This creamy, dreamy, and fresh spring 3 Herb and Lemon Vegan Risotto will make you want to sit a bit longer and savor every bite.
Risotto, yo! Super creamy, rich, and fragrant Arborio rice that’s cooked slowly, until it’s plump and perfectly chewy. The cashew cream sauce is flavored with fresh sage, oregano, basil, and lemon juice. When it’s added to the rice, it creates the creamiest risotto. This stuff is so good!
I made 3 herb risotto for Easter dinner for my family yesterday. It was lovely, so lovely that I wanted to share the recipe with you this week. As I was chopping the herbs, and snacking on roasted cashews (a girl has to eat), I had one of those light bulb moments Oprah used to talk about. Why not blend the herbs in a cashew cream sauce with lemon juice, to add even more creaminess and flavor to an already delicious recipe? Why I hadn’t thought of that yesterday, I don’t know? It was really a shame that I hadn’t, because this new and improved sage, oregano, and basil risotto is bravissimo!
How to Make Creamy Herb and Lemon Vegan Risotto
You’ll want to make sure that you have the cashew cream sauce ready to go before you begin to cook the risotto.
The secret to making the perfect risotto is patience. It takes time for Arborio rice to cook. It takes a lot of stirring, adding broth, stirring, and adding broth until the rice is firm and chewy. You don’t want it to be hard in the center, and you don’t want it to be too soft. It should have a nice bite to it.
I start the process by adding the uncooked rice to hot olive oil and stirring to coat. Cook it for a minute in the oil and then add the first cup of broth and stir it up. Now keep stirring, don’t stop. You don’t want the rice to scorch. Which reminds me, make sure to cook it on a low heat setting on your stove. As the broth begins to soak into the rice, add a half cup of broth and keep on stirring. Continue stirring and adding broth by the half cup for another 40 to 50 minutes. To make the time go faster, open the wine and have a glass. After you’ve added all of the broth, it’s time to stir in the wine and stir until the rice absorbs it. The last step is to put all of the cashew cream in the risotto and fold it in until it’s completely combined.
If you have some vegan parmesan, go ahead and sprinkle some on top and garnish with some herbs.
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Vegan Lemon Herb Risotto
Equipment
- 2 risotto or saucepans
- 1 stove
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (NOT brewers or rising yeast)
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup ml unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon ground sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in boiling water for at least 4 hours, or until they turn puffy and soft.
- Drain and rinse the cashews and put them in a high-powered blender. Add the fresh herbs, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, plant milk, salt, and pepper, and blend on a high setting for approximately 2 minutes, or until you get a smooth and creamy sauce.
- In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
- In a large risotto pan or saucepan, heat the oil on medium heat and cook the garlic for 1 minute, add the rice and stir to coat in the oil, cook for one minute while stirring constantly. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of broth and reduce the heat to low, stir constantly. Continue to add a ½ cup (120 ml) of the broth at a time as the previous broth evaporates. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. By the time you’ve added all of the broth, the rice should have tripled in size. Add the wine and stir constantly until it soaks into the rice. Add the cream sauce and stir until combined. Cook for a few more minutes, or until the sauce is warmed through.
- Because cashew cream tends to dry out quickly, eat it as soon as it’s made. Reheat leftovers in a microwave for best results. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
themuffinmyth says
Ohhh, this looks good! I don't think people realize how easily it is to make a basic risotto vegan, but you've taken it to the next level with the cashews. So creamy! Have bookmarked this to try asap!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you Katie! It's so easy. I make it with or without the cashew cream, depending on my mood. Please let me know what you think.
Mel | avirtualvegan.com says
What a lovely flavour! I make my risotto with a cashew cream and it makes it so ridiculously creamy. So good! I would love a big bowl of this with a nice glass of white wine. Perfect!
Linda Meyer says
Cashew cream rocks! I use it in pasta all of the time, why my brain didn't go there with risotto before baffles me. 🙂 Thanks, Mel!
veggiesdontbite says
I love lemon and I love risotto. This looks so delicious!
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Sophia!
spabettie says
I LOVE bright lemon flavors - I know I will like this one, cannot wait to try!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! You can't go wrong with lemon. 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Let me know if you try it. 🙂
Christine @ Run Plant Based says
This looks wonderful, lovely flavors and perfect by itself. Thanks!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Christine!
Uma Srinivas says
Looks creamy and delicious:) I bet this will be so good with all fresh herbs.
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Uma! It's so good with the fresh herbs. 🙂
Dianne says
This looks so good – so perfect for spring!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you!
nicoleanndawson says
I was just looking at a lemon risotto & wanting to make it! However, I'll have to make yours instead 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thanks! Let me know if you make it. 🙂
Ginny McMeans says
Wonderful recipe! I will making this - I hope tonight!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you, Ginny! Let me know what you think.
Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day says
I love the flavors you have going on here. Especially the lemon! I'm all about lemon at the moment. 🙂
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Amy! I'm a huge lemon lover, and spring always makes me crave more.
Jenn says
I love risotto. All the work standing there and stirring is always worth it! This looks super creamy and I love all the lemon and herbs - perfect for spring!
Linda Meyer says
Thanks, Jenn! I think it's so relaxing to stand and stir for so long. The wine might help with that, haha! 🙂
Strength and Sunshine says
Very creamy! Risotto will aways be a favorite comfort dish of mine!
Linda Meyer says
It truly is one of the most comforting foods ever. Thanks, Rebecca!
Becky Striepe says
Oh my goodness, this looks so rich and creamy!
Linda Meyer says
It tastes deceptively fattening, haha! Thanks, Becky!
lifenaturalee says
This is lovely 🙂 I'm precisely about to cook some risotto with baby leeks and I usually use miso (especially now that I'm out of nut yeast!). Loved this recipe with the three herbs!
Linda Meyer says
Thank you! Miso is a great idea, love that. 🙂