Perfect Vegetable Risotto Recipe

This vegetable risotto recipe combines two of our favorite things: fresh veggies and super creamy risotto rice. It’s fun to make and with our tips to guide you, it’s easy!

We’re excited to share this recipe developed with our chef friend, Richard Hattaway. Thanks to Richard’s restaurant trick, making risotto at home is now easier than ever. Instead of the usual continuous cooking, this recipe breaks the process into two stages. You can do most of the cooking up to 4 days ahead, then finish it in just 10 minutes right before serving.

Of course, you can still make the recipe all at once if you prefer, but this two-stage method makes risotto much more convenient for busy schedules. For another risotto recipe, see our mushroom risotto.

Key Ingredients

• Rice: The best rice for risotto are Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano since they are all short-grain rice varieties with a high starch content. We use Carnaroli in our kitchen since it makes creamy risotto and is more forgiving when it comes to overcooking.
• Broth: A good vegetable broth and even chicken broth work perfectly well in this recipe, but we love our easy tomato broth for a summery tomato risotto base (that is what we have used in our photos).
• White Wine: Whenever you cook with wine, the most important thing to remember is to use something you enjoy. We use a light, dry white wine like Pino Gris, Albariño, Grüner Veltliner, or Sauvignon Blanc for this veggie risotto. Wine adds flavor and some acidity. If you prefer to leave it out, replace it with more broth and sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over the risotto before serving.
• Veggies: We love risotto with veggies. You have some leeway when it comes to the vegetables. We use yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, and fresh herbs. These are the same veggies we use to make our reader favorite veggie lasagna.
• Butter: There’s no cream in this risotto (thanks to the rice, it is creamy enough), but a generous pat of butter adds to the creamy, luxurious texture. For vegan risotto, use plant-based butter.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: I’m generous with the cheese and recommend you do the same. For a vegetarian risotto, swap the Parmigiano-Reggiano for a vegetarian-friendly cheese like mozzarella, ricotta, or vegetarian parmesan. For vegan risotto, swap for a bit of nutritional yeast.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Vegetable Risotto

Tip 1: How to make risotto (a quick overview). Making risotto gets a bad rap for being complicated and fussy, but with a reliable method, it’s very doable. Here’s what happens step-by-step:

1. Cook aromatics (onion, bell pepper, garlic).
2. Toast the rice.
3. Add wine and simmer until it reduces.
4. Add broth gradually, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking.
5. Finish with quick-cooking vegetables (like zucchini and yellow squash).
6. Stir in butter and cheese, and serve.

Tip 2: Use a heavy-bottomed pan and a wooden spoon. Choose a wide, heavy-bottomed pan so you have room to stir. A wooden spoon is ideal for risotto (a tip from Richard, who says it helps create a creamier texture).

Tip 3: Continue adding broth as the rice cooks. Let the rice absorb liquid slowly. When the broth is mostly absorbed, add more. Stir occasionally, not constantly. Just enough to keep the rice from sticking. When the rice is almost tender but still firm in the center, it’s about 75% cooked.

Tip 4: Use the two-part method (excellent for entertaining). When the rice is tender but still firm in the center (about 75% done), you can finish and serve, or pause and store the risotto for later.

1. Part 1, store for later: Spread the partially cooked risotto on a baking sheet and cool quickly in the freezer. Transfer to containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
2. Part 2, finish when ready to serve: Return the rice to your wide pan with chopped zucchini/yellow squash and a splash of broth. Stir often, adding more broth as needed, until the risotto is creamy and the rice is just tender. Season with salt and pepper, stir in chopped tomatoes, then finish with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Tip 5: Add the optional eggplant puree. Roasted eggplant adds even more savory flavor and extra creaminess. We’ve included instructions below if you’d like to use it.

Serving Suggestions

This dish works really well on its own, but you can always add more to round out the meal. Consider a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette or a homemade Caesar on the side.

You can add some protein with poached shrimp, simple baked salmon, or these lemon chicken thighs. And, I love a nice slice of roasted garlic bread or focaccia with this olive oil bread dip.

More Vegetable Recipes