This delicious Beetroot Buckwheat Risotto is the perfect dish for any time of year, especially during the mid-to-late summer when seasonal vegetables are at their best. Packed with essential nutrients, this healthy recipe swaps traditional rice for buckwheat, a protein-rich and gluten-free alternative.
Bursting with flavour, the risotto is made even more nutritious with sautéed mushrooms and fresh spinach, creating a satisfying healthy lunch or dinner option. By using seasonal vegetables, this dish not only supports a balanced diet but also promotes sustainable eating.
Enjoy this wholesome meal as part of your healthy eating routine, and boost your nutrition with a dish that’s full of vitamins, minerals, and plant-based goodness.
INGREDIENTS:
Serves 2-4
3-4 large beetroots
3-4 tbsp olive oil
roughly 500ml vegetable stock/ broth (homemade or brought)
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Italian herbs
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp sumac
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 bay leaf
1 cup buckwheat (roasted or unroasted)
100ml coconut milk
salt & pepper
A handful of fresh dill & crushed walnuts
A drizzle of coconut milk
Pesto (homemade or brought)
METHOD:
- Preheat the oven to 180-200º.
- Give your beetroots a good clean, then quarter them removing the tops and tails. Place in a bowl, drizzle with a tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, make sure each piece has a good coating. Then place on a baking sheet to roast for around 30 minutes. The beetroots should be soft when pierced with a knife.
- Once roasted add your beetroots to your blender with some of the vegetable stock. Blend until a smoothie consistency. Do not worry if it is a little runny as this is the base of the risotto and most of the liquid will be cooked off. Put this to one side for now.
- Dice the shallot and mince/ finely chop the garlic. Add these to a pan and sauté with a drizzle of oil and a bay leaf until soft and turning translucent- do not let them brown as they tend to turn bitter. Add in all spices and the buckwheat then give it a good mix together.
- Now add the beetroot/stock combo. If you have made a risotto before treat this in a similar manner – stirring frequently and adding more stock as the risotto thickens up. The buckwheat will take around 15-20 minutes to cook but may vary depending on how hot your pan is and how much you are making.
- For a creamy flavour, we add coconut milk (usually from the can, making sure the cream and water are well mixed) once the buckwheat is cooked, along with a tbsp of lemon juice to balance the flavours.
- Remove the bay leaf and top as you choose, we like to add a spoonful of pesto, a drizzle of coconut milk, some crushed walnuts and fresh dill.
This super easy little side dish is both delicious and great for you! Mushrooms are packed with a ton of essential vitamins and minerals, while spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable, with high amounts of carotenoids (which your body turns into vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium.
INGREDIENTS:
150g of button or field mushrooms
1 bag spinach
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
METHOD:
- Sauté the mushrooms in a pan with the oil and garlic powder for 2-3 minutes.
- Next, Add the spinach and water, then place a lid (or a plate!) on the pan to let the spinach wilt. Once the spinach starts to wilt, take it off the heat and season with salt and pepper, the residual heat in the pan will continue to cook it while you do this.
Like this? check out our Carrot Cake Bliss Balls for a healthy dessert here!
Taste our delicious, healthy cuisine in person at our London restaurants, located within the wellness-focused Inhabit hotel. Enjoy our popular Yeotown dishes, designed to nourish you in a serene, stylish health-conscious environment.
