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CREAMY TOMATO & BASIL RISOTTO

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Overhead shot of creamy tomato risotto on a white plate, topped with grated vegan Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

With cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and a touch of white wine, this is a simple but special meal you’ll want to make again and again.

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Hi, it’s Rita. We first cooked this Tomato Risotto well in the midst of summer, when the markets were still overflowing with ripe cherry tomatoes and dinner in our backyard didn't entail running back inside to grab a sweatshirt. It was one of those recipes that came together naturally, from ingredients we already had at home, and instantly earned a spot among our favourites. Now that our new blog has finally launched, we thought it deserved a permanent home here too.

This risotto is everything we love about Italian-style comfort food: creamy, rich, and deeply savoury, with layers of tomato flavour from both cherry and sun-dried tomatoes. The white wine adds brightness, the fresh basil brings a fragrant finish, and the whole thing comes together into a bowl of pure contentment. It’s simple enough for a weeknight, but special enough to serve when you have guests over.

If you’re wondering about the “Parmesan,” you can absolutely use a good store-bought vegan version — or, if you’re in the mood for something homemade, try our cashew-based "Vegan Parmesan Cheese", another recipe here on the blog. It takes just a few minutes to make and keeps beautifully in a jar, ready for your next risotto night. Psst... we sprinkle it over just about ANYTHING.

We hope this recipe brings a bit of late-summer warmth into your kitchen (and also that you can get your hands on some ripe tomatoes!), whether you’re cooking for two on a quiet evening or gathering friends around the table. If you make it, let us know in the comments below or tag us on Instagram. We love seeing your versions of our recipes. :)

Overhead view of tomato risotto ingredients: cherry tomatoes on the vine, onion, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, risotto rice, olive oil, tomato paste, stock cubes and fresh basil.
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Close-up of onion and garlic being finely chopped on a wooden board.
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Cherry tomatoes sizzling with chopped onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes in a pan.
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Steaming pan with cherry tomatoes and golden onions cooking together for the risotto base.
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Carnaroli rice added to the tomato mixture in the pan, ready to toast before adding stock.
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Close-up of creamy tomato risotto showing glossy grains of rice in a rich red sauce.
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Tomato risotto in a large skillet topped with fresh basil, ready to serve.
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Overhead view of tomato risotto served on a white plate beside the pan and grated Parmesan.
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Creamy tomato risotto on a white plate topped with grated Parmesan and basil, with the pan in the background.
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Creamy tomato risotto on a white plate topped with grated Parmesan and basil, with the pan in the background.
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Creamy Tomato & Basil Risotto
Creamy Tomato & Basil Risotto
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4 portions
40 minutes
Ingredients
  • 3 bouillon cubes + 6 cups (1.5 L) boiling water
  • 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 6–7 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
  • 250 g cherry tomatoes (1 ½ cups)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
  • Sea salt and white pepper
  • 2 cups (400 g) risotto rice (such as Arborio or Carnaroli)
  • Fresh basil, to serve
  • Vegan Parmesan, to serve (storebought or homemade)
Instructions

Start by gathering, preparing and measuring all of the ingredients. This will improve your dynamic in the kitchen.

  1. In a small saucepan or kettle, mix the boiling water with the stock cubes and keep it hot over low heat.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 6 minutes, until translucent but not browned.
  3. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  4. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until their skins begin to split.
  5. Stir in the tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with the wine and let it reduce for 2–3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
  6. Add the rice and stir well to coat.
  7. Add one ladleful of hot stock at a time, stirring often, and only add more when the previous one is almost fully absorbed. Repeat for 20–25 minutes, until the rice is creamy and al dente.
  8. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately, topped with fresh basil and vegan Parmesan.
Notes

Stir regularly, especially towards the end, and keep the stock hot throughout.
For a looser risotto, reserve a little stock and stir it in after letting the risotto rest for 1 minute off the heat, just before serving.

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