Vegan black bean risotto in minutes

Yesterday I had one of those awesome Monday mornings. I bounded out of bed at 6 am. I spent quality coffee and cat time on the couch. I got some writing done. I even went to the gym for strength training.

When I returned home it was go-time, though. I had to hustle to get showered up and to the office. So I decided to set up a quick creamy grain dish in the electric pressure cooker, allowing it to do its magic while I got ready for work. Here’s my impromptu approach to a vegan black bean risotto recipe:

  • Saute chopped celery (a couple of stalks of celery), one small onion (diced, and three cloves of minced garlic in vegetable broth in the uncovered pressure cooker.
  • Add 1 cup dried pearled barley, 2 cups vegetable broth (I used homemade broth containing a good amount of lemon and lime, so I didn’t need to add it later), and 1 cup water.
  • Stir in a bit of cumin, ground cinnamon, and ancho chili powder.
  • Cover and set for 20 minutes at high pressure. (If using a stove top pressure cooker, bring to pressure, reduce heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 20 minutes.) Allow for a natural release.
  • Remove the lid and stir in 1 cup of canned or cooked black beans, rinsed and drained. (I used black beans that I pressure cooked and froze last month.)
  • Add as much nutritional yeast as you love.
  • I added a pinch of salt.

It was awesome.

Vegan Black Bean Risotto | JLgoesVegan.com

I captured the culinary fun on Periscope. Now remember: Periscope is a live broadcast so I shoot it vertically, per the app, and there is banter with live viewers leaving live comments, which you won’t see on the video. (Follow me on Periscope @jlgoesvegan)

Video 1, getting started:

Video 2, the big reveal:

If you have a copy of my book Vegan Pressure Cooking, you can check out a very similar recipe on page 102: Lentil, Kale, and Barley Risotto. But I hope the lesson learned here is that you can really play with this recipe re: spices, vegetables and types of beans!

Questions about pressure cooking or the recipe? Ask in the comments! 

2 thoughts on “Vegan black bean risotto in minutes”

  1. YUM!! You’ve convinced me that you can do anything in a pressure cooker, JL! I really need to get a better one though. I have the old-fashioned scary kind that occasionally explodes (like beans all over the ceiling … it wasn’t a pretty sight). I need a fancy new, safer one.

    1. Do it, Bianca! I really love the Fagor stovetop pressure cookers. And my current obsession is the new electric Fagor LUX 7-in-1 (I like the Instant Pot, too!).

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