Eggplant Risotto with Parmesan

Name: Eggplant Risotto with Parmesan: Creamy and Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Italian cuisine
Ingredients: Rice (Arborio) 1 cup (180 g); Vegetable broth or water 0.8-1 l; Eggplant 2-3; Onion 1; Garlic 2 cloves; Parmesan (grated) 1 tbsp + extra for serving (7 g); Olive oil 2 tbsp; Fresh basil 1 sprig; Salt 4-5 g; Black pepper to taste; Dry white wine optional

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45 mins

Eggplant risotto, made on the principle of classic Italian risotto, is a great, filling dish that doesn’t take much time to cook. It is very healthy, but unlike seafood risotto, it is seasonal.

Many sources say that rice is the most important crop of the Eastern countries. That is partly true. Rice is a key crop almost everywhere in the world. Of course, in the East rice is eaten nearly everywhere and in large amounts. But in Italy, for example, the culture of eating rice has been raised almost to an art.

The nutritional value of rice, its health benefits and how well it goes with so many ingredients make it an indispensable food. Vegetarians will be delighted with carrot risotto.

The abundance of rice recipes lets you choose something special and as pleasing to the taste as possible. In Italy, for instance, the number of recipes is simply astonishing.

Risotto is quite similar to familiar rice porridge. Italians cook risotto with a consistency closer to a loose, runny porridge, while we are used to a slightly thicker risotto, that’s just how our taste developed. Even in Italy, though, I often came across very different risottos.

The advantage of rice for breakfast is that it is quick, easy and quite filling, which matters when it is hard to have a proper lunch. In the Eastern method, washed rice is boiled with the right amount of water and then butter is added. The European way is completely different. In Italy, for example, the rice is fried first, and only then is liquid (wine, water, broth, juice, a decoction) added in small portions, each one only after the previous one has been absorbed. This is the principle behind all risotto recipes.

For breakfast we’ll make rice with eggplant, onion and Parmesan, following the principle of eggplant risotto. It’s quick, tasty and nourishing. I’ve gathered the rules for any risotto (rice, broth, creaminess) in the recipe for risotto with vegetables. Among the vegetable options, also try zucchini risotto. If you like it, make pumpkin risotto next.

More with parmesan and eggplant

Eggplant Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce

1 h 30 min

Fish and Eggplant Casserole

More eggplant recipes

Ingredients

2 servings

Rice (Arborio) 1 cup (180 g)
Vegetable broth or water 0.8-1 l
Eggplant 2-3
Onion 1
Garlic 2 cloves
Parmesan (grated) 1 tbsp + extra for serving (7 g)
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Fresh basil 1 sprig
Salt 4-5 g
Black pepper to taste
Dry white wine optional

Step-by-step recipe

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Preparation

After polishing, Arborio rice retains some rice flour, which gives the dish the right consistency as it cooks. That’s why you shouldn’t rinse the rice, and the eggplant risotto will turn out just as it should.
Bake the eggplant in any way available. Eggplants baked over an open flame or on coals are ideal. But in a home kitchen, the most convenient way is to bake them in the microwave. Be sure to pierce the eggplant with a knife, or it will most likely burst or explode. Three medium eggplants bake in roughly 10 mins. Let the baked eggplant cool and peel off the skin. Dice the flesh into cubes three times larger than the vegetables you cut for Olivier salad.
Peel the onion and garlic. Crush the garlic cloves with a knife and finely chop the onion.

Frying the onion and rice

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and fry the crushed garlic cloves in it. The garlic’s job is to flavor the oil, then throw the garlic away.
Fry the onion in the oil until soft and lightly golden. Add the salt (4-5 g) and pepper to taste.
Add the dry Arborio rice to the onion and fry, stirring, until the grains are coated with oil.

Cooking

By the way, vegetable broth is very easy to make and doesn’t take long. Just boil a carrot, an onion, a potato and some soup roots (celery, parsnip, parsley) in a liter of water for 20 mins.
Usually the first liquid the rice should absorb is dry white wine. This is optional. Add half a cup of vegetable broth (100 ml) or plain hot water to the rice.
Reduce the heat and keep cooking the rice uncovered, stirring, until it has absorbed all the liquid.
Add the broth or water in small portions, each one after the previous portion has been absorbed.
When the rice is cooked but the very center of the grain still has a barely noticeable firmness, add the chopped baked eggplant to the rice and vegetables.
Add more broth. In total, 1 cup of Arborio rice (180 g) can absorb 3 cups of liquid (600 ml) or even more, so keep an eye on it. The final consistency of eggplant risotto is a loose, runny porridge. Many people make risotto quite thick, closer to pilaf, which is a matter of taste. Risotto should flow like a wave.
Just before the dish is done, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and stir.
Take off the heat and leave under the lid for 2-3 mins.

Serving

Divide the rice with eggplant among the plates.
Sprinkle with extra Parmesan and stir at the table. Be sure to garnish with sprigs of fresh basil.
Rice with eggplant makes a great breakfast that keeps you full until lunch. I’ve tested this many times.

Calories and macros

570 kcal

Serving ≈ 580 g

Protein11 g8% of kcal
Fat15 g26% of kcal
Carbs87 g66% of kcal

100 g99 kcalProtein 1.8 gFat 2.7 gCarbs 15.2 g

Calculated from the recipe ingredients, excluding salt and spices. Data: USDA and Matvaretabellen.

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