This Heart Beet Risotto is just the special touch you need for that amazing Valentine’s Day dinner. Creamy risotto rice with parmesan topped with cut out heart beets from roasted red beets. Simple elegance.
Remember in grade school when you had to decorate your old shoe box as a Valentine’s Day mailbox?
Consider this recipe for Heart Beet Risotto my homemade special valentine slipped into your inbox. I hope it’s one of the best ones that you receive.
The only special tool you need is a tiny heart cookie cutter like this one.
How to Make Beet Risotto
Making risotto does take some time in the kitchen. It’s the continuous simmering and stirring and watching that takes the extra time. It’s well worth your effort.
What is Risotto?
Risotto is a starchier rice variety – either arborio or carnaroli. The starch is what gives the risotto the creamy texture when cooked with broth.
Step 1: Roast the Beets
Roasting beets takes about an hour which is perfect since the risotto will take about the same amount of time. You’ll want to make sure your beets are large enough to accommodate the heart shaped cookie cutter size.
See this beet recipe for Tips on how to roast beets.
Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them, slice into round discs and use a mini heart cookie cutter to make the little heart beets. It’s just like cutting out sugar cookies.
Step 2: Simmer the Risotto
You’ll need broth, white wine, shallots. butter and parmesan to make this risotto. It’s quite a simple process one you get the idea.
- In a small stockpot heat the chicken or vegetable broth. It’s essential to keep the broth warm when adding it slowly to the rice. Otherwise you’ll slow/stop the rice from cooking every time you add cold broth.
- Start by sautéing the shallots in olive oil and butter.
- Add the rice to toast it lightly, coating all the rice in butter and oil.
- Toss in the white wine and cook until it’s almost completely dry.
- Begin adding broth about a cup at a time, stirring frequently until almost absorbed, then add another cup of broth.
- Continue until rice is al dente and/or all broth is used. On occasion you may need to warm more broth or use hot water if the rice is not quite cooked after adding all the broth in your stockpot.
For is there any practice less selfish,any labor less alienated, any time less wasted,
than preparing something delicious and nourishing for people you love?
― Michael Pollan
I could have presented you with something utterly indulgent and sweet. The savory route just seemed so underrepresented.
Don’t miss my Valentine’s Pink Tacos!
Happy Valentine’s Day – Enjoy good nutritious food with someone you love and a little something sweet.
Creamy Beet Risotto rice with parmesan sprinkled with heart beets made from cut out roasted red beets.
- 4 medium red beets
- 4 cups 1 quart low sodium chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped
- 1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp olive oil + more for drizzling on top
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
- Kosher salt to taste
- pepper (I used Aleppo pepper)
-
Wash and dry the beets. (Removing any leaves to saute for later)
-
Toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.
-
Wrap in foil and place on a rimmed cookie sheet.
-
Roast them at 400F for about 45 minutes until tender.
-
When cooled enough to touch, trim the top stem and bottoms. Then peel the skin by rubbing them with a dry paper towel. (Should come off every easily.)
-
Slice them into 1/4″ thick coins and use a mini heart shaped cookie cutter to make hearts!
-
Heat the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock stays nice and warm throughout the process.
-
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.
-
Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice is well coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes or so, toasting the rice until it becomes slightly fragrant, almost nutty. Do not let the rice turn brown.
-
Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
-
Keeping the heat on medium/medium low, begin to add a ladle of warm stock to the rice and stir slowly until the liquid is absorbed. When the rice and pan appear almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process, gently stirring the entire time to prevent hot spots. About 30-35 minutes until tender, but still a little al dente.
-
As it cooks, the rice will take on a creamy consistency but should not become gloppy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn’t done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it’s absorbed. *Remember it will continue to cook at little after you turn off the heat.
-
Once the rice is cooked, stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and season to taste with Kosher salt.
-
Top with herbs, beets, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Optional Add-ins: add some crushed walnuts or pistachios to add a little crunch!
more beet recipes for you to enjoy
This is such a cute idea!
Thanks Kirsti!