I can’t think of a better way to end the week than with this Tomato Barley Risotto with Cashew Sour Cream.
Confession: making risotto always intimidated me. I’m not talking about making creamy rice, I’m talking about real traditional risotto. I’m so glad I got over that ridiculous fear! Yes, it needs a fair amount of attention, but it’s actually quite easy to make once you learn the technique. You just have to be patient and don’t rush the process.
Instead of a more conventional rice risotto, I’m making a pearl barley risotto. It’s just as creamy, but it has a bit more texture and a deeper flavor. Barley is one of those grains that’s completely underrated. Have you cooked with barley before?!? Takes a little longer to cook, but it’s totally worth it. I absolutely love the chewy texture and the nutty, wholesome flavor of barley.
Looking for a dish that will blow your mind?! This vegan risotto will definitely bring you joy, plus nobody will ever know it’s 100% plant-based. The secret to an amazing risotto: you don’t need butter or cheese to make a creamy risotto; you just need to stir frequently and the barley will release its starches creating a rich, velvety consistency.
This risotto is infused with delicious aromatics, white wine and tomatoes, and topped with a heavenly cashew sour cream. You could skip the cashew cream and the risotto will still taste incredible, but I really hope you don’t. The combination of the two is just perfection. Trust me on this one!
A risotto is super comforting but simple. It takes a bit of time but hits the spot every single time. It’s that crowd-pleasing dish that even your kids will love; it’s that cozy meal that never fails to impress. It’s that satisfying and indulgent bowl at the end the day. It’s cheap and truly delicious!
If you try this wonderful barley risotto, let us know what you think. Tag us on Instagram @mondaydreamsblog or leave a comment below. We love hearing from you!
Tomato Barley Risotto with Cashew Sour Cream
Ingredients
TOMATO BROTH:
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups water – can sub vegetable broth, I used water
- ½ tsp sea salt
RISOTTO:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium leek, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup pearl barley
- ⅓ cup white wine
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered, depending on their size
- ½ tsp coconut sugar – will cut down the acidity of tomatoes
- 5 big basil leaves, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
TO SERVE:
- Cashew Sour Cream
- Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- Fresh basil, finely chopped
CASHEW SOUR CREAM:
- ½ cup cashews - soaked for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight*
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- CASHEW SOUR CREAM:
- Make the cashew sour cream first, and have it ready for serving.
- Drain and rinse cashews.
- Add all ingredients, including cashews, to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to a small bowl or jar, set aside.
- TOMATO BROTH:
- Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Place tomato broth on a medium pan and bring to a very light simmer. Keep it warm. Warming the broth before adding it to the barley will release more starch and make a creamier risotto.
- While you warm the broth prepare the risotto ingredients.
- RISOTTO:
- On a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until the onion is a bit translucent.
- Add leek, garlic cloves, chili flakes and sea salt. Sauté for 3 more minutes.
- Add barley and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until slightly toasted and fragrant.
- Add white wine and deglaze (use your spoon to release all those caramelized bits form the bottom) the pan. And cook, stirring often, until all the wine is absorbed.
- Add ¾ - 1 cup of warm broth and cook, stirring frequently, until all the broth is absorbed. Repeat this process: keep adding ¾ - 1 cup of warm broth at a time, stirring regularly between additions, always allowing the liquid to absorb before adding more broth. Risotto will get thicker and creamier with every cup of broth.
- When you have approximately 1 – 1 ½ cup of broth left in the broth pan, add cherry tomatoes to the risotto.
- Continue adding what’s left of the tomato broth, ¾ - 1 cup at a time.
- The whole process should take about 40 - 45 minutes and use up all (or most) the broth. Taste the barley to know when it’s done, it should be al dente by now, perfectly tender, but still a bit chewy. If it’s not ready, add another ½ cup of hot water.
- Once it’s ready, turn of the heat and add coconut sugar, fresh basil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Serve immediately with a big dollop of cashew sour cream, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
- Enjoy!
- You can make the tomato broth and the cashew sour-cream in advance and store them in the fridge. Risotto is best made and served immediately, but you could store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat over the stove with an extra splash of water or veggie broth.