Vegan Mushroom Lentil Risotto Recipe (High Protein)
Apr 13, 2020 • Updated Sep 25, 2024
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Cozy, comforting, and hearty but also high in protein, this Mushroom Asparagus Lentil Risotto does it all. It’s creamy, warming, and made with only good-for-you ingredients. The secret? The lentils, which disguise themselves as part of the rice in this risotto. They’re high in protein and undetectable to the naked eye.
Why You’ll Love This Lentil Risotto
If lentils in risotto sounds a little weird to you, trust me when I say it’s delicious and adds even more texture! You know I’m a big fan of finding fun ways to incorporate more plant protein and legumes into my recipes, and this recipe does just that. It creates a more balanced meal and the added plant protein makes the dish more satiating and keeps you fuller longer.
This Lentil Risotto recipe is heavily inspired by my most recent Purple Carrot meal. You can watch this YouTube video, in which I cook the meal with my boyfriend, Mo. We loved it so much, we kept re-making the recipe and it’s still one of our favourite meals to date. You can find a similar recipe on their website, but I’ve made a few adjustments to make this recipe even healthier and more flavourful. Risotto is the ultimate comfort food, and this version does not disappoint!
This vegan recipe is also gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and oil-free. It can be meal-prepped, and batch prepared, that way you’ll have plenty of leftovers throughout the week! Bonus: the recipe is also gut-healthy and probiotic thanks to miso paste.
If you love vegan risotto, try one of these recipes too: Leek Risotto with Spring Peas, Creamy Risotto with Corn & Roasted Shallots, and Easy Butternut Squash Risotto.
Ingredient Notes
- White lentils → Are sneakily incorporated into the rice base of our risotto. High in protein, and fiber, white lentils are a great addition to rice because it’s similar in look and size.
- Arborio rice → The base ingredient for our risotto (and most others, too!). Using a half-and-half mixture of lentils and rice provides the perfect balance of nutrition while still serving all the risotto texture.
- Mushroom broth → Is a wonderful, umami broth to use in cooking in general. I really love using it when making risotto or rice because it adds an unbeatable savory flavor, and in this recipe, it really brings out the mushroom. Vegetable broth or vegetable stock are alternative options.
- Mushrooms → A delicious topping for our risotto that provides texture, flavor, and also a little bit of plant protein too! I like to use a variety of mushrooms, like shiitake, maitake, and button mushrooms, but you can use anything you have on hand.
- Asparagus → Is a great way to incorporate a little green into the recipe. It has a lovely flavor that pairs well with mushrooms and brightens up the dish too.
- Miso paste → Gives this dish the gut-healthy boost and probiotics. It’s also a deeply rich flavor and umami that ties the whole recipe together. Paired with mushrooms, you can never go wrong.
- Minced garlic
- Onions
- Garlic powder
- Soy sauce
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Macadamia nuts (or vegan parmesan cheese) for garnish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Bring mushroom broth to a light simmer and set aside.
Step 2: In a large saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté asparagus and mushrooms with gluten-free soy sauce and garlic powder for about 2-3 minutes, or until asparagus is bright green and mushrooms are tender. Set aside.
Step 3: Using the same pan, lower the heat to medium heat and sauté onion with a touch of oil or veggie stock until translucent and fragrant. Add garlic, dry rice, and lentils to the pan, and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Add 1/2 cup of mushroom broth to the pan with the lentils and rice and stir until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Continue the process, by the 1/2 cup until all the broth is used and rice is tender.
Step 5: Remove the pan from heat, stir in miso paste, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with mushrooms and asparagus on top, or stir into the mixture.
Step 6: Top risotto with macadamia nuts, grated or microplaned on top for an extra touch. Enjoy!
Secrets to Success
- To achieve the best texture and make sure your lentils cook through, I highly recommend soaking them beforehand. I’ve included this as an optional step in the recipe card, but if you have time to do it, please do! It only takes 30 seconds to dump the lentils into a bowl with water and you can let them soak overnight so they’re ready to go when you’re cooking.
- If you choose to soak your lentils for about 3 hours or overnight before cooking, it will result in a much more tender risotto and may cook more quickly. This is an optional step.
- Risotto is kind of a labor of love dish in that it does take some patience and time to prepare. You want to add broth slowly, in parts, until liquid is absorbed and repeat the process. I’m experimenting with an Instant Pot version, so let me know if you’d be interested, but until then, turn some music on and prepare to stir away!
Serving & Storage Tips
Serve this lentil risotto on its own or with a side green salad. This recipe makes a perfect side dish or main course– whatever you’re in the mood for!
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days in the refrigerator. Gently reheat in the microwave or stovetop with a little veggie broth to enhance the texture.
More Delicious Recipes
- Miso Mushroom Ramen
- Herbed Mushroom Carbonara Pasta
- Three Mushroom Quinoa Soup
- Mushroom Shii-Tacos
- Golden Garlic Quinoa
- One Pot Mushroom Stroganoff via Sweet Simple Vegan
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and for a chance to be featured! As always, I love when you share your star rating and reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too!
Vegan Mushroom Lentil Risotto Recipe (High Protein)
Ingredients
- 4 cups mushroom broth you can also use vegetable broth instead
- 1/2 large onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms of choice
- 1 cup chopped asparagus
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp gluten free soy sauce
- 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white lentils soaked and drained*
- 3 tbsp white miso paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 macadamia nuts for garnish
Instructions
- Bring mushroom broth to a light simmer and set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium high heat, sauté asparagus and mushrooms with gluten free soy sauce and garlic powder for about 2-3 minutes, or until asparagus is bright green and mushrooms are tender. Set aside.
- Add 1/2 cup of mushroom broth to the pan with the lentils and rice and stir until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Continue the process, by the 1/2 cup until all the broth is used and rice is tender.
- Remove the pan from heat, stir in miso paste, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with mushrooms and asparagus on top, or stir into the mixture.
- Top risotto with macadamia nuts, grated or microplaned on top for an extra touch. Enjoy!
Notes
Secrets to Success
- To achieve the best texture and make sure your lentils cook through, I highly recommend soaking them beforehand. I’ve included this as an optional step below in the recipe card, but if you have time to do it, please do! It only takes 30 seconds to dump the lentils into a bowl with water and you can let them soak overnight so they’re ready to go when you’re cooking.
- If you choose to soak your lentils for about 3 hours or overnight before cooking, it will result in a much more tender risotto and may cook more quickly. This is an optional step.
- Risotto is kind of a labor of love dish in that it does take some patience and time to prepare. You want to add broth slowly, in parts, until liquid is absorbed and repeat the process. I’m experimenting with an Instant Pot version, so let me know if you’d be interested, but until then, turn some music on and prepare to stir away!
Serving & Storage Tips
Serve this lentil risotto on its own or with a side green salad. This recipe makes a perfect side dish or main course– whatever you’re in the mood for! Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days in the refrigerator. Gently reheat in the microwave or stovetop with a little veggie broth to enhance the texture.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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