This Tomato Risotto is an incredibly simple recipe but is still packed with flavor in each bite to give you a dinner meal that's sure to become a family favorite! It features perfectly cooked risotto with a beautiful, creamy texture and the fresh summer flavors of cherry tomatoes. What's best is that it's also vegan and can be made in just 30 minutes from scratch!

Who knew that a simple vegetable risotto could be so satisfying? It's creamy without adding any cream, hearty without any meat, and literally loaded with cherry tomatoes and comforting flavors you'll absolutely love!
Plus, it's so quick and easy to make that it's the perfect choice for busy weeknights.
What's best is that my recipe uses a secret ingredient that adds a delicious depth in flavor and truly takes this comforting family dinner to the next level. It's my secret to making the most delicious vegan tomato risotto you'll ever have!
Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious Tomato Risotto at home tonight and find out what my secret ingredient is to take it to the next level!
Jump to:
- What Is Tomato Risotto?
- What's the Secret Ingredient for the Tastiest Tomato Risotto?
- What Type of Rice Can I Use to Make Tomato Risotto?
- Why This Is The Best Tomato Risotto Recipe
- What You Need to Make Tomato Risotto At Home
- How to Make Tomato Risotto Step by Step
- Tips for Making the Best Tomato Risotto Every Single Time
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Variation Ideas for Tomato Risotto
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Store Leftover Tomato Risotto
- Similar Recipes
- Recipe
What Is Tomato Risotto?
Tomato risotto is the tomato version of the classic Italian dish known as risotto. It's made using arborio rice and is then simmered with broth for the perfect, creamy texture.
This tomato risotto uses cherry tomatoes and tomato paste (passata) to add a fresh tomato flavor to this incredible classic.
Many people find it intimidating to make risotto since you need just the right amount of broth to achieve that classic creamy, comforting texture this dish is known for.
But trust me; it's incredibly easy! My recipe will teach you exactly how to do it step by step.
The arborio rice perfectly absorbs all the savory flavors of the tomato base for a tender and creamy consistency in each bite.
We'll also be using ingredients such as garlic, onions, and my secret ingredient to add a beautiful depth in flavor that you'll fall in love with.
What's the Secret Ingredient for the Tastiest Tomato Risotto?
My recipe uses a secret ingredient that adds a delicious depth in flavor and truly takes this comforting dinner meal to the next level. It is truly my secret to making the most delicious vegan tomato risotto you'll ever have!
Want to know what it is? Miso paste.
It adds a salty, tangy, and savory taste with a deep umami flavor that makes all the difference. It's a simple ingredient to find that'll elevate your recipes to the next level!
You can easily find it in your local grocery store, or order it online on Amazon. It's made using fermented soybeans and has a thick, paste-like consistency. What's best is that Miso paste is incredibly versatile and you can use it to add a rich flavor to soups, stews, marinades, dressings, and even dipping sauces.
It's quickly become one of my favorite ingredients in cooking. Aside from a classic Miso soup, I've been adding Miso paste to pretty much everything.
Miso pasta, Chickpea Miso stew...you name it.
I highly recommend stocking your pantry with this secret ingredient. Trust me, it's going to take all your dishes to the next level!
What Type of Miso Paste Should I Use?
To make this creamy vegan tomato risotto, there are a few kinds of Miso paste you can buy: red, yellow, and white.
I haven't tried all of those yet, but I recommend you to stay away from red Hatcho Miso. It has a bitter taste and isn't a match for this vegetarian risotto.
White Miso Paste, on the other hand, has become a staple in my refrigerator.
Nowadays, I add Miso to all kinds of dishes: rice, pasta, soups, and even Borscht.
Thanks to Miso paste, this cherry tomato risotto comes out creamy and so aromatic. The best part is that no one will even realize it's vegan!
What Type of Rice Can I Use to Make Tomato Risotto?
The type of rice you use to make risotto can make all the difference. Not all types of rice are fit for making this classic Italian dish.
Arborio rice is the one that's most commonly used. It's a specific type of short-grain rice that contains more starch than other types of rice. This makes it ideal for making risotto! As you stir the rice after adding broth to it, it releases starch, which gives risotto its characteristic creamy texture.
Other varieties of rice you can use include Vialone Nano, Roma, Carnaroli, or Baldo. If none of these are easily available, then go for rice that's labeled 'risotto rice' in your local grocery store.
Make sure to never use any other types of type, especially basmati, wholegrain, or any other generic short-grain rice since they don't contain enough starch to give your risotto its beautiful, creamy consistency.
Why This Is The Best Tomato Risotto Recipe
Quick and easy: This is the perfect dinner meal to make on a busy weeknight since you can make it from scratch in just 30 minutes!
Classic flavor: You'll get the most delicious, classic flavor of risotto in every single bite with this recipe. It'll be perfectly creamy, comforting, and delicate to give you a classic Italian dish in the comfort of your home.
Beginner friendly: Risotto is sometimes known to be intimidating, but not with my recipe! You'll be able to easily make this delicious tomato risotto even on your first try, thanks to my step-by-step instructions and cooking tips!
Family favorite: This is a vegan risotto but that doesn't mean your non-vegan family members won't like it. In fact, it's deliciously hearty without adding any meat, creamy without any cream, and the perfect family dinner meal that even picky eaters will love!
What You Need to Make Tomato Risotto At Home
All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious tomato risotto at home.
Risotto rice: As I explained above, we'll need some risotto rice to make this delicious tomato risotto. The best one to use is Arborio rice, but other options include Vialone Nano, Roma, Carnaroli, and Baldo. If you can't find any of these, go for rice that's labeled 'risotto rice' on the packaging. I've used Arborio rice to make this recipe.
Tomatoes: We'll also, of course, need some tomatoes to achieve that delicious fresh flavor. Cherry tomatoes will give you the best flavor since they're light and have a delicious fresh taste. Heirloom tomatoes are another great choice.
Vegetable broth: You'll also need some vegetable broth as the main liquid in this recipe. You can go for either store-bought or homemade vegetable broth to make this risotto.
Onions & garlic: These two are the most important aromatics to use for making risotto. They add a beautiful flavor profile that adds a rich, deep flavor and enhances the tomatoes in this recipe.
Olive oil: We'll be using some olive oil as the oil to saute our onions and garlic to create that delicious flavor base.
Flavor Enhancers
Miso paste: This is my secret ingredient! Miso paste adds a salty, tangy, and savory taste with a deep umami flavor that makes all the difference. You'll get the tastiest tomato risotto by using it!
Tomato paste: You'll also need some tomato paste which is also known as tomato passata if it's imported from Italy. It'll add a deep and complex tomato flavor to your risotto, and also enhance the overall color of the dish.
Vegan butter: To enhance the flavor even more, we'll be using some vegan butter. I love using Miyoko's vegan unsalted butter! Make sure it's unsalted so that you can control how salty your risotto is.
Salt & pepper: Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings we'll need, thanks to our secret ingredient (miso paste) that adds a deep umami flavor that takes this recipe to the next level.
Parsley: We'll be garnishing our risotto with some freshly chopped parsley for the perfect presentation.
Vegan parmesan cheese: This is completely optional since this tomato risotto tastes great even without cheese. But if you feel like it, feel free to add some grated or shaved vegan Parmesan.
How to Make Tomato Risotto Step by Step
Making Tomato Risotto at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
1. Start by heating olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Next, add onion and cook stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
3. Add tomato paste and Miso paste to the pan and stir for 1 minute.
4. Next, add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in Arborio rice and toast it by stirring constantly for a few minutes. Then ladle in 3 cups of vegetable broth. Give everything a stir and simmer on medium-low heat until rice absorbs all liquid.
6. Continue adding broth, by adding 1-2 ladles at a time until the rice is fully cooked. The consistency of your risotto should be creamy without being too runny or thick.
7. Stir in vegan butter, adjust salt and pepper if needed, and remove the pan from the heat.
Your delicious Tomato Risotto is ready to be served!
Tips for Making the Best Tomato Risotto Every Single Time
Use the right type of rice: Make sure you're using risotto rice instead of other types. If you try substituting it with another type of rice such as long-grain rice, it won't give you the creamy texture risotto is known for. That's because they're not a starchy grain which is key for the right consistency.
Use warm broth: Adding the broth incrementally to the sauce pan the way I've instructed in the recipe will give you the perfect consistency. But it's also important to use warm instead of cold broth! This is because cold broth will cool down the temperature of the rice and ruin the consistency.
Stir often: The key to the best consistency is to stir your risotto often. This helps release more starch for a creamier risotto.
Boost nutritional value: This is optional but if you want to boost the nutrients in this tomato risotto, add a few tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast to each bowl. It acts as a vegan "cheese" and a great source of B vitamins.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this creamy tomato risotto as a main dish or as a side dish with some great salads. Here are the ones that go great with the flavors in this dish:
If you want to learn more, check out my web story about Vegan Tomato Risotto.
Recipe Variation Ideas for Tomato Risotto
This creamy tomato risotto recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but if you're looking to customize the flavors here are a few variation ideas you can try:
Fresh herbs: You can add some fresh herbs to change up the flavor and add a delicious freshness to your risotto. Some great options include fresh basil and thyme.
Add veggies: If you want to pack in even more nutrients into this healthy vegan risotto, you can add some other veggies to it such as eggplants which go great with the tomato flavors.
Spices: The miso paste adds a beautiful flavor that's rich and umami. This is why we only need salt and pepper as seasonings. But you can experiment with some other spices such as a pinch red pepper flakes to add a spicy touch to your risotto!
Frequently Asked Questions
It adds an earthy, umami and savory flavor to any dish. In non-vegan cooking, this type of flavor is obtained by adding anchovies. Obviously, they're not a part of vegan diet.
However Miso paste does a wonderful job of bringing the flavor without adding non-compliant ingredients.
Don't rinse Arborio rice. It contains starchy coating called Amylopectic, which is soft and mixes well with the water. This starch is responsible for giving the risotto a creamy texture.
It doesn't have to be "al dente". This advice may not go in line with the traditional recommendations, but my personal preference and recommendation is to cook rice until it's fully cooked and doesn't have a firm center.
Not necessarily. Although most risotto recipes are indeed made with white wine, I noticed that adding wine to a risotto with other acidic ingredients, like tomatoes, will only yield a tart aftertaste.
How to Store Leftover Tomato Risotto
This simple tomato risotto stores well and makes wonderful leftovers. Place the leftover risotto in the airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
When you need to reheat it, simply microwave it for 30-40 seconds. Alternatively, you can add the leftover risotto to the skillet along with a few tablespoons of water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the risotto is heated through.
I don't recommend freezing risotto since this will change it's consistency and texture, and you'll lose out on its characteristic creaminess.
Similar Recipes
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Recipe
Vegan Tomato Risotto
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon White Miso paste don't be afraid to add 2 heaping tablespoon of Miso paste
- 2 c cherry tomatoes
- 1 c Arborio rice
- 5 c vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoon unsalted vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoon parsley chopped
- ½ c shaved vegan Parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
- Add tomato paste and Miso paste and stir for 1 minute.
- Add cherry tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
- Stir in Arborio rice and toast stirring constantly for a few minutes. Ladle in 3 cups of vegetable broth, give everything a stir and simmer on a medium low heat until rice absorbs all liquid.
- Continue adding broth, 1-2 ladles at a time until rice is fully cooked.
- Stir in vegan butter, adjust salt and pepper if needed and remove pan from the heat.
- Divide risotto among serving bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley and Parmesan shavings and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
K says
Really so very good. Thanks for sharing your recipe, it's a keeper!
K
Cathy says
Another easy and delicious recipe from Lavender and Macarons! I didn’t have cherry tomatoes - substituted for some garden heirlooms. No problem! Love the addition of vegan butter - it gave the dish a creamy and special flavor.
Iryna says
Cathy, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm very happy you loved this recipe!
Kulia says
Looks so creamy and delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Brege says
Where can I find vegan Parmesan that can be shaved??
Iryna says
If you're in the US, you can buy Parmesan from a brand Violife.
Mashka says
One of my favorite!