Vegan Pesto Rice

Though I do not follow a strictly vegan diet, and likely never will, over the past several years I have found myself more and more inclined to make most of my dinners vegan only. As much as I do enjoy cheese, this move towards vegan meals hasn't meant sacrificing anything in the way of flavor and satisfaction — if anything, it's honed my creativity and seasoning abilities. Even when I'm craving one of my old favorite non-vegan dishes, I can often turn it into something vegan that's just as good.

One of my long-time favorite side rice dishes has always been an easy stovetop pesto rice loaded with fresh grated Parmesan cheese, reminiscent of the creamy and chewy texture of risottos. Craving it again, I revisited the recipe, but decided to make it vegan without losing any of the elegant simplicity, flavor, and texture of the original. This version uses a combination of miso and my easy homemade nut-based vegan Parmesan cheese to recreate the flavor of the rice and keep its creamy consistency. I didn't miss the cheese at all, and this vegan pesto rice is probably going to be my go-to pesto rice from now on. As always, my recipes are guidelines and can easily be adjusted to suit the preferences of the cook, so feel free to use dairy Parmesan if desired.

Vegan Pesto Rice

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Cuisine: Italian
Published on February 22, 2021

Simple and delicious vegan pesto rice with the creamy and chewy texture of risotto

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

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Pesto:

2 oz (50 g) fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon white (shiro) miso
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon olive oil

Rice:

1 cup arborio rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
juice of 1 lemon (3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons olive oil
fresh ground black pepper

Garnish:

fresh basil leaves, torn or bruised
vegan Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Once the ingredients are prepared, heat the vegetable stock over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan, being careful not to bring to a boil. If it does start boiling, turn down the heat slightly and remove the pan from the burner for a few moments.
In the meantime, put the pesto ingredients into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
Take a few spoonfuls of the pesto and stir into the rice to coat all the grains. When the vegetable stock is hot but not boiling, pour the coated rice into the saucepan and stir in the salt. Turn up the heat on the stove. As soon as the rice and stock begin to boil, cover with a lid and turn down the heat to low. Cook for exactly 20 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a serving bowl. Add the remaining pesto, vegan Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and combine by stirring gently.
Serve warm or cold with fresh basil leaves and more vegan Parmesan cheese scattered over top.

Makes 4 servings