Creamy broccoli risotto with vegan cheese! This flavorful weeknight dinner is very simple and doesn’t contain many ingredients. It’s also gluten-free, comforting, cheesy and ready in about 30 minutes!
A classic/traditional Italian risotto is often considered unhealthy because it normally contains a lot of butter and cheese. But it can be made much healthier, nutrient-rich, with less fat, and the addition of vegetables. It’s actually fairly easy to make a healthy risotto that still turns out creamy, and delicious.
Simple Ingredients
Most of the ingredients used in this homemade vegetable risotto are pantry ingredients, and you maybe already have them at home.
These are the ingredients that I used for this vegan broccoli and cheese risotto:
- Risotto rice – Use short-grain rice like Aroborio, Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano or Baldo (I always use Aroborio).
- Oil – You can use vegan butter instead of oil.
- Vegetable broth – A store-bought vegetable broth is perfectly fine. You can also add a bouillon cube for extra flavor.
- Broccoli – Use fresh broccoli and cut it into small, bite-sized florets.
- Onion – I prefer yellow onion for this recipe, but you can also use shallots or red onion.
- Garlic – It adds a wonderful flavor and has many health benefits.
- White wine – I recommend a dry wine. You can use vegetable broth if you aren’t using wine.
- Seasonings – Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice will add a nice flavor.
- Vegan cheese sauce – I used my homemade cheese sauce (click for the recipe) which is ready in just a few minutes, however, you can use store-bought vegan queso instead.
All ingredients with measurements are in the recipe card below!
How To Make Vegan Risotto?
This creamy rice dish is ready in about 30 minutes. Check the 6 step-by-step photos below.
STEP 1: Heat vegetable broth in a saucepan and keep it warm. You will need 2 1/2 to 3 cups in total.
STEP 2: In a skillet/frying pan, heat oil or vegan butter. Add the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and arborio rice and sauté for a further one minute.
STEP 3: Add white wine (or vegetable broth), stirring frequently until the wine is absorbed.
STEP 4: Pour in 1/2 cup vegetable broth and let simmer on low heat until the broth is absorbed. Add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until the broth is absorbed, then add more.
STEP 5: After about 10 minutes, stir in salt, black pepper, lemon juice, broccoli florets, and also more veggie broth. Put a lid on the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes, adding more broth if needed.
STEP 6: Meanwhile, make a batch of my Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce (or use store-bought vegan queso). Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine.
STEP 7: Taste and adjust seasonings, garnish with fresh herbs, serve immediately and enjoy.
Helpful Tips & Variations
Why stirring is important: A delicious and creamy risotto is stirred frequently. You don’t need to stir it constantly, but stirring every few minutes is important. Also, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time is a must for the rice to release the starches. This will result in a creamy risotto.
Add other veggies of choice: You can add asparagus, green peas, cauliflower, zucchini, or any other veggies of choice.
Vegan Parmesan: Of course, you could also add vegan Parmesan for even more flavor. Check out my vegan Parmesan recipe. It’s super easy to make and tastes delicious.
How to store: Store leftover risotto in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze it? You shouldn’t freeze risotto as it will change the texture once you reheat it.
This Broccoli Risotto Is:
- Vegan (dairy-free)
- Creamy
- Comforting
- Cheesy
- Flavorful
- Gluten-free
- Easy to make
- Perfect as weeknight dinner, entrée, or side dish
Should you give this vegan risotto a try, please leave a comment and rating below, and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I would love to see your dish! ????
Do you love flavorful rice recipes? Then make sure to also check out my other delicious vegan recipes:
- Vegan Mushroom Risotto
- Turmeric Rice
- Vegan Chickpea Curry with Rice
- Sweet Potato Curry With Rice
- Rice And Bean Casserole
Vegan Risotto With Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil or vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup (200 g) risotto rice (e.g. Arborio)
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups (600-700 ml) vegetable broth warmed on the stovetop
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine (vegan) or more broth
- 3 cups (225 g) broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
- 1 batch vegan cheese sauce or store-bought vegan queso
Instructions
- Pour 3 cups of vegetable broth into a saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Keep it on the stovetop to reheat if needed.
- Heat oil or vegan butter in a skillet/frying pan. Add onion and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in minced garlic and arborio rice and sauté for a further one minute or until the rice is opaque and nicely toasted.
- Pour in 1/2 cup of wine to deglaze the pan, stirring frequently until the wine is absorbed.
- Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth to the rice, and let simmer on low heat until the broth is absorbed. Stir frequently to achieve a creamy risotto. Add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time until the broth is absorbed, then add more.
- After about 10 minutes, add salt, black pepper, lemon juice, broccoli florets, and more broth. Put a lid on the pan and let simmer for about 10 minutes, adding more broth if needed and stirring frequently. You will need about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetable broth in total until the rice is cooked.
- Meanwhile, make a batch of my easy vegan cheese sauce (or use store-bought vegan queso). Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt/pepper/lemon juice to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs, serve immediately and enjoy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Read the "Helpful Tips And Variations" in the blog post above.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Simple and Delicious Vegan Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
Wow this was so incredibly creamy and delicious! Loved the combo of the white wine and broccoli. And your quest sauce – no words. Very very delicious. Thank You!
Happy to hear it turned out delicious, Sabrina. 🙂
This was good but I think I would use :Silk 1/2 & 1/2 for a less coconut taste, recipe was quick and easy will def make again!!!
Thanks for your feedback, Danielle. 🙂
I’m blown away how good this was! Husband loved it! I’ve never made rissoto before or even rice without a rice cooker and this turned out perfect. I used the pre made vegan queso you can get at Costco. Soooo good! Will for sure make next time we have guests.
Awesome! Happy you loved it, Crystal. 🙂
This has become a staple in our household over the past year, and it’s a go-to for when we have guests. We use jasmine rice and it turns out great! It’s a forgiving recipe if you want to addore veggies- we’ve done 16oz of broccoli and 16oz of mushrooms and it was amazing.
That’s good to hear, Brenna! So happy you liked it. 🙂
Could you sub normal rice for risotto rice if I have regular brown rice in the house?
Hi Deanna, I really wouldn’t recommend using brown rice. Short-grain rice will make the risotto creamy because of the starch, but that won’t work with brown rice. 🙂
Gotcha thank you! How would you change the recipe for pre-cooked rice? Sautee the onion on its own & steam the broccoli on its own and add into the onion pan with cooked rice and cheese sauce ya?
Yes, that should be fine, Deanna. 🙂
Hi Ela
Jura made this beautiful meal & think it is the best meal I have ever had
Amazing flavours
Can’t wait to make it myself
Thanks so much
Wil
Hi Wil! I am so glad it turned out very flavorful and delicious. Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Wow! Just made this fantastic risotto and it’s delicious! The cheese sauce is so easy and the best one I’ve ever made ????
You’re brilliant Ela! Thanks so much…I love your recipes! ????
Thanks so much for your kind feedback, Jura! I am so glad you enjoyed the meal. 🙂
Nice recipe ???????? and healthy too
But please make more videos also so it will be easy for us to cook..❤
Hi Ray, there is actually a video in that blog post. Plus I have over 100 other videos on my blog. 🙂
So easy and delicious! Thank you!!
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe, Nicki! 🙂
Thank you for recipe! Definitely It will be my favourite: delicious, easy to cook, healthy, I like it!!!
I am glad you liked the recipe, Jelena. 🙂
Loved this recipe! The steaming of the broccoli helped reduce the stirring time and the cheese sauce totally topped it off!
Awesome, I am glad you loved the recipe! 🙂
i can’t drink alcohol would it be possible to substitute the wine with something else?
Hi Ryan, you can use more vegetable broth as mentioned in the recipe. 🙂
Oh Ela! What a winner this dish is! Easy to make and delicious. Thank you for posting this recipe. I really enjoy cooking all your recipes!
You are very welcome, Beth! I am happy you enjoy my recipes. 🙂
I tried it. It’s yummy. Thanks for the delicious recipe
You are welcome, Rajul! I am glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Really good! Thanks ????
You are welcome, dear! I am glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Absolutely loved this recipe and I couldn’t believe how good and easy the cheese sauce was to make and how it tasted. This recipe will definitely be on high rotation in our house from now on! Thank you ????????
That’s wonderful, Kim! I am glad you enjoyed the dish. Thanks so much for your kind feedback. 🙂
So good,so easy to make
Thanks for your feedback, Michael! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
So yummy!!! I love your recipes!
Thank you, Pam! I am so glad you love my recipes. 🙂
So so so good!!
I am glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for your feedback, Paige. 🙂