Recipe for spelt risotto with tomato, spinach, and basil
I think risotto might be one of my favorite dishes; it is so creamy and delicious, packed with flavor, and there are endless possibilities to vary the ingredients. In this version, I’ve made the risotto as a vegetarian dish and filled it with tomato, spinach, basil, and of course, parmesan. It tastes absolutely amazing!
In this risotto, I have used spelt instead of risotto rice, thereby saving a lot on carbohydrates. Spelt is great in risotto dishes as it absorbs a lot of liquid and achieves that perfect creamy yet slightly al dente consistency that we desire in risottos.
And they are healthy and filled with dietary fiber, protein, and vitamins. What’s not to like! So, you have here a dish that can somewhat fall under the category of comfort food without being sinful, as such dishes tend to be.
In fact, it can be enjoyed with a very good conscience and it tastes heavenly!
Spelt Risotto with Tomato, Spinach, and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 pcs. Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 27 gram Oil
- 10 pcs. Cherry Tomatoes
- 50 gram Sundried tomatoes
- 80 gram Spelled Kernels
- 100 gram White Wine
- 2 gram Basil fresh and chopped
- 8 gram Tomato Puree
- 300 gram Vegetable Broth
- 9 gram Parmesan grated
- 1 handful Fresh spinach
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, and sauté them in a pan with the oil. Sauté until the onions become soft.
- Cut the tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and add to the pan. Sauté for a few more minutes.
- If you haven't done so already, reduce to medium heat and add the spelt kernels and white wine. Stir the pan until the white wine is absorbed by the spelt kernels.
- Add basil and tomato paste to the pan along with 1 dl of the bouillon. Let it simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced.
- For the next 20 minutes, intermittently moisten the risotto with your bouillon. This works out to be about 1/2 dl every 5 minutes.
- By now, you should have a good, creamy risotto that is neither too wet nor too dry, with spelt kernels that are tender but still have a slight bite.
- Possibly season with salt and pepper and serve your risotto with parmesan on the side for sprinkling.