Risotto with baby carrots and pine nut crumble

Make this easy baked risotto recipe for an impressive vegetarian dinner party main. Sweet carrots and crunchy, creamy pine nuts make a great flavour combination.

Serves: 4

Time to make: 1 hr

Hands-on time: 10 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

350g baby carrots or large carrots sliced into wedges
olive spray oil
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons for the nut crumble
1 tablespoon pine nuts
¼ cup hazelnuts, ground in a pestle and mortar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ cups arborio rice
2 very low-salt gluten-free vegetable stock cubes, dissolved in 5 cups boiling water
5 cups baby spinach
½ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta

Instructions

Stay Awake

1 Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Put the carrots on a baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 40–50 min until tender.

2 Meanwhile, heat the 2tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pine nuts and ground hazelnuts and cook for 2–3 min until golden. Transfer to a bowl, then stir in the parsley.

3 Heat the remaining 1tbsp olive oil in a large, flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 min.

4 Add the rice and stir for 1–2 min until toasted and coated with oil. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover the dish with the lid or foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20–25 min or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.

5 Add the spinach and most of the feta and stir until the cheese is melted. Season with black pepper, then top with the carrots and pine nut crumble and sprinkle over the remaining feta to serve.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 504 cal

Kilojoules 2109 kJ

Protein 13 g

Total fat 16 g

Saturated fat 3.3 g

Carbohydrates 71 g

Sugar 9.2 g

Dietary fibre 6.3 g

Sodium 276 mg

Calcium 96 mg

Iron 2.2 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.