This colourful plant-based risotto with tomato and sweetcorn recipe is a summer favourite of ours. It’s a great one-pot recipe, which requires practically no prep work and uses a lean list of tasty everyday ingredients. Plus it’s filling and super easy to adjust quantities to feed a small family or a big group of friends, a lot like our tasty pasta bake recipe.
A good risotto does require some attention, it’s not a set-and-forget recipe, but it just needs you to stir it occasionally to make sure all the rice is evenly soaking up the flavour of some vegetable broth.
This is another versatile dish, and one that you’ll quickly start to adjust for yourself, perhaps adding some plant-based chicken, seasonings, or going for a different flavour combination all you need to do is keep the onion and garlic rice base, and you could exchange the tomato and sweetcorn for whatever you want to try out.
If you’re feeling experimental a pea and plant-based bacon pairing instead would work well for example. Perhaps try a cheesy, meat-free chorizo combination by adding some nutritional yeast. one thing is for sure, this is a meal that lends itself to a whole range of flavour variations.
Tomato and Sweetcorn Risotto Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white cooking wine (or rice vinegar)
1 Tbsp tomato puree
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup sweetcorn
Ground salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan (optional)
Fresh basil (optional)
Tomato and Sweetcorn Risotto Recipe
This recipe requires very little food prep, simply peel and finely chop the onion. If you’re using garlic cloves then finely chop 2 cloves. And then halve 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, and drain the sweetcorn and measure out 1 cup.
It’s also a good idea to make your 6 cups of vegetable broth ahead of time. Use the water-to-stock ratio stated on the packaging of your chosen brand.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, and the sauté the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften, which will take at least 3 minutes. Then stir in 1 Tbsp of tomato purée, until you have coated the onion and garlic and the purée has started to darken. This will take about 1 minute.
Next add another single Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and tip in 2 cups of Arborio rice, stirring them gently among the oil and vegetables, until the grains start to become glassy and translucent. This shouldn’t take much more than a couple of minutes.
Now pour the 1/2 cup of white cooking wine over the rice and as soon as this has been absorbed into your risotto base add the first cup of vegetable broth to the pan. Adjust the heat of the pan so that the broth is simmering, not over boiling but just bubbling, you don’t want the broth to boil off too quickly and not be absorbed by the rice.
Continue to add each cup of your flavour-packed vegetable broth to the pan, letting each one simmer down and be absorbed by the rice before pouring in the next. You should stir your risotto frequently, ensuring it cooks evenly. Your rice will become creamier with each cup, and you should keep adding the broth until you have one cup left.
At this point, you can add the halved cherry tomatoes and sweetcorn, as well as a few cracks of salt and pepper to taste. Then add the final cup of broth and stir everything together until you are left with a pan of creamy, creamy risotto, and no broth water remaining.
Finally if desired, you can stir in 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast, or vegan Parmesan for an extra creamy risotto, with a rich cheesy flavour. You can also garnish, once served, with some fresh basil leaves.
RISOTTO WITH TOMATO AND SWEETCORN
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white cooking wine or rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp tomato purée
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup sweetcorn
- Ground salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan optional
- Fresh basil optional
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the onion, mince two garlic cloves if not using 2 tsp of pre-minced garlic. Chip in half 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, then drain the sweetcorn and measure 1 cup.
- Make your 6 cups of vegetable broth ahead of time. Use the water-to-stock ratio stated on the packaging of your chosen brand.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil, and the sauté the onion and garlic until the onion starts to soften. Then stir in 1 Tbsp of tomato purée, until you have coated the onion and garlic and the purée has started to darken.
- Next add another single Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and tip in 2 cups of Arborio rice, stirring them gently amongst the oil and vegetables, until the grains start to become translucent.
- Now pour the 1/2 cup of white cooking wine over the rice and as soon as this has been absorbed into your risotto base add the first cup of vegetable broth to the pan. Adjust the heat of the pan so that the broth is simmering.
- Continue to add each cup of vegetable broth to the pan, letting each one simmer down and be absorbed by the rice before pouring in the next. You should stir your risotto frequently, ensuring it cooks evenly. Your rice will become creamier with each cup, and you should keep adding the broth until you have one cup left.
- At this point you can add the halved cherry tomatoes and sweetcorn, as well as a few cracks of salt and pepper to taste. Then add the final cup of broth and stir everything together until you are left with a pan of creamy risotto, and no broth water remaining.
- Finally if desired, you can stir in 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast, or vegan Parmesan for an extra creamy risotto, with a rich cheesy flavour. You can also garnish, once served, with some fresh basil leaves.
Recipe FAQs
How Often Should I Stir My Risotto?
- Constant Stirring: At the beginning of cooking, stir frequently, almost constantly. This helps toast the rice evenly and prevents it from sticking to the pan. You want to coat each grain with the cooking fat (typically butter or olive oil) and heat them evenly.
- Addition of Liquid: When you add liquid (usually hot broth or wine) to the rice, stir more frequently initially to ensure even absorption and cooking. The goal is to maintain a consistent temperature and prevent the rice from sticking to the pan.
- Simmering and Cooking: As the risotto simmers and cooks, you can reduce the frequency of stirring. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. Continue to add more liquid as needed to keep the rice moist.
- Final Stages: In the final stages of cooking, when the rice is almost tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, stir occasionally. This allows the risotto to develop a slight creaminess while still retaining some texture in the rice grains.
What Can I Serve With My Tomato and Sweetcorn Risotto?
- Green Salad: A simple green salad with fresh lettuce, spinach, arugula, or mixed greens can provide a refreshing contrast to the creamy risotto. Add some cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and a zesty vinaigrette for extra flavor.
- Roasted Vegetables: Roasted or grilled vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes can add color and texture to your plate. Drizzle them with olive oil and season with herbs and spices before roasting for extra flavor.
- Garlic Bread: Serve warm slices of garlic bread or a crusty baguette alongside your risotto. The combination of the creamy risotto and the crispy, garlicky bread is heavenly.
