A Tomato and Basil Risotto is an easy no stir quick risotto. If you've never made a risotto before, this tomato one is a great to get started with. Whilst I do like stirring a risotto and find it quite relaxing, sometimes it's good to have a bit of breathing space. In this recipe, you start off with the risotto on the hob. You then add all the stock at once along with the tomatoes and let it finish off in the oven.
Cooking a risotto in the oven gives a slightly different finish and is possibly not quite as creamy, but for this Tomato and Basil Risotto, I think it works well. I've added a poached egg to the top for some extra protein. Breaking the yolk of the poached egg over the tomato risotto is truly delicious. Add a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves to the top for added colour. Fresh basil goes so well with tomatoes. If you want a vegan tomato risotto, then leave off the egg and replace the parmesan cheese with a vegan cheese alternative.
Risotto Rice
People ask if you can use normal rice in a risotto. Using normal rice won't give you the same flavour or importantly texture. Your risotto will likely be quite mushy and not at all creamy. Risotto rice is called Arborio Rice. Arborio Rice has shorter grains and a slightly nutty flavour. It will also stay a bit firmer than other rice when cooked. This special risotto rice has a higher natural starch content than other rice. It is the release of this starch that gives your risotto its nice creamy texture.
Sustainability
This Tomato and Basil risotto is a great vegetarian dish and an easy choice for a meat free day. All the ingredients can be bought organic. Organic products generally have a lower carbon footprint than non organic. If you can't buy all the ingredients organic, you might like to choose just one or two. For more information about the difference organic products can make, check out my How to Eat Sustainably page.
Storing Freezing and Reheating Risotto
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. You can store this Tomato and Basil risotto without the egg, in the fridge for 1 -2 days. Make sure when you reheat it that it is piping hot. You may also need to add a little extra stock to loosen it. A risotto unfortunately doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy. Any leftovers from this risotto would make a great lunch the next day as this is also good to eat cold. Make sure to store it in the fridge as rice shouldn't be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Quick Tomato and Basil Risotto with Poached Egg
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil organic, fairtrade
- 10 g butter organic
- 1 red onion organic, finely chopped
- 400 g risotto rice organic
- 150 ml white wine organic, fairtrade or vermouth
- 400 g chopped tomatoes organic, use tinned
- 800 ml vegetable stock organic
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade
- 50 g Parmesan cheese organic, grated
- 10 g basil leaves organic, chopped
- 4 eggs organic
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Add the olive oil and butter to an oven proof casserole dish and over a medium heat fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the rice and fry for 1 minute. Keep stirring. Add the white wine or vermouth and stir until it is all absorbed.
- Stir in the tomatoes and hot stock and season with freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a tight fitting lid or several layers of tin foil and cook in the oven for around 20 minutes until the liquid is all absorbed and the rice is tender.
- When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, pour boiling water about 1 inch deep into a large frying pan. Keep the water to a simmer and gently break the eggs into the water. Let them simmer for 1 minute exactly. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the eggs in the water for 9 minutes. They should be ready at the same time as the risotto.
- Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in the parmesan cheese and leave it to stand for 5 minutes, which allows it to go all creamy.
- Stir in the basil leaves and serve with a poached egg on top of each portion.
Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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