A delicious, quick and easy Rainbow Vegetable Risotto recipe. Ready in just 20 minutes and perfect for kids!
It’s dinnertime. The kids are screaming for food and you have nothing prepared, let alone any idea of what to cook. Sound familiar?
Yeah that’s me quite a lot these days! Although I try to meal plan like a pro on a Monday, by Wednesday the plan is quite often lying scrunched up at the bottom of the recycling bin, having failed to even do a supermarket shop let alone follow the damn thing exactly!
Days like these this 20 Minutes Rainbow Veggie Risotto is my savour.
It’s so quick and easy to make and uses store cupboard and fridge essentials that you probably already have.
The veggies are totally interchangeable depending on what you have in that particular day. And anything goes…fresh or frozen.
Veggies are a real sticking point with my 4 year old fussy eater. She has a limited range of vegetables that she will eat with little fuss.
Everything else is fair game for a complete and utter meltdown when plated up for her.
However with this risotto I find that by chopping the veg up quite small, she makes less of a fuss when I put the plate down in front of her and she is more open to at least trying some of the vegetables that she normally hates.
I also find cheese to be a great distraction. I always grate a little extra to have at the table and I allow her to sprinkle it on top or sometimes she asks to grate it herself.
It all seems to work in helping her to forget the evil veg that lurk underneath!
If you are looking for a traditional and authentic risotto recipe then this probably isn’t it.
But it’s quick, easy, healthy and kid friendly. Just what you need for a no-brainer mid week meal!
Enjoy!
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20 Minute Rainbow Veggie Risotto
Prep Time: 5 mins- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Main Meal
Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A delicious, quick and easy Rainbow Vegetable Risotto recipe. Ready in just 20 minutes and perfect for kids!
Ingredients
- 1/2 green pepper
- 1/2 red pepper
- 1/2 yellow pepper
- 1 small carrot
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp frozen peas
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 700ml / 3 cups boiling water
- 250g / 9 oz risotto rice
- 1 tbsp butter
- 50g / 1/2 cup grated cheese (parmesan, cheddar, etc plus a little extra for on top)
Instructions
- Chop all the vegetables (except the peas!) into small bite sized pieces. Dissolve the stock cubes in a jug with the boiling water and keep this jug right beside your cooker.
- Heat a little oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the risotto rice and fry gently for 2-3 minutes until the rice starts to change colour and is fully coated in the oil. Be sure to keep stirring the rice so it doesn’t burn.
- Add a ladle of the stock to the rice at a time. There should be just enough liquid to cover the rice but it shouldn’t be swimming in it. Just as the rice is starting to run out of liquid, add another ladle of stock and keep repeating this until the rice is cooked. Don’t worry if you don’t use all the liquid, or if you need to add a bit extra. I find the amount can vary every time I make it.
- Meanwhile cook the vegetables however you like them. You can fry them, boil them or steam them.
- When the rice has cooked through (remember that risotto is traditionally supposed to have a slight bite to it, but it’s up to you how you want to cook it) and all the stock has been absorbed, add the butter and cheese and give it a good stir. Finally add the vegetables and stir again.
- Serve immediately.
For more quick and easy mid-week meals try these recipes from around the web:
15 Minute Vegetable Rice Quinoa Salad
15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera
Bacon Leek & Pine Nut Pasta
Ani says
Hi Ciara
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I have two questions though. Which cheese did you use? I was thinking from perspective of preparing the dish for my 2 year old lunch box. Most of the cheese hardens when the dish becomes cold.So please share the cheese name. Also what is vegetable stock cube? Are these available in market or do you freeze the stock in cubes?
Thanks
Ani
Yolanda says
Great for feeding my toddler and getting some healthy veg into her without any fuss!
★★★★★
Jo says
My first recipe from your website & loved it. A nice quick risotto that my toddler enjoyed too
★★★★
Ciara Attwell says
Thank Jo! If you like that you should try the Baked Tomato & Cheese Risotto. So easy and really delicious!
Honest mum says
Pure sunshine on a plate. Just gorgeous, happy-making food! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
★★★★★
Ciara Attwell says
Thanks Vicki, so glad you like it!
Ginny Williams says
Ooh, I’m making this tonight! It looks gorgeous & I love risotto. My picky eater very well may not like it (there’s little he does like, I’m afraid) but it’s worth a try! I’m quite sure everyone else will be happy with this choice, and quick & easy? Yes please!
Ciara Attwell says
I hope you managed to get him to eat a little at least. I find cutting the veg up really small helps sometimes but we always still have battles!
Rachel says
This looks fab I rarely make ‘traditional’ risotto. This looks perfect for my kids.
Ciara Attwell says
Thanks Rachel. Who needs traditional when you have quick and easy!
Camilla says
What a gorgeous and colourful looking risotto! Thank you for linking to my pasta dish:-)
Ciara Attwell says
Thanks Camilla. Thanks for sharing your pasta dish. It looks great!
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I am all about making life easy. Authentic has its place as does super easy and good.
★★★★
Ciara Attwell says
You are so right Bintu!