This Vegan Leek Risotto recipe is a comforting, dairy-free one-pot-meal that is creamy and full of flavor. It's simple enough for any day but feels fancy enough for a special date night. Best of all, you only need 9 ingredients to make it!
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It's always good to have a couple nice dinner recipes in your repertoire. You never know when you will need them. I love to make my Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, or Creamy Vegan Tomato Orzo, or even Farrotto with Butternut Squash when I need something a little fancier.
But my favorite date-night quality recipe is this vegan risotto recipe. Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish. It's one of those recipes that feels fancy, but it's so simple to make. It's warm, cozy, and this recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This vegan leek risotto recipe only requires 9 ingredients.
- The risotto is creamy and absolutely delicious!
- It's easily customizable. Add any roasted vegetables or crispy tofu on top of the finished dish.
- This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free, so anyone can enjoy it.
- And it's fancy enough for a date night, but simple enough to make any day of the week.
Ingredient Notes
Vegan Butter: I like vegan butter for this risotto recipe, but you can use olive oil if you prefer.
Leeks: Leeks are in the same family as onions, but they are much more mild than a regular onion.
Arborio Rice: Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice with a high starch content. As you stir the risotto, the starch is released and creates a creamy sauce and velvety texture. Arborio is the only rice that will make a good risotto, so don't substitute any other type of rice.
Dry White Wine: Any dry white wine will work, but I usually go for a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio.
Vegetable Stock: I like to use Better Than Boullion Lower Sodium Vegetable Base.
Lemon Zest: A bit of lemon zest brightens this Vegan Leek Risotto recipe up without making it too lemony
How to Cut Leeks
Leeks are one of the few vegetables that should be washed after cutting. They grow in very sandy soil, and dirt often gets trapped between the layers of the leek. So here are the steps to cut them:
Step 1. Grab a large cutting board and a chef's knife.
Step 2. Cut the dark green tops off of the leeks.
Step 3. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise.
Step 4. Slice the leeks into about ¼ inch slices crosswise. Then, wash and dry the leeks from here.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. First, sauté the leeks over medium heat in non-dairy butter until they are translucent.
Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 2. Add the arborio rice and toast the rice for about 1 minute.
Step 3. Reduce the heat to low, then add white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed.
Step 4. Now, add about ¾ cup of vegetable stock and stir constantly until most of the stock is absorbed.
Repeat this process until the rice is tender and most of the stock is gone, about 25-28 minutes.
Step 5. Once the rice is tender, add nutritional yeast and lemon zest and stir.
Step 6. Serve the vegan leek risotto immediately.
Make it a Meal
This Vegan Leek Risotto recipe is delicious as is, but you can also customize it with whatever you have on hand. Here are some things I like to add to it or serve it with:
- Add a handful of kale or spinach at the end of cooking.
- Or add some frozen peas at the very end.
- I like to serve it with Vegan Maple Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts or a Greek Village Salad.
- And of course, some Vegan Garlic Bread.
Recipe FAQs
To store, transfer the risotto to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
It's best to reheat risotto on the stovetop. You will need to add more vegetable stock to loosen it up.
Stirring. Stirring releases the starch from the arborio rice and creates that velvety, creamy texture that makes risotto special.
Leek tastes like a very mild onion.
Expert Recipe Tips
It's important to stir the risotto frequently. This action is what makes this Vegan Leek Risotto recipe creamy.
Keep the risotto at a simmer throughout the cooking process. You may need to slightly adjust the heat of your stovetop a few times.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Leek Risotto Recipe
Equipment
- 1 3-4 Quart Dutch Oven
- 1 2 Quart Sauce Pan
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chefs Knife
- 1 Ladle
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 5 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
- 2 tablespoon Vegan Butter
- 2 Medium Leeks, trimmed, halved and cut into ¼ inch slices this is about 4 cups of sliced leeks
- 3 Medium Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 ½ Cups Arborio Rice don't rinse the rice!
- ½ Cup Dry White Wine
- ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flake
- 2 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast optional
- Zest of ¼ of a Lemon
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- Pour the vegetable stock into a 3 quart sauce pan. Set it over a burner that is set to low heat.
- In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and add leeks. Sauté until the leeks are translucent at soft. 7-9 minutes. See note.2 Tbsp Vegan Butter, 2 Medium Leeks, trimmed, halved and cut into ¼ inch slices
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.3 Medium Cloves Garlic, minced
- Add the arborio rice and toast the rice for 1 minute.1 ½ Cups Arborio Rice
- Add wine and red pepper flake. Stir well allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Reduce the heat to low.½ Cup Dry White Wine, ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flake
- Add the warm vegetable stock using a ladle in ¾ cup increments, stirring constantly between each addition and allowing most of the liquid to absorb before adding the next addition of liquid. See note!5 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
- Repeat stirring and adding liquid until the rice is tender. This will take 24-26 minutes. You may not use all of the liquid and thats okay.
- Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast and lemon zest. Taste and season with salt and pepper.2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast, Zest of ¼ of a Lemon, Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Serve.
Erin says
I love this - I'm getting a lot of leek and kale in the veg box subscription I have at the moment and I've been looking for more recipes to use them up. Going to have to give this a try!