Extra-Creamy Vegan Risotto

Step 1

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, finely dice 1 small yellow onion (about 2/3 cup).

Step 2

Add 2 tablespoons white miso and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the boiling water, and whisk until dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and keep at a very low simmer.

Step 3

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent with no browning, 5 to 9 minutes.

Step 4

Add 1 1/2 cups carnaroli rice and cook, stirring often, until the edges have turned translucent but the center is still opaque, about 2 minutes. You should also be able to smell the aroma of toasted rice. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and simmer, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the wine is completely reduced and the pan is almost dry, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add 2 ladles of the miso broth to the rice. Cook, stirring often, until the broth is almost absorbed, about 3 minutes. Incrementally add more of the broth one ladle at a time, stirring often. Wait until the liquid has been almost completely absorbed by the rice before adding another ladle. After about 15 minutes, begin tasting the rice to gauge how far it has cooked.

Step 6

Continue adding broth until the rice is al dente (still has a bit of chew), the broth is creamy, and the dish has the consistency of thick porridge, 20 to 30 minutes total (you might not use up all of the broth). If you run your spatula through the risotto, the risotto should flow slowly to fill in the space.

Step 7

Meanwhile, finely grate the zest of 1/2 medium lemon into a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 8

When the risotto is ready, add the nutritional yeast mixture and stir until combined. Remove the pot from the heat. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Serve immediately.