Tomato Feta Risotto
Layers of roasted tomato, creamy feta and toasted pine nuts make for a delish risotto.
A flavourful rice dish that’s perfect for entertaining or just a cosy night in. Pop the tomatoes in a tray and let the oven do the work, creating the most delish sauce for the rice to simmer in.
Put on a good playlist, pour your favourite drink and settle in for an hour of slow cooking, because good risotto takes time.
The hardest part of making risotto is being patient! I promise, the rest is super simple and this recipe is nice and easy to follow. Here are my top tips for making sure your risotto is lush af.
Keep the heat low
You want your rice to be simmering nice and gently so that the rice has time to soak up the stock and cook through evenly. If your stock is boiling away vigourously, the rice won’t have time to soak up the liquid before it evaporates. So, keep the heat low.
Stir stir stir
I was seriously about the drink and the playlist. Settle in comfortably beside the stove and don’t stop stirring if you can. This helps with preventing the mad evaporation of all the delish liquid that’s going to cook your rice.
Taste test
Check that the rice is fully cooked before you take it off the heat. Sometimes you’ll need to add more liquid than what’s included in this recipe, so test your rice and adjust accordingly.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this risotto with fresh basil and toasted pine nuts.
A side of focaccia will never go astray alongside this delish rice dish.
Don’t forget a little drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper just before serving. Yum!
More Healthy Recipe Ideas
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More Healthy Recipe Ideas 〰️
Tomato Feta Risotto
Ingredients
- 8 small roma tomatoes (500-600g)
- 3-4 small shallots, or one large brown onion
- 200g danish feta
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup salt-reduced stock
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 cups salt-reduced stock
- 50g butter
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- Fresh basil
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan-forced).
- Wash and pat dry the tomatoes. Slice the tomatoes in half, then place in a large baking tray.
- Peel and halve the shallots, adding them to the tray also. Drizzle generously with olive oil and season with a scant pinch of salt. Toss the tomatoes and the shallots in the oil until well coated.
- Nestle the feta in between the tomatoes and shallots, drizzling with a little olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes, until the shallots are completely soft.
- Blend the roasted tomatoes, onions, and feta together with 1 cup of stock and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Set aside.
- *Note: you can make the tomato feta mixture in advance. It’s also delicious as a pasta sauce!
- To make the risotto, place the stock in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, keeping the stock warm.
- Choose the largest pan you have with tall sides. Place it onto a medium heat and add the arborio rice. Toast the rice in the dry pan, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes.
- Use a ladle to add one scoop of warm stock to the rice, stirring well. If the stock is simmering rapidly, reduce the heat.
- Continue stirring, gradually adding more stock as the rice absorbs the liquid.
- When you run out of stock, add half of the tomato feta sauce and stir. When most of the liquid is absorbed, add the other half of the mixture.
- Test the rice to make sure that it is cooked. If it is undercooked, you may need to add more water or stock to help the rice cook. Continue to gently simmer the rice while stirring until it is fully cooked.
- Taste and adjust with salt as needed.
- When the rice is cooked through, make sure that the sauce around the rice is nice and loose. As it cools it will thicken, so aim to have a little more liquid in the pot than you think you need.
- Take the pot off the heat.
- Add the knob of butter and stir through. Place a lid on the risotto and leave to sit for 5 minutes.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden. Set aside.
- Serve the risotto immediately, finishing with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
