Creamy Vegan Risotto With Broccoli

A classic/traditional Italian risotto is often considered unhealthy because it normally contains a lot of butter and cheese. But it can be made much healthier, nutrient-rich, with less fat, and the addition of vegetables. It’s actually fairly easy to make a healthy risotto that still turns out creamy, and delicious.

Simple Ingredients

Most of the ingredients used in this homemade vegetable risotto are pantry ingredients, and you maybe already have them at home. These are the ingredients that I used for this vegan broccoli and cheese risotto:

Risotto rice – Use short-grain rice like Aroborio, Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano or Baldo (I always use Aroborio). Oil – You can use vegan butter instead of oil. Vegetable broth – A store-bought vegetable broth is perfectly fine. You can also add a bouillon cube for extra flavor. Broccoli – Use fresh broccoli and cut it into small, bite-sized florets. Onion – I prefer yellow onion for this recipe, but you can also use shallots or red onion. Garlic – It adds a wonderful flavor and has many health benefits. White wine – I recommend a dry wine. You can use vegetable broth if you aren’t using wine. Seasonings – Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice will add a nice flavor. Vegan cheese sauce – I used my homemade cheese sauce (click for the recipe) which is ready in just a few minutes, however, you can use store-bought vegan queso instead.

All ingredients with measurements are in the recipe card below!

How To Make Vegan Risotto?

This creamy rice dish is ready in about 30 minutes. Check the 6 step-by-step photos below. STEP 1: Heat vegetable broth in a saucepan and keep it warm. You will need 2 1/2 to 3 cups in total. STEP 2: In a skillet/frying pan, heat oil or vegan butter. Add the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and arborio rice and sauté for a further one minute. STEP 3: Add white wine (or vegetable broth), stirring frequently until the wine is absorbed. STEP 4: Pour in 1/2 cup vegetable broth and let simmer on low heat until the broth is absorbed. Add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until the broth is absorbed, then add more. STEP 5: After about 10 minutes, stir in salt, black pepper, lemon juice, broccoli florets, and also more veggie broth. Put a lid on the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes, adding more broth if needed. STEP 6: Meanwhile, make a batch of my Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce (or use store-bought vegan queso). Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. STEP 7: Taste and adjust seasonings, garnish with fresh herbs, serve immediately and enjoy.

Helpful Tips & Variations

Why stirring is important: A delicious and creamy risotto is stirred frequently. You don’t need to stir it constantly, but stirring every few minutes is important. Also, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time is a must for the rice to release the starches. This will result in a creamy risotto. Add other veggies of choice: You can add asparagus, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini, or any other veggies of choice. Vegan Parmesan: Of course, you could also add vegan Parmesan for even more flavor. Check out my vegan Parmesan recipe. It’s super easy to make and tastes delicious. How to store: Store leftover risotto in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Can I freeze it? You shouldn’t freeze risotto as it will change the texture once you reheat it.

This Broccoli Risotto Is:

Vegan (dairy-free) Creamy Comforting Cheesy Flavorful Gluten-free Easy to make Perfect as weeknight dinner, entrée, or side dish

Should you give this vegan risotto a try, please leave a comment and rating below, and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I would love to see your dish! ????

Do you love flavorful rice recipes? Then make sure to also check out my other delicious vegan recipes:

Vegan Mushroom Risotto Turmeric Rice Vegan Chickpea Curry with Rice Sweet Potato Curry With Rice Rice And Bean Casserole