Creamy quinoa risotto that can be cooked in under 45 minutes from start to finish. To top it off, the quinoa risotto is topped off with roasted brassica florets (I used a combination of cauliflower and broccoli florets, but any roasted vegetables would be great with this).
Ingredients
5 to 6cupssmall caulfilower or broccoli florets, or a mixtureroughly 1 to 1½ inch in size
2tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoonsextra virgin olive oildivided
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the small florets on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast the florets until the edges are evenly brown and crispy, flipping the pieces over occasionally to ensure equal doneness, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
While the florets roast, in a blender, puree the white beans with the lemon juice, nutritional yeast (or grated parmigiano cheese if using), 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of the olive oil, and ⅓ cup (80 mL) of the stock. As soon as you have a smooth and creamy purée, stop the blender. Set the bean purée aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil in a braised or medium-sized soup pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the fresh thyme and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the rinsed quinoa to the pot and stir to coat in the oil, herbs, and shallots. Then, add the remaining 2 cups (480 mL) stock to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the quinoa has absorbed almost all of the liquid, about 13 to 15 minutes.
Scrape the bean purée into the pot and stir to combine. The quinoa should have a creamy consistency without seeming dry. If it seems dry, add a good splash of stock.
Season the risotto with salt and pepper. Add half of the parsley to the pot and stir to mix throughout. Divide the quinoa risotto among 4 bowls. Top all portions of risotto with the crispy roasted florets and remaining parsley. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top if you like. Serve hot.
Tips for Success:
Mix it up by substituting the roasted broccoli or cauliflower with other roasted vegetables. Roasted squash, Brussels sprouts, or mushrooms would also work wonderfully for this dish.
This recipe is reprinted with permission from The First Mess Cookbook by Laura Wright (Avery, Spring 2017). I’ve included a few of my own adaptations above.