Risotto with a Vegan Twist

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons margarine (such as Earth Balance®)
• 3 basil leaves, finely chopped
• 2 bunches fresh chives, finely chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock, or more if needed
• 1 onion, cubed
• 1 tomato, cubed
• 3 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups Arborio rice

Step 1

Melt the margarine in a pot over medium heat. Add the basil and chives, stirring them around until they smell amazing, about a minute or two. Meanwhile, warm up your vegetable stock in another saucepan on low so it’s nice and hot when you need it.

Step 2

Toss in the onion, tomato, potatoes, and all the spices—garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook everything together, stirring now and then, until the onion softens, which should take around 6 minutes. Then add the fresh garlic and chickpeas, cooking just long enough for the garlic to release its aroma, about a minute or two.

Step 3

Now stir in the rice, making sure each grain gets coated in that flavorful mixture. Let it toast lightly for a couple of minutes. From here, ladle in the warm vegetable stock one cup at a time, stirring gently and waiting for the liquid to absorb before adding more. Keep this up, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender and creamy, which usually takes about 20 minutes.