Beet Risotto

I know, beets aren’t usually very high on people’s favorite vegetable lists, but they should be. Super healthy (remember that dark colors are high in good-for-you stuff) and with a flavor all their own. I guess it might be an acquired taste for some, but I’ve always dug (pun intended) that mix of earthy and subtly sweet.

The problem can be coming up with ways to use them. There’s borscht, salad, and simply roasting them, but even for the beetiest of beet lovers, that can get boring. So recently, S took it upon herself to find new ways to use them, and came up with… brownies (which were really good, but not for this post)! She also found a rich beet risotto, which is today’s topic of discussion.

I’ve always loved a good risotto – they’re creamy, pair well with just about anything, and are very versatile (I guess kind of obviously, since it’s just rice). Over the years, we’ve made risottos of squash, peas, and even one with a variety of seafood. So adding a beet risotto to the repertoire was a logical next step.

The flavor of the beets makes sure that it doesn’t end up too heavy a dish, and it works well as either a side or a main course. And if you add in the greens as well, you bump up the healthy quotient too. Just don’t tell the kids. Best of all, this is a “cover and cook” risotto, not one where you have to stand and stir for half an hour, of which I’ve done my share.