Summer Eggplant Risotto
This creamy Summer Eggplant Risotto is the perfect seasonal vegetarian dish! Risotto is easier to make than you think, thanks to these step-by-step instructions!
Ingredients
Step One
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Large Eggplant ~ 4 cups chopped
- Pinch Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
Step Two
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Peppers diced
- 1/2 White Onion diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes cut into quarters
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- Black Pepper to taste
- 1 Tsp Paprika
- 1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice
- 3/4 Cup Dry White Wine
- 4-5 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 4 Tbsp Salted Butter
- 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- First, chop up your eggplant (keeping the skin on) into ~1/2 inch cubes. You should end up with 4 cups, but it's okay if you have a little more or a little less.
- Add the olive oil to a large pot, and bring to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the chopped eggplant. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Cover the pot, and cook the eggplant for 10-12 minutes total, uncovering every 2 minutes to stir.
- After 10-12 minutes, the eggplant should be slightly browned and tender. Remove from the pot, then set aside on a plate.
- In the same pot, bring another tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat.
- Add the chopped peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add in the arborio rice and mix into the vegetable mixture for one minute. Then, add in the white wine and mix with everything well. Add in the paprika, salt, and fresh-cracked black pepper to paste. Stir well.
- Now comes the time-consuming part. 1/2 - 1 cup at a time, add room-temperature or warmed broth, stirring into the risotto. Let the rice absorb the liquid, and stir occasionally if mixture starts to thicken too much to the point where it starts burning on the bottom. If you get a little burning, don't worry - add in more vegetable broth, and scrape the bottom with a wood spoon, and just continue on the recipe!
- Continue to add 1/2 - 1 of broth at a time, repeating the same step as above. Once you've added in 4 cups of broth, carefully taste a little of the risotto to check the doneness of the rice. You want the rice to be al dente, just like pasta. If the rice is still hard, add in another 1/2 cup of broth and repeat the same step as above. Also check the salt level of the risotto and adjust to your preference.
- Once the rice is al dente, take the pot off the heat. Stir in the butter and the freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Serve the risotto piping hot in bowls. Garnish with herbs, extra cheese, and a little more olive oil, if you'd like.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Many risotto recipes will call for the broth to be kept hot in a pot on the stove, so that it doesn't cool the risotto when you add it in. You can definitely do that, but I've never had an issue with room-temperature broth. Yes, it does temporarily cool down the risotto, but it really doesn't make a difference for the end result.
Tried this recipe?Let me know @wellandfull or tag #wellandfull! :)