roasted red pepper risotto

Roasted red peppers and smoky paprika come together to create a deeply rich, almost sweet flavour that melts beautifully into this creamy risotto. The result is bold, comforting and utterly vibrant — with that breathtaking sunset colour that makes it just as impressive to look at as it is to eat.

It’s the perfect recipe for those evenings when you’re cooking from the cupboard but still want something that feels special. Simple ingredients, big flavour, and a dish that instantly brightens the table.

Serves 4 & takes 45-50 minutes to cook

Ingredients

For the risotto

• 2 veggie stock cubes, mixed with 900ml boiling water

• 1 red onion, peeled and diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced

• 300g risotto rice

• 2 teaspoons of paprika

• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

• Olive oil

• Salt

For the red pepper paste

• 1 jar of roasted red peppers (350g drained weight), drained

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 tablespoon of harissa paste

• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Place the stock cubes in a large pan with 900ml of boiling water and mix until well dissolved.

2. Place a pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the chopped garlic, onion and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.

3. Once the onion has become soft, stir through the risotto rice and paprika, and cook for 2 minutes before adding a quarter of the hot vegetable stock. Mix well and leave to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring constantly and topping it up with a quarter of the stock every time the risotto rice looks like it has absorbed most of the water.

4. While the risotto rice simmers, place all of the paste ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth, adding a dash of water to create a red paste.

5. Once the risotto rice feels soft and has absorbed all of the water, stir through the red pepper paste and nutritional yeast. Cook for 5-10 minutes until everything is piping hot and cooked through.