Side Dishes Archives - The Midnight Baker

Simple Tomato Salsa

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 23:00:07 +0000

Here’s a simple tomato salsa for folks not into heat.

Simple Tomato Salsa–No Heat

Do you have anyone on your list that either can’t eat anything hot or simply doesn’t like it? Then this simple tomato salsa is for those folks.

Really this is simply a dressed-up tomato salad. It may be basic, but it’s very good. This salsa pairs very well with my royal fish cakes. In fact it was featured in Mary Berry’s original recipe for those fish cakes. Since those fish cakes are full of flavor, the sauce that accompanies them should not overshadow their flavor; it should complement it.

End Of Harvest

This is an excellent recipe if you had a bountiful harvest of home-grown tomatoes. It’s a great way to use some of them up.

But if you don’t have home-grown tomatoes, be sure to choose a supermarket variety that has great taste. I usually choose the ones that come with the vine because they are consistently high quality. Cherry and grape tomatoes work well to as they are very flavorful. Avoid those ones that are cellophane wrapped as they have very little flavor which will spoil this salsa.In a pinch, Roma tomatoes may be used. They have more meat than water.

Other Ingredients

As for the remaining ingredients, this salsa will taste better with top-notch ingredients.

A nice fruity olive oil is perfect. Be sure to use either virgin or extra-virgin oil since those oils have a distinctive flavor that will enhance everything else.

White wine vinegar is recommended. You can either use the generic white wine vinegar or get fancy with champagne vinegar.

The Recipe

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Simple Tomato Salsa

Not to be confused with Mexican-style salsa, this is a very simple side dish that’s good with burgers or fish

Prep Time10

Cook Time0

Course: Salad, Sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mild tomato salsa, no-heat salsa, tomato salad

Servings: 6

Calories: 113kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

6 firm tomatoes deseeded, diced
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 tbs white wine vinegar
4 tbs olive oil
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Season with salt, pepper to taste.

Nutrition

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Cheesy Garlic Green Beans

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 23:00:43 +0000

Cheesy garlic green beans are a great side dish. Easy to make too.

Cheesy Garlic Green Beans–Delicious!

Do you love garlic? Do you love mozzarella? Then you’re going to love these cheesy garlic green beans!

These green beans make a wonderful side dish. I’d even go further and say because of the cheese, they can also be a meal unto themselves. They contain the great flavor of garlic with roasted beans. This recipe is very basic and you can add any herbs or spice you like and think would “go” with the flavor. They are that versatile.

These would even work well as a buffet item–you could leave the mozzarella off for that if you’d like.

The Green Beans

Like most roasted vegetables, this starts with fresh green beans. Frozen wouldn’t work well here due to the water content and canned…well…you know that story.

Rather than start with bulk fresh beans, I prefer to use the fresh ones that are pre-packaged. You’ll find them where the bagged salads are sold in your store’s produce department. You have a choice there too. You can get the regular green beans, where you do have to remove the stems or opt as I do for the “French” green beans. The French style are skinnier and are already trimmed. They’re the same price so why not save yourself the time and effort. I find the French style has more uniformly shaped beans. No curved beans or anything such as that.

Garlic

As I mentioned before, these are pretty garlicky. There’s four cloves used. By all means, add more if you’re a real garlic freak. If you’d like a milder flavor use only one or two. How simple is that?

There’s also grated cheese in this as well besides the mozzarella. I use a combo of Parmesan, Romano and Asiago because it’s so flavorful. However, plain old Parmesan will work as well. In fact, that’s what was originally called for in the recipe.

The Recipe

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Cheesy Garlic Green Beans

Great side dish

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Course: Appetizer, Main/Side, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic green beans, roasted green beans with cheese

Servings: 6

Calories: 183kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb whole fresh green beans trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely minced
2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with non-stick spray.
Place green beans on prepared sheet in a single layer; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the oil, garlic, grated cheese salt and pepper. Mix well. Drizzle over the beans and toss to coat well.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until beans are bright green and beginning to brown slightly.
Top with the shredded cheese and pop the pan under the broiler until cheese is melted and beginning to brown in spots.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

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Air Fryer Cajun Fries

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 23:00:31 +0000

These air fryer Cajun fries can be a meal in itself.

Air Fryer Cajun Fries

In a word, these air fryer Cajun fries are awesome!

Even though they do require an extra cooking step, it’s pretty easy. Since they’re made from real raw potatoes and are cut a bit on the thick side, the extra step here is blanching them for a few minutes. If you’ve ever made french fries/chips from scratch you know you have to soak the cut potatoes for about 30 minutes in ice water. This leeches out some of the starch. I consider the blanching for a few minutes to be speedier but with the same result.

The Seasoning Mix

You have some choices with this Cajun seasoning mix. Any long-time readers will know I lost a lot of my taste for salt when my late husband had to follow a lower-sodium diet. Therefore I always go easy on salt; I did that here. My advice is to make the seasoning mix with my amount of salt. You can always add more to your taste on the finished product.

Another thing is the heat. This mix has cayenne pepper in it. You may notice that I have a pretty wide range of the amount. If you’re not into any heat, then use the lower amount. It won’t add much if any heat but you’ll still have the flavor. On the other hand if you like stuff with a good zing, use the larger amount–or more if you are so inclined.

Type Of Air Fryer

I made these in a basket-style air fryer. I prefer that configuration for several reasons. But I do see many folks have the oven style models. I believe the oven style–with the rotisserie–have a cylindrical basket that rotates on the rotisserie. You’d use that for making these fries. That would eliminate turning them using the racks and it will promote even cooking and browning.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Cajun Fries

Make them as spicy as you like

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer cajun fries, french fries in the air fryer, spicy seasoned fries

Servings: 4

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes Maris piper in UK
1 tbs oil
1 tbs Cajun seasoning from recipe below

Cajun Seasoning:

1 tsp salt
1/8-1 tsp cayenne pepper depending on taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp pepper

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbs Cajun seasoning
1 tsp Dijon mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Peel potatoes and cut into wedges. Blanch the potatoes in the boiling salted water for 4 minutes; drain and rinse in cold water. Dry potatoes with paper towels.
Toss the potatoes with the oil and place them in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 25 minutes, shaking the basket a few times so the potatoes cook and brown evenly.
Mix all the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix during the last 5 minutes of cook time. Shake well and you can give the potatoes a spritz of additional oil at this point.
For the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Video

Nutrition

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Toad In The Hole

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 23:00:18 +0000

Toad In The Hole is an old British standby that’s been around for ages. It’s a great and inexpensive way to use leftovers.

Toad In The Hole–Very British

Toad In The Hole has got to be one of Britain’s old standbys. I can tell you that my mom ate plenty of this growing up.

One of the best things about this is that practically anything can be added to it. Traditionally, it’s made with whole sausage, but bulk sausage meat can be substituted for that. With whole sausage it makes quite a nice presentation.

By the way, this is one meal you most definitely wouldn’t see served to the “upstairs” crowd at Downton Abbey. However, it was most likely served a lot below stairs. It’s a real meal of the proletariat if you will.

Yorkshire Pudding

Basically, this is a Yorkshire pudding with add-ins. And those add-ins can be anything you like, including leftovers.

In fact, it’s a great way to use any leftover meat or vegetables you have on hand. Even though sausage is traditional, anything goes here. It’s also nice topped off with some brown gravy.

Of course this can be served as a main for dinner, but it’s a terrific luncheon dish.

Easy Peasy

Did I mention this is very easy to make? Well it is! You just mix up a few simple pantry ingredients and let it stand for 30 minutes. I really can’t say why it needs the standing time because there’s nothing to rise in this batter. But I do know that it won’t come out right if you don’t. The same holds for a regular Yorkshire pudding.

Another tip for success is the pan must be piping hot when you pour the batter in. For this reason, I HIGHLY recommend using cast iron or another metal.

If you are not using drippings or sausage–which gives you the required fat–you can use a bit of butter with a bit of oil.

The Recipe

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Toad In The Hole

British favorite

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Batter Standing Time30

Course: Brunch, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: british traditional foods, downton abbey foods, toad in the hole

Servings: 4

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb mild sausage or bulk sausage meat
Drippings from sausage or about 2 tbs butter

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Whisk together the milk, flour, eggs and salt in a medium bowl until well mixed. Let the batter sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Butter a 9-inch/23 cm pie dish.
Scatter the sausages over the bottom of the prepared dish. Place the dish in the oven for about 10-15 minted to render some fat from the sausage.
Remove dish from the oven and pour the batter over the sausage. Return to the oven.
Bake for 45 minutes until sausage is cooked through and batter has puffed up and browned.

Nutrition

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Basil And Roasted Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 23:00:03 +0000

Basil and roasted pepper stuffed tomatoes are a great variation on twice-baked potatoes. Perfect for the air fryer!

Basil And Roasted Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

Here’s a new twist on twice-baked potatoes!

Everyone loves cheddar cheese and bacon varieties as well as sour cream and chives. These basil and roasted pepper stuffed potatoes are truly “thinking outside the box.” Since basil isn’t something you generally associate with potatoes, it makes for a different taste; and one that’s quite delicious too!

What’s even better here is that they can totally be made in your air fryer. That makes them a summer treat too since the air fryer does not heat the kitchen the way a big conventional oven does.

Roasted Peppers

If you happen to catch a good sale on red bell peppers, you may want to roast them yourself. I prefer to do this on my gas grill but they can be done in the oven as well.

Roasting them on the grill is pretty straightforward. Just rub them with some oil and pop them on the grill over high heat. Turn them so they get charred on all sides then pop them in a plastic storage bag, seal the bag and let them cool a bit. The skin will just slide off.

Doing them in the oven is the same procedure–roast at 425F/225C, turn them to char on all sides. Do the same as above with the bag.

However, if you don’t want to bother, these can be bought ready made. You’ll find them where the pickles and relish are in your store. Just make sure to drain them thoroughly before using in this recipe.

Cheese

I used cream cheese in these with great results, but if you want a more gourmet flair, you can use goat cheese.

Goat cheese is a bit sharper than cream cheese but it’s also more expensive. I choose to stick to the least expensive where I’m not sacrificing taste. Hence the cream cheese.

The Recipe

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Basil & Roasted Pepper Stuffed Potatoes

A different twist on twice-baked potatoes

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer baked potatoes, gourmet stuffed potatoes, twice-baked potatoes in the air fryer

Servings: 6

Calories: 164kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3 large baking potatoes like russet or Maris piper
2-3 tbs milk
1 tbs butter
Olive oil

Filling:

Potato flesh from baked potatoes
1/3 cup sliced roasted peppers drained
1/4 cup softened cream cheese or Goat cheese
2 tbs fresh basil chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Scrub potatoes. Dry and pierce with a fork in several places. Rub with olive oil. Bake either in the oven or air fryer at 400F/200C for approximately 1 hour.
Let potatoes cool slightly so they can be handled. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl.
Add the butter, cream cheese/goat cheese and milk and mash them. Add the roasted peppers and basil. Stir to combine well. Add salt and pepper if necessary.
Divide the filling into 6 equal portions and fill the empty potato skins.
To complete in the air fryer--air fry filled potatoes at 400F/200C until browned on the top; about 5 minutes.
For conventional oven--place potatoes on a baking sheet and broil on high until golden on the top; about 2 minutes.

Nutrition

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Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 23:00:02 +0000

If you love this veg, then you’ll flip over these easy yet tasty stir fried brussels sprouts.

Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts?

Why not?

In fact, stir fried brussels sprouts are a real treat! Knowing that brussels sprouts are not a lot of peoples’ favorite veg, I’m encouraging you to give them a try prepared this way.

The reason that sprouts are bypassed by some is that sprouts, more often than not, are overcooked. Sometimes overcooked beyond belief. When cooked to perfection, they are sweet and crunchy. Stir frying is one of the best ways to cook them. The risk of overcooking is slim by this method.

Do It Right

As with anything you do, it’s best to do it the right way for the best results.

They key to success with brussels sprouts, beyond not overcooking them is the proper preparation. With this recipe you start with fresh brussels sprouts so there’s a bit of attention that has to be paid to them.

Firstly comes choosing sprouts that are at their peak of freshness. If you grow them yourself, this won’t be a problem. However if you get them from the produce department in your market you’ll have to give them the onec-over. They’re sold loose so you can. Try to avoid those that are bagged already.

The very best tutorial I found comes from the experts at TheKitchn. It’s comprehensive and full of great information.

The Cooking

As with all stir frying, it’s done very quickly at high heat so you cannot slack here. Stir frying demands your full attention. The benefit is that it’s very quick so it’s not like a watch pot.

If the sprouts get singed on the edges, that will add great flavor. If your heat is high enough it will happen and be totally delicious.

I might add that if you want to get more adventurous with this veg, my maple roasted brussels sprouts have converted many a hater into a lover, so do try them!

The Recipe

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Stir Fried Brussels sprouts

Tasty way to serve sprouts

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian style brussels sprouts, brussels sprouts recipes, stir fried brussels sprouts

Servings: 6

Calories: 111kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts
1 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbs oil
1 tsp dark sesame oil
1 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Brussels sprouts by trimming the root end and cutting a cross in the bottom--this helps them cook faster. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add the Brussels sprouts and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into very cold or ice water. Drain thoroughly.
When sprouts are cool enough to handle, cut them in half.
Heat a wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and when the oil shimmers, add the sprouts, water chestnuts garlic and salt. Stir fry until the sprouts are deep vibrant green; about 4 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss to coat. Add any salt at this point if you need to.

Nutrition

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Diner Style Home Fries

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:00:46 +0000

Diner style home fries are a real treat for a weekend breakfast.

Diner Style Home Fries–An American Classic

From coast to coast in the USA, diner style home fries are on the menu with any egg breakfasts in diners. There’s a good reason for this; they’re simply delicious.

Talking about simplicity, they’re very easy to make too. I’m willing to bet that almost all people have the ingredients you need on hand. No extra shopping or anything fancy. Do you have potatoes, onions and a few simple spices? You got it. You can even prep them ahead too–either just the potatoes or the entire recipe. I can attest to their flavor being just as good, if not better, reheated.

The Proper Potatoes

In a pinch, any old potato will do. However, the best results are obtained with a mealy baking-style potato. Now, that may seem strange since they are so fragile, but it’s the texture you’re after here more than the potato holding it’s shape.

For best results, the potatoes need to be partially cooked. This step can be completed a day or two before you plan to cook the entire recipe. In fact, the potatoes should be cool or even cold when you do the final cooking.

My late husband even used canned potatoes once to make these and they came out pretty good. But for authenticity, Russets or Maris Piper (for UK/EU people) is the way to go.

Cast Iron Is Best

If you have a cast iron skillet, use it for these. It conducts heat very evenly and it’s naturally non-stick. You will get the best results if you use one. Shy away from light-weight non-stick pans as the potatoes will not brown and crisp properly; they’ll burn.

A high-quality cast iron skillet is really an investment because it will last forever and the more you use it, the better it gets.

The Recipe

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Diner Style Home Fries

Perfect for a weekend breakfast

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: authentic home fries, cast iron potato recipes, diner breakfast recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs russet or Maris piper potatoes
1 medium onion chopped
3 tbs olive oil divided
1 tbs butter

Seasoning:

2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp paprika smoked is best
1 tsp garlic powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel potatoes and cut in cubes about 1/2 in/1.25 cm. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add about 1/2 tsp salt. Bring potatoes to boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until the onion is soft--about 5 minutes. Remove onions from the pan and set aside
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and butter to the pan. Add the potatoes in a single layer (if possible). Cook without stirring for 10 minutes so the bottoms become brown and crispy.
Add the onions and seasonings and stir well to combine. If you prefer the potatoes crispier, fry for an additional 5 minutes

Nutrition

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Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 18 Jun 2022 23:00:03 +0000

Watch these air fryer jalapeño popper stuffed mushrooms disappear when you serve them.

Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms–YUM!

Is there anything more yummy than a jalapeño popper? Since they contain some delicious savory ingredients, they are a perennial favorite.

So why not extend that terrific filling to a mushroom? Stuffed mushrooms are experiencing a real surge in popularity lately too. And with air fryers being so popular too, let’s combine these trends to come up with, you guessed it, air fryer jalapeño popper stuffed mushrooms.

If you don’t have an air fryer (why are you waiting???) they can, of course, be made in a conventional oven.

Choosing The Mushrooms

Baby or button mushrooms are definitely out for this recipe. You’ll need ones with larger caps so they will stuff easily. However, try to avoid varieties such as those huge portabella caps. Something so large would amount to overkill and it’s just too much of a good thing. However, if it appeals, then by all means.

Nothing fancy is needed. I used those good old generic white mushrooms that come pre-packaged. If you’re lucky enough to shop where you can pick bulk mushrooms by the pound, you’re golden. Since you get to choose the size you can have a mostly uniform set. They’ll also cook more evenly.

As an aside, these can be made ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to cook them.

Basket Or Oven-Style Fryer

I have a basket-style air fryer so naturally I based times and temps on the machine I have.

If you have an oven-style machine, I’d recommend cooking on an upper or upper-middle shelf so you get good air circulation.

Whatever machine you use, you don’t have to worry about these mushrooms flying around because of the fan. The filling has enough weight so they remain stable–at least in my basket machine.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms

Cooks in 10 minutes

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: jalapeno popper mushrooms, mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese, tailgating appetizers

Servings: 6

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

16 oz white mushrooms

Filling:

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions minced
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbs mayonnaise
3 tbs crisp cooked bacon crumbled
1/4 cup jalapeño pepper finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove stems from mushrooms--reserve them for future use. Brush off any dirt on the mushrooms.
Mix all filling ingredients in a small bowl and distribute evenly to all mushroom caps/
Air fry at 370F/185C for 10 minutes. Check them in 8 minutes as air fryers vary. Mine took 10.
Conventional oven--bake at 400F/200C for 20 minutes

Video

Nutrition

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Air Fryer Golden Ranch Potatoes

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:00:28 +0000

Air fryer golden ranch potatoes are even great as a snack. Easy to make too.

Air Fryer Golden Ranch Potatoes–Quick Side

Air fryers get the job done quickly and easily with most foods. These potatoes are no exception!

If you’re looking for a quick and very easy side dish to serve, you’ll definitely want to look into these potatoes. The dish has only three ingredients, most of us have them all on hand too.

The color comes from the Yukon gold potatoes. I had them on hand so that’s what I used. Any potato will do here so as usual, use what you have.

Ranch Seasoning

The flavoring here comes from ranch seasoning mix. This is the dry stuff that comes in a packet sold in the dressings and condiment aisle of most food stores.

I can hear people on low-sodium diets saying, “This isn’t for me then.” Well, not with the commercial stuff because that’s literally loaded with salt.

However, I’ve been making my own ranch seasoning mix for years and I make it without any salt. My mix also uses non-fat dry milk and not that powdered buttermilk. Where the powdered buttermilk gets rock hard in a few months, the instant non-fat milk does not and my opinion is it tastes better in the mix.

Easy Potato Prep

The prep for the potatoes is easy because you don’t peel them. Just give them a good scrub and you’re all set.

A word about fryers–my air fryer is the basket style so shaking was necessary for even cooking. If you have an oven-style model, that comes equipped with a rotating basket that fits the rotisserie. In that basket, the potatoes are in constant rotation so disregard the shaking instruction. And remember, each fryer is different so your cooking time could vary.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Golden Ranch Potatoes

Great as a snack too

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy air fryer potato recipes, low sodium ranch seasoning recipe, roasted ranch potato recipe

Servings: 6

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes cut in chunks
3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs dry ranch seasoning mix or 1 envelope

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Scrub potatoes and cut in chunks. It’s not necessary to peel them.
Place potatoes in a large plastic bag and add the olive oil. Squish the bag so the potatoes are all coated with the oil. Add the ranch mix and squish the bag again so they’re coated with the seasoning.
Place in the fryer basket and air fry at 400F/200C for 20 minutes, shaking basket half way through the cooking time.

Notes

link to low-sodium ranch seasoning mix in post

Video

Nutrition

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Tomato Risotto

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 00:00:44 +0000

Tomato risotto is a delicious side dish that can also double as a meatless main course.

Enjoy Tomato Risotto Two Ways

Two ways? Yep since you have a choice other than rice for this tomato risotto.

I know that sounds weird as risotto is a classic rice dish. However, you can get fancy and use whole grain in this one. I thought I’d live it up a bit and be out-of-the-box with using faro.

Faro is like barley–which I guess you could substitute as well. This grain made this recipe even better. It added a slight nutty flavor which elevated this side to another level of delicious. And it’s a great way to get some fiber into your diet deliciously.

Patience Is Important

Risotto requires a bit of patience in order to achieve the great creamy texture.

Hot liquid has to be added in small amounts until it’s almost absorbed before you add a little more hot liquid. The process repeats until all the liquid is gone. Plus it must be stirred constantly. The end result is worth the effort. This might be a dish you make for company or special occasions due to the work involved. It’s not something you’d make if you’re pressed for time and want dinner in a dash.

I have made an oven risotto that needs no tending but that is a rare recipe. Most are a bit labor intensive.

Vegetarian And Vegan

The beauty of this tomato risotto is that it can easily be made vegetarian with one substitution. To make it totally vegan, it’s just an additional substitution.

You can substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock and to make it vegan, use a vegan cheese substitute for the Parmesan/Romano or eliminate it entirely. In my opinion, it’s just as good without the cheese whether you’re vegetarian or not.

The Recipe

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Tomato Risotto

Make it with arborio rice or faro

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Course: Main/Side, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: risotto with faro, tomato risotto, vegetarian risotto

Servings: 6

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or faro
28 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes cut into 1-inch/2.5 cm pieces
4 cups hot chicken stock
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tbs fresh basil chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a 4-quart/4 L dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and when the oil is hot add the onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent; about 2 minutes.
Add the rice or faro. Cook for 1 minute stirring so the rice/faro is coated with oil. Add half the tomatoes and 1/4 cup/60 ml of stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is almost absorbed.
Repeat, adding 1/4 cup/60 ml additions of the hot stock til liquid is absorbed, until the stock is all added.
Add the cheese, basil and remaining tomatoes, stirring to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

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