Easy Vegan Pea and Mushroom Risotto

March is finally here, and I was hoping it will bring warmer weather and lots of sunshine. And while we had a couple of sunny days and saw an abundance of spring flowers in the gardens, winter would not let go. I still reach for a warm jumper in the morning, a cup of hot tea in the afternoon and a lovely cosy meal to warm my soul. This Easy Vegan Pea and Mushroom Risotto is just like that: creamy, warm, full of flavour, and the taste and colour of the garden peas (even if they are from the freezer!) remind me of spring and give me hope that better days will come. ❤️🌸 🙏

Do you have a favourite food, hot beverage or dessert that cheers you up on a rainy day? ☔️

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS

- 250g arborio rice

- 1 shallot (finely diced)

- 150g garden peas

- 340g button mushrooms (sliced or chopped)

- 3 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp veg bouillon

- 1 tbsp yeast extract

- 700 ml water

- salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the water, the veg bouillon and yeast extract to a pot and bring it to the boil (feel free to use homemade veg stock if you have it at hand).

2. In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a deep, frying pan and sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes, then transfer them to a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and fry the finely diced shallot until slightly golden. Add the rice as well and fry for another minute or so until the rice becomes translucent. Then carefully start ladling some of the hot stock into the rice. Keep an eye on the rice, stir it frequently, making sure it is always moist but never add too much liquid at one time. You may not need all the stock recommended here, as arborio rice can vary from brand to brand.

4. While your risotto is cooking, cook the garden peas for 3-4 minutes and drain them, keeping about 50ml of the cooking water. Add the cooked peas and the cooking water to a blender or food processor, saving a handful for decoration and blitz until you obtain a smooth puree consistency.

5. When your risotto is cooked, stir in the pea puree, season with salt and pepper, heap the mushrooms on the top and sprinkle over the garden peas. Serve immediately and enjoy fresh.

Tip: This Easy Vegan Pea and Mushroom Risotto can be prepared in 5 simple steps, but you can simplify it even further by skipping steps 2 and 4. You can add the mushrooms at the very beginning when you add the diced shallot to the pan, so you won't need the extra tablespoon of olive oil. The garden peas can be cooked with the rice, adding them to the risotto in the last 10 minutes. Please note, that if you wish to skip these steps, your Easy Vegan Pea and Mushroom Risotto will not have this green colour, but a rather brownish shade due to the fried mushrooms and onion.

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