Creamy Millet & Mushroom Risotto

Millet mushroom risotto is a creamy and comforting plant-based main or side dish. It’s easy to make on a stove top or in a slow cooker, and a great alternative to the more traditional rice risotto.

Recipe Author: Lindsay Cotter - www.cottercrunch.com  /  Prep Time: 5 minutes  /  Cook Time: 30  /  Total Time: 35-40  /  Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1–2 tbsp butter or vegan butter 
1 shallot, or 1/2 small white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tsp) 
1 1/4 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup hulled millet (arborio rice or quinoa can be subbed)
2–3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup white wine, optional* see notes for subs
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan (or 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes for vegan option)
1 cup or more loose leaf spinach 
Fresh parsley, to serve
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS

1. Add oil to a large skillet or frying pan and bring to medium high heat; add shallots and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add millet and mushrooms and stir to coat with oil.

2. Increase heat to high, add white wine.  Let millet and mushrooms absorb the white wine while it cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium high and add in 1 cup stock. Stir all together.

4. The millet will start to absorb the stock after 10 minutes. Once it does, add another 1 cup of stock into the pot.

5. Continue cooking, stirring every couple of minutes, until the millet is almost all the way cooked through, around 17-20 min).

6. When millet is cooked, reduce heat to low. Add butter and stir, then stir in the parmesan (reserving some for topping) and spinach. Cover and let spinach wilt for 2 minutes. Stir again.

7.Garnish with parsley and sea salt/pepper to taste 

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

1. Using a skillet, saute the olive oil, shallots, garlic, and mushrooms over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup of dry white wine. If you don’t have white wine, you may skip or just add a touch (1 tbsp) of white wine vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes or until mushrooms have slightly softened. Do not overcook. Add in millet (or rice), stirring to coat for 2 minutes

2. Line the slow cooker or oil the sides. Add millet risotto mixture

3. Pour in stock and season with salt and pepper to taste

4. Stir to combine again. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour 30 minutes or low for 2-3 hours, or until millet is tender and liquid is absorbed. If you can, check halfway through cooking and stir. 

5 Once it’s cooked, stir in spinach, nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese and mix all together until creamy. Top with fresh parsley.

Recipe Notes:
To substitute white wine, use 1/4 cup vegetable stock plus a splash of lime or 1 tbsp white wine vinegar.