Creamy Beetroot Risotto with Goat Cheese, Wild Garlic and Walnuts is a delicious and colorful dish that blends winter and spring flavors. Ready in 30 minutes — gluten-free, vegetarian and nutritious.
This beetroot risotto with goat cheese, wild garlic and walnuts combines vibrant color with comforting creaminess. Bright, earthy beets pair beautifully with tangy goat cheese and pungent wild garlic, while Parmesan and walnuts add umami and texture. It’s a flexible, crowd-pleasing meal that works well for weeknights or a relaxed weekend dinner.
Beetroot and goat cheese are a classic pairing: the sweet, earthy beetroot and the creamy, tangy goat cheese balance each other, and wild garlic gives the dish a bright, savory edge. Arborio rice provides the starch that makes a risotto glossy and creamy; if you prefer, other grains like quinoa or buckwheat can be adapted, but arborio delivers the traditional texture. Parmesan and walnuts round out the flavors, adding depth and a pleasant crunch.
To save time, roast a batch of beetroots ahead of time. Roasted beets keep well in the fridge and make it quick to assemble this risotto on busy nights. Dice the roasted beets and add them near the end so they keep some texture and color. This recipe is forgiving and versatile — swap in other greens, cheeses or nuts to suit what you have on hand.
The basic risotto method is simple: gently sauté onion and garlic in olive oil, toast the rice briefly so each grain is coated and slightly translucent, then add warm stock slowly, one ladle at a time, stirring until the rice is tender but still has bite. Keep the stock warm on the stove so the risotto doesn’t cool down while you cook. Homemade vegetable stock works wonderfully here and gives the dish a clean, rounded base.
Once the rice is cooked, fold in the diced roasted beetroots, crumbled goat cheese, grated Parmesan, chopped wild garlic, parsley and ground walnuts. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. The goat cheese melts into the risotto and creates a silky finish while the walnuts add a rustic crunch. This risotto is flexible — try variations with mushrooms, asparagus, caramelized pears and blue cheese, roasted pumpkin and chickpeas, or even cauliflower “rice” for a lighter version.
Beetroot Risotto with Goat Cheese, Wild Garlic and Walnuts
Ingredients
- 600 ml or 2 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 2 roasted medium-sized beetroots I used one yellow and one red
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 180 grams arborio rice
- 80 grams soft goat cheese (about ⅓ cup)
- 3 tablespoons chopped wild garlic
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 5 tablespoons ground walnuts
- 50 grams grated Parmesan or another hard cheese for vegetarians
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
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Warm the vegetable stock in a pot over low-medium heat. Peel the beetroots and add the peelings to the stock to enhance color and flavor if you like. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for about 2 minutes until translucent. Add the arborio rice, raise the heat to medium-high and toast for 2 minutes, stirring so the grains are evenly coated.
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Add the first ladle of warm vegetable broth and stir until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue adding stock one ladle at a time, stirring regularly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed between additions. Cook for about 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente).
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Dice the roasted beetroots and crumble the goat cheese. When the rice is cooked, fold in the beetroots, goat cheese, chopped wild garlic, parsley, ground walnuts and grated Parmesan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
What is your favorite risotto? Leave a comment below!
Cheers,
Elena
