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Mushroom and Kale Risotto
55 min
2 Base Servings
A classic stovetop mushroom and kale risotto using healthy brown rice for an incredible, nutty texture.
This Mushroom and Kale Risotto is a wonderful stovetop recipe. Since it uses healthy brown rice instead of white arborio rice, it takes a bit longer to simmer but yields an incredible, nutty texture.
Why This Recipe Works
To make it fully vegan, dairy butter and cheddar cheese have been swapped for olive oil and nutritional yeast (or vegan cheddar), which perfectly replicates that rich, savory depth while keeping it entirely plant-based. The brown rice stands up well to the long simmer, slowly absorbing the savory vegetable broth while maintaining a satisfying bite.
Chef's Pro-Tips
- Speed it up: If you want to make this quicker, you can use white arborio rice to cut the simmering time in half!
- Flavor lift: Try adding a splash of dry white wine just before adding the vegetable stock for an authentic Italian flavor lift.
Ingredients
2 Servings
- 180 gwhite button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 largekale leaves, woody stalks removed and leaves finely chopped
- 130 gbrown rice
- 0.5 mediumbrown onion, finely diced
- 2 clovesgarlic, minced
- 20 mlextra virgin olive oil
- 40 gvegan cheddar cheese (or 3 tbsp nutritional yeast)
- 2 tspvegetable stock paste
- 500 mlboiling water
- 1 to tastesea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- Prepare the stock: Whisk the 2 teaspoons of vegetable stock paste into the 500 ml of boiling water until fully dissolved. Keep this liquid warm on the side.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 3 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Toast the rice: Stir in the brown rice and cook for 1 minute, moving it constantly so it toasts slightly and absorbs the garlic oil.
- Simmer the rice: Pour half of the warm vegetable stock into the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn the heat to medium-low, and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining stock, cover again, and cook for another 10 minutes until the rice is nearly tender.
- Cook the mushrooms: Stir the sliced mushrooms directly into the rice mixture. Cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are soft and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Wilt and fold: Stir in the chopped kale and the vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the kale wilts into the hot rice and the cheese melts.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pan from the heat, cover with the lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken into a creamy finish. Season with sea salt and black pepper before serving.