasted garlic.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly.
- Add the rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes so every grain is coated in oil.
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Ready when: Grain edges turn translucent while the centers stay white and the paste smells sweet and brick-red
Tip: Don't skip toasting; it helps the grains stay distinct instead of mushy.
6
Deglaze with wine
- Pour in the wine and stir, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom.
- Simmer for about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The wine is almost fully absorbed and the pot smells no longer sharp of alcohol
7
Add broth gradually
- Add 1 ladleful (about ½ cup / 120 ml) of hot broth and stir until nearly absorbed, when a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a brief trail.
- Repeat, adding broth one ladle at a time and stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Maintain a gentle bubble; adjust the heat as needed.
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Ready when: Rice looks creamy and loose, and grains are starting to swell but still firm in the center
Tip: Stir often but not nonstop; constant vigorous stirring can break the grains.
8
Add tomatoes and finish cooking
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the remaining roasted garlic.
- Continue adding broth a ladle at a time for 8–10 more minutes.
- Taste a grain at 8 minutes.
- You will likely use most or all of the broth.
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Ready when: Rice is tender with a slight bite (al dente) in the center, and the risotto flows slowly like thick porridge when the pot is tilted
Tip: If broth runs out before the rice is tender, add hot water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time.
9
Finish and rest
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, vegan butter, lemon juice, and plenty of black pepper.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Cover and rest for 3–5 minutes, then stir in most of the torn basil.
- Serve immediately in warm bowls topped with the remaining basil.
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Ready when: Risotto is glossy, creamy and slightly loose; it will thicken on the plate
Tip: Risotto thickens quickly; if it tightens before serving, stir in a splash of hot broth or water.

Good to know

Tips

Use a wide pot so the liquid evaporates evenly and the rice cooks in a thin layer.
Taste for salt only at the end, since broth and tomato paste both add salt.
For deeper tomato flavor, add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes along with the diced tomatoes.
Serve straight away on warm plates; risotto continues to thicken as it sits.

Make ahead

"Roast and mash the garlic up to 3 days ahead; store in a covered container in the fridge with a thin film of olive oil. Risotto itself is best served immediately."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 1 hour after cooking. Fridge: cool quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended as the texture turns grainy, though it can be frozen up to 1 month for arancini-style patties. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of broth or water, stirring until hot and creamy (about 5 minutes)."

Substitutions

dry white wine → Extra vegetable broth plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Use ½ cup (120 ml) broth for an alcohol-free version; it gives similar acidity.
ripe tomatoes → One 14.5-oz (400 g) can diced tomatoes with juices. Good off-season; reduce the broth by about ¼ cup (60 ml).
vegan butter → 1 extra tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil. Gives a slightly less rich finish but is still creamy.
arborio rice → Carnaroli rice. Same quantity; it is a bit more forgiving and may need a couple extra minutes.