Pesto Risotto With Roasted Zucchini

By cmkasaras

Ingredients

• For the risotto:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups or so vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup pesto
• 1/2 tsp salt (more or less depending on how salty your broth and pesto are, so taste for salt often)
• Fresh black pepper
• For the zucchini:
• 1 lb zucchini, cut on on a bias into chunky half moons
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Optional:
• Extra toasted pinenuts
• Extra pesto for drizzling

Preparation

Step 1

Warm the vegetable broth in a saucepan- keep on low as you prepare the risotto.
Preheat oven to 425 F for the zucchini. Line baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Toss zucchini with oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Roast in oven 6 minutes on each side, or until softened and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

In 4 qt pot over med heat, sauté onion, oil and pinch of salt until translucent, 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the white wine and stir occasionally, until wine is mostly absorbed, ~4 minutes.
Add a few dashes fresh black pepper, and half of the salt.
Turn the heat to medium-low.

Add the broth by the cupful x2, stirring after each addition until the broth is mostly absorbed (6 to 8 minutes). Add half of the pesto and stir well, then continue to cook, adding broth by the cupful, stirring, and letting the liquid absorb. Add rest of pesto.

Risotto is ready when the rice is chewy but still firm, and the sauce is very creamy. For a firmer risotto, just cook a few minutes extra to absorb more of the liquid.

To serve: scoop risotto into each bowl, and top with zucchini. Drizzle with extra pesto and garnish with a few toasted pine nuts.