Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese is a delicious dish that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day but craveable every day of the year!
Table of Contents
Love or hate the holiday, Valentine’s Day is coming. What’s more suitable than a bowl of bright red beet risotto with goat cheese? Plus, this beet risotto with goat cheese is the perfect dish to cook with your date.
There’s not a lot of work, just a lot of stirring. So, there’s plenty of time to just hang out in the kitchen, enjoy a glass of wine and turn on some Frank Sinatra. Plus, the wine’s cheaper at home, so you can splurge on an extra special bottle! Or, go the budget-friendly sparkling wine route and buy 2 bottles.
This creamy risotto has a hint of sweetness from the beets and the tanginess of the goat cheese balances it out perfectly. However, if you’re not a goat cheese fan, you can always substitute in some feta or parmesan.
Top your beautiful bowls of beet risotto with a sprinkle of fresh dill (and some reserved beet greens if you’ve got them) and you’ve got yourself one stunningly gorgeous dish that’s perfectly suitable for Valentine’s Day but absolutely necessary to be consumed more that once a year.
It’s just that good.
Reader
Love
Made this for my daughter’s 27th birthday this weekend. I can’t tell you the number of times everyone at the party remarked how delicious this was and the presentation of the bright red risotto is just over the top. I’d make this again 100 times over.
–
Ingredients needed
- Arborio Rice – AKA risotto rice! It’s creamier and chewier than other types of rice. This is the standard rice used for all risotto recipes.
- Beets – I used red beets to give this risotto it’s gorgeous color. However, you can also use golden beets.
- Broth – Bone broth, parmesan broth, vegetable broth, chicken broth or stock.
- Butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the seasonings.
- Onions + Garlic
- Dry White Wine – Like a dry Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Here are 13+ of my favorite white wines for cooking. Or, to make this without wine, you can use dry vermouth, chicken broth, or chicken stock.
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Goat Cheese – If you’re not a goat cheese fan, you can always substitute in some feta or parmesan.
- Fresh Dill
- Salt + Pepper
How to make it
Begin by roasting your beets. Wrap beets in foil and roast in a 425 degree F oven until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly, then peel the beets under running cold water. Place two of the beets in a blender or food processor and process briefly, until somewhat smooth. Dice the remaining beet into 1/2 inch cubes.
Warm the broth. Add the broth and water to a stockpot and bring to a simmer.
Next, saute the aromatics. Heat butter in a wide, heavy pot over moderate heat. Cook the garlic and onion until softened and fragrant.
To start making the risotto, add the rice. Season and toast the grains for a few minutes.
Deglaze the pot with wine. Make sure to scrape the tasty brown bits stuck on the bottom!
Add some warm broth to the pot, occasionally stirring until the broth is absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice is creamy but still has an al dente firm bite.
Stir in the beets. Stir in beets, beet puree, vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until heated through.
Garnish. Top bowls of risotto with crumbled goat cheese and dill.
Enjoy!
Tips for making risotto
- Keep the broth on a low simmer in the saucepan so the temperature stays consistent each time you add more broth to the rice.
- I usually have white vermouth on hand to use instead of white wine. It keeps indefinitely and saves the white wine for sipping while you indulge in the risotto.
- To check for doneness, taste the risotto. It should become very creamy during the last five minutes but shouldn’t be mushy.
- If your risotto is too thick, stir in a splash of broth at a time to loosen it up.
How to store and reheat risotto
- To store: Keep any leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Place the leftovers into a pan with a bit of extra broth and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
Here’s a full post with my tips on how to reheat risotto.
What to serve with it
- I like to serve this beet and goat cheese risotto with a simple arugula salad on the side. You could also try serving it with this shaved fennel salad.
- MORE → 35+ EASY sides for risotto!
Wine pairings
- This beet risotto will pair awesomely with a sparkling wine – rosé or otherwise. (Here are some great budget friendly options) The effervescence helps cut down the creaminess of this dish and the sweetness of the beets is complimented nicely by the acidity of the wine.
- Want a red wine? Try pairing this risotto with a Beaujolais – Its bright, berry flavors and hint of acidity stand make a great compliment to this dish.
Did you try this beet risotto recipe?
If you loved this beet and goat cheese risotto I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.
PS – Don’t forget about these 25+ other pink food recipes for Valentine’s Day too! Or, check out these 50+ dinners for date night!
Full Recipe
Beet Risotto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 medium beets (trimmed)
- 3 1/2 cups bone broth (or reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth)
- 3 cups water
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth (or dry white wine)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup goat cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped (for garnish) )
Instructions
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Tightly wrap beets foil and roast on a baking sheet until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool slightly. Peel the beets under running cold water. Place two of the beets in a blender or food processor and process briefly, until somewhat smooth. Dice the remaining beet into 1/2 inch cubes.
- While beets are cooling, bring broth and water to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan.
- Heat butter in a wide, heavy pot over moderate heat. Cook the garlic and onion until softened and fragrant. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add wine and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute. Using a ladle, stir in 1/2 cup warm broth and simmer briskly, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding warm broth, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is just tender and creamy-looking, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Stir in beets, beet puree, vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, until heated through.
- Top bowls of risotto with crumbled goat cheese and dill. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Keep the broth on a low simmer in the saucepan so the temperature stays consistent each time you add more broth to the rice.
- I usually have white vermouth on hand to use instead of white wine. It keeps indefinitely and saves the white wine for sipping while you indulge in the risotto.
- To check for doneness, taste the risotto. It should become very creamy during the last five minutes but shouldn’t be mushy.
- If your risotto is too thick, stir in a splash of broth at a time to loosen it up.
- To store: Keep any leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Place the leftovers into a pan with a bit of extra broth and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
Note: This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated 2019 to update the photographs, and again in 2024 to add more information. The beet risotto recipe remains unchanged.
Leave a Reply