Risotto, as delicious as it may be, is both high in carbs and time consuming. This recipe solves both problems using cauliflower—half riced and half puréed to create the creamy and smooth consistency. Make it for a special dinner date (it’s sure to impress) or as part of a weekly meal plan (it reheats well!) Use the leftovers for brunch and top with a sunny-side up egg.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms
- ¼ cup light olive oil, for frying and sautéing
- 1 Tbsp liquid aminos
- 1 small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 packet Instant Mushroom Bone Broth
- 16 oz water
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- Three-ingredient cashew parmesan, to serve
- Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Prep ingredients
Wash and dry all produce. Separate the stems from the mushrooms and set aside. Thinly slice the mushroom caps. Peel and roughly chop onion and garlic. Use the medium-sized slots of a box grater to rice the cauliflower. One head should make between 6–8 cups of cauliflower rice. In a liquid measuring cup, add 2 cups of water and microwave for 3 minutes or until just boiling. Remove from microwave, add contents of broth packet, and stir. Set aside.
Sauté mushrooms
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the mushrooms and sauté until they are tender and browned, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and stir to evenly coat. Cook for 1 minute or until the soy sauce is absorbed and then transfer mushrooms from the pan to a plate and set aside.
Make creamy cauliflower purée
In the same skillet, add remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Let the oil heat until it’s shimmering but not smoking, then add onion, garlic, and mushroom stems. Allow them to cook without stirring for 2–3 minutes or until the onions are browned on one side. Add zest and thyme then stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then add half of the cauliflower and half of the broth. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to a food processor, purée, then season to taste and set aside.
Cook cauliflower rice
In same skillet, add remaining cauliflower and remaining broth, cook until crisp but not quite tender. Add the purée back into the skillet along with the peas. Stir to combine and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste.
Serve
Serve in a shallow bowl, top with reserved mushrooms and a sprinkle of cashew parmesan. Yields 4 servings.
Notes and tips
When grating the cauliflower, a food processor with a grating attachment would also work, but the box grater gets the job done just fine. Don’t cut the cauliflower into pieces if you’re grating with a box grater—keeping the head whole makes it easy to hold.
