Beet Risotto Recipe: How to Make Beet Risotto
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Nov 18, 2023 • 3 min read
This flavorful, eye-catching beet risotto—which matches the bright red color of the root vegetable—is the ultimate main dish for any Valentine’s Day celebration or dinner party.
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What Is Beet Risotto?
Beet risotto is a twist on the classic Italian grain dish featuring a red sauce made of roasted beetroots and arborio rice, a starchy variety of short-grain rice. Bathed in a subtly sweet, earthy beet sauce, this creamy starch dish makes a satisfying main course or appetizer.
6 Tips for Making Beet Risotto
Follow these tips to craft a perfect batch of beetroot risotto.
- 1. Use a narrow pot. When cooking risotto, the grains of rice need to maintain near-constant contact with each other to release their creamy starches. Using a pot that is too wide or large will lead to unevenly cooked rice.
- 2. Heat your stock. Warm the vegetable broth in a small saucepan before adding it to the rice. Using cold or room-temperature stock will cool the ingredients down and interfere with the cooking process.
- 3. Add the stock slowly. Adding the liquids (like stock and beet purée) to the rice in small portions allows the grains to absorb the ingredients slowly, making the dish extra creamy. Wait until the rice completely absorbs each portion of stock before adding more.
- 4. Watch the risotto as it cooks. A good rule of thumb for making risotto is to watch it as it cooks, stirring sparingly to aerate it and prevent the bottom from burning. Stirring your risotto too much can make it gummy and porridge-like. However, under-stirring the risotto may lead it to burn in the pan.
- 5. Cook the rice al dente. Overcooking this stovetop dish will result in a porridge-like texture, rather than a chewy, creamy texture. Taste the rice periodically throughout the cooking process until it is al dente, then remove the pot from the heat. The residual heat will continue to cook it.
- 6. Store in the fridge. Leftover beet risotto will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Creamy Beet Risotto Recipe
makes
prep time
25 mintotal time
1 hr 45 mincook time
1 hr 20 minIngredients
For the roasted beets:
For the risotto:
Roast the beets:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Line a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking dish with parchment paper and coat with olive oil.
- 3
Slice the beets in half and place them on the sheet pan.
- 4
Sprinkle the beets with salt and black pepper and stir to coat.
- 5
Roast the beets for 25 minutes.
- 6
Remove the pan from the oven. Using a spatula or tongs, flip the beets.
- 7
Return the beets to the oven and roast until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.
- 8
Peel the skin off the beets and slice them into small wedges.
Make the risotto:
- 1
In a blender or food processor, add half of the beet wedges and 3 cups of vegetable stock and purée until smooth. Set the remaining roasted beet wedges aside.
- 2
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the remaining stock to a low simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- 3
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil.
- 4
Add the shallots to the melted butter and sauté until translucent, about 1–2 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 6
Add the rice to the butter and shallots and stir to coat. Cook the mixture for 4–5 minutes, until the rice is golden brown.
- 7
Add the white wine to the rice mixture, stirring until the rice absorbs all of the wine.
- 8
Ladle a ½ cup of the hot vegetable stock and a ½ cup of the beet purée into your rice mixture. Stir the mixture until the rice absorbs the stock. Continue adding the remaining stock and beet purée, a ½ cup at a time, until the rice absorbs all of the liquid.
- 9
Stirring frequently, cook the rice for about 20–25 minutes, incrementally adding stock and purée until the rice is tender but al dente.
- 10
Add the reserved roasted beet wedges to the pan and stir to incorporate. Season the risotto with salt and pepper to taste.
- 11
Remove the pan from the heat.
- 12
Serve the risotto immediately topped with Parmesan cheese to taste.
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