• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Browse Recipes
    • Latest
    • By Category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • SUBSCRIBE
Holy Cow Vegan
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Latest recipes
  • Browse by category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home > Global Vegan Recipes

    Black Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

    Posted: Apr 11, 2014 ยท Updated: Apr 19, 2022

    Jump to Recipe

    Black rice, packed with antioxidants and protein, is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It is, in fact, a superfood. In this one-pot recipe for Black Rice Risotto with mushrooms and caramelized onions, it is also super-delicious.

    Black Rice RisottoThis one's going to be a short post today because it's 10 pm now and the only reason my tired eyes are open is because I can't wait to share this recipe with you: my Black Rice Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions.

    You know I am always looking for easy weeknight recipes to brown bag for lunch, and this one is one of my favorites so far.ย Black rice, if you're not familiar with it, is a glutinous rice which makes it perfect for risottos. It cooks up purple rather than black and tastes nutty and quite delicious.

     

    Black Rice Risotto

    It's also a nutritional star -- much healthier than white and even its brown counterparts. It's packed with antioxidants and ounce for ounce it has more protein and more iron.

    But forget about all that for a moment and think of this: isn't it a little special eating something that -- if you were born a few centuries ago-- you could have only eaten if you happened to be the emperor of China? True story.

    So I promised a short post and a short post it will be. Enjoy the recipe, all, and if you feel just a little blue blooded after eating this incredible dish....well, you could always go to London and look up the queen.

    Ciao.

    Looking for more vegan rice recipes?

    • Soya Pulao
    • Vegan Paella
    • Butternut Squash Risotto
    • Mushroom Barley Risotto
    • Pressure Cooker Risotto

    Black Rice Risotto

    Black Rice Risotto

    Black Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

    Black rice, packed with antioxidants and protein, is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. It is, in fact, a superfood. In this one-pot recipe for Black Rice Risotto with mushrooms and caramelized onions, it is also super-delicious.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Side
    Cuisine: Italian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Black rice risotto, Forbidden rice risotto
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 1 hr
    Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 246kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 
    US Customary - Metric

    • 1 cup black rice
    • 4-5 cups of hot water (vegetable stock is even better)
    • 3 teaspoon olive oil
    • 3 medium onions, one chopped and the other two thinly sliced
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • ยผ cup of white wine, optional
    • 12 button mushrooms, sliced
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • Salt and ground black pepper to taste
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ยฝ cup cashews
    • 2 tablespoon white miso paste, optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Make the cashew cheese for the risotto by blending together the cashews and the miso with enough water to make a smooth paste. If you don't have miso you could use 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, or leave it out altogether and just use the cashew paste.
    • Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a saucepan.
    • Add the chopped onion, season with some salt, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper and saute until softened, about three to four minutes.
    • Add the garlic, saute for a few seconds, then add the mushrooms and white wine.
    • Turn up the flame to medium-high and cook until the wine has evaporated and the mushrooms have taken on a nice sheen.
    • Add the black rice, season with more salt and pepper to taste, and saute for a minute. Now add ยฝ cup of water and let it cook until the water evaporates, stirring frequently. Just before the rice dries completely, add another ยฝ cup of water. Repeat, stirring the risotto frequently, until the rice is cooked but still has a bite to it. This process takes some time, so be patient.
    • Now add the cashew cheese and mix well. The risotto should have a creamy, slightly soupy consistency when done. Add more salt if needed.
    • Now heat the remaining 2 teaspoon of oil in another saucepan, add the sliced onions and sugar with a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions turn golden brown.
    • Top the risotto with the caramelized onions and serve hot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 246kcal | Protein: 7.7g | Fat: 9.2g | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 6g
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
    Follow Holy Cow Vegan on Instagram

    Black Rice Risotto

     

     

    « Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Squares with Peanut Butter Glaze
    Italian Wild Rice Soup with Chickpeas, Asparagus and Leeks »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    About Vaishali


    I cook and eat simple, tasty and nutritious plant-based food in my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. Read more about me here.

    Try these recipes next

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melanie Austin

      December 12, 2020 at 10:26 am

      Hello! This looks delcious! I was wondering if you can make it ahead? I'm hoping to make it for a dinner party...

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        January 14, 2021 at 1:50 pm

        Yes, but you will need to reheat it with more water or veggie stock before you serve as risotto tends to dry out when it stands.

        Reply
    2. Ellen

      March 08, 2018 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      By chance I came upon your lovely website. I have never made risotto before and decided to give it a go. I used oyster mushrooms as that is what I had in my kitchen. This dish tastes absolutely fantastic. I made the cashew cheese and used less miso as I was concerned it might be too salty. Oh word.. it tastes so wonderful I ate half of the cashew cheese! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        January 14, 2021 at 1:49 pm

        So happy you tried! Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    3. Sasha

      August 17, 2014 at 11:34 am

      I notice that the recipe calls for 4-5 cups of water, but as I read the directions (i'm making it now, yeay), it only says to add a 1/2 c of water initially then another 1/2 cup of water to finish cooking. That's only 1 cup, what happened to the other 3-4 cups?

      Thanks, this looks and smells amazing so far (i'm sure by the time the response is posted, i'll have figured this out!) ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        August 17, 2014 at 5:38 pm

        Hi Sasha, as the rice absorbs the water, add half cup more, and so on until you've used up all the water or your risotto is cooked. I guess I am too late but no doubt you figured it out. ๐Ÿ™‚ I will clarify in the recipe.

        Reply
        • Kritika

          April 26, 2020 at 5:11 am

          Hi, do you add cooked rice or just well soaked rice

          Reply
          • Vaishali

            April 26, 2020 at 7:33 pm

            Just dry black rice, as you would for regular risotto.

            Reply
      • Frances Shilling

        July 31, 2020 at 11:58 am

        5 stars
        I've made this twice now. It's absolutely gorgeous. Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Mary @ Mary's Test Kitchen

      April 17, 2014 at 10:25 am

      Ooo I've never had black rice before! This sounds good!

      Reply
    5. Quirky Eats

      April 16, 2014 at 6:18 am

      Hasita, depending on where you're located in India, you might be able to get black rice at one of these places:
      - a health food store,
      - a store (or supplier) that deals in organic food including grains,
      - a big grocery store that stocks organic grains and/ or "novelty" food items.

      But if you can't, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a go at this recipe with red rice.

      Reply
    6. Hasita

      April 14, 2014 at 10:45 am

      Hi, any idea which retailers ship black rice to India? I tried it in several stores but no one knows what it is!

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 14, 2014 at 10:53 am

        Hi Hasita, I don't but maybe a reader from India might have an idea? If someone reading this does, please share. Thanks!

        Reply
    7. Priya

      April 13, 2014 at 9:00 am

      Omg, never knew that we can make risotto with black rice, that bowl of black rice risotto is just mindblowing, love to finish that bowl.

      Reply
    8. Ellen Lederman

      April 11, 2014 at 4:03 pm

      Amazing! I would never have thought to use black rice for risotto---thought it HAD to be arborio (or the risotto police would get me). I love black rice and have plenty of it, thanks to big bags from Costco. Yum! Thanks for sharing....when you are exhausted. Get some R and R this weekend!
      The photo of the black rice risotto looks very much like a Korean black bean dish usually served on top of noodles (They usually put pork in it, but sometimes I can get them to leave it out.)

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        April 11, 2014 at 9:14 pm

        Hi Ellen, black rice works very well in risotto because, like Arborio, it's glutinous. And yes-- I plan to get lots of rest this weekend, although it's supposed to be beautiful out here so I might get more recreation. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply

    Leave a comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Picadillo Tacos
    • Vegan Zucchini Pasta
    • Chickpea Rice
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Mexican Tofu with Apricots, Chipotle and Tamarind
    • Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    How to make

    • Dosa Recipe | How to Make Perfect Dosai at Home
    • Easy Mushroom Stock
    • Sambar Powder (Sambar Masala)
    • Roti recipe. How to make the softest Roti/Chapati (step by step with video)
    • Healthy Whole Wheat Vegan Puff Pastry (1/2 the fat)
    • Easy Indian Curry Paste for Restaurant-Style Dishes
    • Vegan Mayo
    • How to Make Curry Powder
    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Muffaletta Casserole
    • Cheezy Vegan Mexican Black Bean Casserole
    • Vegan Indian-Spiced Tofu Casserole
    • Lentil Soup
    • Cauliflower Rice Biryani (Keto + Vegan)
    • Easy Vegetable Curry (One-pot, 30 minutes)

    How to make

    • Vegan Instant Pot Yogurt
    • Air Fryer Tofu
    • Ginger Garlic Paste for Indian Recipes | How to make and store it
    • Garam Masala Recipe
    • How to Make a Sourdough Starter (Easy Step by Step Guide)
    • How to make sauerkraut
    • Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
    • Homemade Biryani Masala Spice Mix

    Footer


    ABOUT HOLYCOWVEGAN

    All Recipes
    Recipe Videos
    About Vaishali
    Privacy Policy

    VEGAN INDIAN RECIPES

    Vegan Dal or Dahl Recipes
    Vegan Curry Recipes
    Indian Vegan Desserts

    VEGAN BAKING RECIPES

    Vegan Bread Recipes
    Vegan Sourdough Recipes
    Vegan Cake Recipes
    Vegan Pie Recipes
    Vegan Cookie Recipes


    As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure here.

    ยฉ 2022 Holy Cow Vegan