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+ servings

Cavolo Nero Pesto Risotto

Creamy risotto drenched in cavolo nero (lacinato kale) pesto with burst cherry tomatoes and creamy melty mascarpone cheese. This dinner packs in some healthy greens whilst having a dreamy texture and lots of vibrant summery flavors. You will have leftover pesto for another meal too!
5 from 2 ratings

Ingredients

  • 200 g (1 cups) arborio rice
  • 3 small shallots
  • 50 g (0.5 cups) pecorino or parmesan cheese*
  • 1 lemon, zest
  • 120 ml white wine
  • 950 ml (4 cups) vegetable stock
  • 300 g (11 oz) cherry tomatoes
  • 4 Tbsp ricotta or mascarpone cheese, for topping
  • lemon wedges, for squeezing (optional)

For the Pesto

  • 200 g (7 oz) cavolo nero, stems removed and leaves roughly torn or chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 Tbsp pine nuts
  • 50 g (0.5 cups) pecorino or parmesan cheese*, grated or roughly chopped cubed
  • 1 bunch basil
  • Salt, to taste
  • 100 ml (0.40 cups) extra virgin olive oil

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F.
  • Make the pesto - Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor. (You may want to start with only half of the cavolo nero, if it won't all fit in at once, and add the remaining amount once the rest is blended.)
    200 g cavolo nero, 2 cloves garlic, Juice of 1 lemon, 4 Tbsp pine nuts, 1 bunch basil, 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Toss the cherry tomatoes in a light coating of olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and then tip them out onto a baking tray. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. They will probably be ready before the risotto, but you can let them sit in the oven with the heat off and the door open until you need them
    300 g cherry tomatoes
  • Risotto time! You will start by sauteing your shallots until soft.
  • Add the arborio rice and let it cook for a minute or two, until you smell a slight toasty-ness.
  • Add the wine, stir through, allow it to evaporate.
  • Now add a pour of vegetable stock, enough to immerse all of the rice, and let it cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Add more stock, and repeat this process, you will need to do this several times.
  • After 15 minutes give the rice a try to assess how cooked it is. Continue to add more liquid, and stir until absorbed, until you are satisfied that the rice is cooked. You want it a little al dente but not crunchy. You may not need all of the stock, or you may run out of stock and need more (you can just use water or extra wine if this happens and you don't have any more stock available).
  • Once you're happy with the risotto, add the lemon zest and cheese. Turn off the heat.
  • Stir until the cheese is melted. If it feels too sticky, add some extra water or stock. You want it to be creamy but a little loose, not a sticky mass.
  • Now add a few heaping spoonfuls of the kale pesto and mix it through, without any heat being applied to the pan.
  • The amount of pesto to add is your choice, I usually add 4-5 heaped spoonfuls but you can add more or less depending on how strongly flavored you want your risotto; feel free to try small bites to assess how concentrated the flavor is.
  • Now add the cherry tomatoes and spoonfuls of mascarpone. You can also add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and an additional squeeze of lemon if you wish. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Parmesan is not technically vegetarian due to using animal rennet. I use a vegetarian friendly Pecorino from Tesco, there are other Italian hard cheese alternatives available in most supermarkets.
 
Calories: 536kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 1279mg, Potassium: 466mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 3837IU, Vitamin C: 57mg, Calcium: 339mg, Iron: 4mg