This Miso Risotto came about when I was looking at ways to inject more flavor into my risotto broth. I’m a pescatarian, so risotto broth typically means either water and salt (which does turn out great) or vegetable broth/stocks of some kind. I do get jealous of the umami-rich bone broths some add to their risotto, which is why I wanted to see what would happen if we combined the classic miso soup with a traditional risotto method. The result was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself.
I leaned heavily on Japanese influence in this recipe, using Miso Soup as the main inspiration/base. I don’t use dashi in this recipe, so it does err from tradition, but the fusion with Italian cookery methods yielded a delicious, easy, and plant-based dinner. But…you can totally add baked salmon if you want. You can see that I did!
Table of contents
What makes this miso risotto similar to traditional risotto
Now this miso risotto is pretty much a copy/paste of a traditional risotto method, but with a few key changes along the way. These changes are typically ingredient swaps, while the method stays the same. I’ve heavily incorporated Japanese ingredients because I wanted to maintain the consistency with the use of miso broth. While it is by no means traditional, here are the ingredients I changed up in this miso risotto recipe:
- I swapped in scallions instead of using yellow onion
- I added garlic and ginger as aromatics when cooking down the onion
- I’m using short-grain sushi rice instead of Arborio rice
- Rice vinegar is my substitute for white wine
- Miso broth is my substitute for simmering water (of course!)
- And the whole thing is finished with bok choy and sesame oil, instead of parmesan and butter
Italians can call me crazy, but this pushes the classic risotto recipe closer to congee. The flavors are still delicious, and the method is still very similar, but it’s just using a few different items!
How to prepare this miso risotto
First, make sure you have two burners side-by-side that you can use. Keeping the broth warm as you add it is integral to a good risotto!
Set a large dutch oven over one burner and add six cups of water. Add another two cups of water in a small bowl and add the miso paste. Whisk vigorously to melt the miso into the water, then pour that into the dutch oven. Turn the burner to medium heat and let the water gradually come to barely a simmer.
While the pot is heating up, set a large sauté pan over medium heat on the burner next to it. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for two minutes. Add the sliced white parts of the scallions and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant and softened. Season with a pinch of salt.
Add in the grated garlic cloves and fresh ginger and mix to combine. Cook for three minutes or until you no longer smell raw garlic. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and stir. This will allow the scallion, garlic and ginger to cook down even further without burning.
Cook until the water has fully evaporated, leaving behind the oil.
Add the short grain white rice to the pan, stir to coat it in the oil and aromatics. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the outside of the rice is clear and the inside is still opaque. It will sound “glassy” as it hits the sides of the pan.
Add the rice vinegar with the rice and stir.
The broth should be near simmering now. Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep it at a very low simmer. Scoop 3/4 cup of the broth into the pan at a time and mix the rice constantly. This is agitating the starches and creating the creamy risotto. Once you see the broth has been absorbed, add another 3/4 cup. This typically takes about 3-4 minutes per each addition.
After you’ve added 6 cups of broth (eight scoops) taste to see if the rice is done. If it’s still a bit firm, add another scoop. If it tastes ready, you can stop adding. Season with salt as needed.
Tear the bok choy into the remaining 2 cups of miso broth and let it wilt into the broth for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Then scoop it into the risotto. Mix together.
Take the risotto off the heat. Drizzle with tamari, chili oil and sesame seeds. Garnish with the sliced scallion greens. Serve warm.
Looking for similar recipes?
Here are a few that are perfect if you are in the mood for *slop*
And that’s it for this Miso Risotto recipe!
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And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Miso Risotto
Equipment
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 large pot of Dutch oven
- 1 large sauté pan
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 heaping cup white miso paste
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 scallions greens and white parts separated, thinly sliced
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves grated
- 1 inch knob of ginger grated
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup short grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 4 heads baby bok choy
- 1 tablespoon chili oil for serving
- 1 tablespoon tamari for serving
- 1 teaspoon white or black sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Make sure you have two burners side-by-side that you can use.
- Set a large dutch oven over one burner and add six cups of water. Add another two cups of water in a small bowl and add the miso paste. Whisk vigorously to melt the miso into the water, then pour that into the dutch oven. Turn the burner to medium heat and let the water gradually come to barely a simmer.
- While the pot is heating up, set a large sauté pan over medium heat on the burner next to it. Add the olive oil and let it heat up for two minutes. Add the sliced white parts of the scallions and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant and softened. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add in the grated garlic cloves and fresh ginger and mix to combine. Cook for three minutes or until you no longer smell raw garlic.
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and stir. This will allow the scallion, garlic and ginger to cook down even further without burning. Cook until the water has fully evaporated, leaving behind the oil.
- Add the short grain white rice to the pan, stir to coat it in the oil and aromatics. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the outside of the rice is clear and the inside is still opaque. It will sound "glassy" as it hits the sides of the pan.
- Add the rice vinegar with the rice and stir.
- The broth should be near simmering now. Reduce the heat to medium low to keep it at a very low simmer. Scoop 3/4 cup of the broth into the pan at a time and mix the rice constantly. This is agitating the starches and creating the creamy risotto. Once you see the broth has been absorbed, add another 3/4 cup. This typically takes about 3-4 minutes per each addition.
- After you've added 6 cups of broth (eight scoops) taste to see if the rice is done. If it's still a bit firm, add another scoop. If it tastes ready, you can stop adding. Season with salt as needed.
- Tear the bok choy into the remaining 2 cups of miso broth and let it wilt into the broth for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Then scoop it into the risotto. Mix together.
- Take the risotto off the heat. Drizzle with tamari, chili oil and sesame seeds. Garnish with the sliced scallion greens. Serve warm.
Made this tonight and it was great! First time making one of your recipes. I didn’t need all the broth the recipe suggested before the rice was cooked. Next time I would like to make this with mushrooms. We made with salmon and chicken. Both were great.
So thrilled you made it! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment & review!
Can I use a basmati or Jasmine rice?
Unfortunately only Aborio or sushi rice will work, they are able to develop the starches to make a creamy risotto! Basmati and jasmine don’t behave the same.
I made this for the first time yesterday, and WOW 10/10 delicious. I paired it with crispy tofu. Will definitely be making it again. I didn’t know you could use just a short grain white rice either! Arborio rice is kind of pricey (imo) but I found a generic short grain “italian” rice for less then half the cost and double the quantity.
Delicious!!
I’m so glad you liked it! And good to know re: the aborio and short grain rices, I’ll try to find what you found next time I’m out shopping, just to test it out 🙂
Made this last night for myself and a friend and it was DELICIOUS!!! I love the adjustments to make this a “risotto” the non-classic way. The sushi rice was so creamy / rich it was shocking it was just the miso broth that did that. I added salmon on top and it rounded out the meal.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! I love adding salmon on top, it’s my favorite protein with this. Thank you for taking the time to leave such a kind review <3
This recipe came at the perfect time- my CSA included a bunch of bok choy and the instagram gods served this up to me. <3 Such a fun idea! Love the mish-mash of food cultures. Next time I think I will up the miso paste level or even add a little scoop of miso paste to the risotto when it's nearing completion to bump up that flavor but I really liked the green onion/ginger/garlic oil- super fragrant and satisfying. Served with a marinated pork tenderloin for a protein bump, and used the leftover miso broth to make chawanmushi for breakfast today-yum!
OMG! This was sooo good! I used barley instead of rice and I used a large leek instead of the green onion. I was definitely generous with the miso, too. Yes, there was leftover broth, but I’m happy to use that in another recipe or soup. I served it with baked salmon on top and that crispy chili in oil was exactly the right topping. My new favourite recipe! Thanks Justine!
I’m so glad you liked it!! And as a leek lover, I’m so down with your swap 🙂
I’ve had some miso soup with kale and shrimp that I got tired of having to finish so as soon as I saw this I was so excited!! Used the broth in the same way and heated up the tofu/kale/shrimp like you do the garlic/ginger/scallions, and the end result was incredible. Excited to try this again with the recipe as-is, I can already tell it’ll be fantastic!
I love how you used this and am SO THRILLED you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave such a nice rating, it really means the world <3
This was a big hit with the family! Instead of making a separate pot of broth, I added the miso paste directly into the toasted rice, then used hot water straight from the kettle. It saved some dishes and kept the workspace nice and clean!
I had it with pan-fried teriyaki chicken and soy-marinated soft boiled eggs. Delicious!
I’m so glad everyone liked it!! Than you for taking the time to leave such a kind review <3
This is genius, thank you!
Intuitive food prep with good skills love it!
This neuro divergent human would love to gift you some money occasionally (commitment issues) is there a way to do that?
Hello! First, thank you so much for asking <3 Second, you can become a paid subscriber to my newsletter here if you'd like: https://justinesnacks.substack.com/
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Incredible! I added crimini mushrooms and found it gave a bit more flavor and texture. Also, mushrooms are amazing. Thank you for this recipe! It was perfect for my vegan dinner party.
So SO glad you liked it!
Yum! Subbed 1inch chuncks of asparagus. No bok choy to be found today. Delicious!
Can you make it so we can share photos with our comments. 🙂
I’ll work on it! I coded this site myself so I will admit I have a few things I wish I could add!
This risotto is going to quickly become a repeat recipe in my house! So delicious, I ended up topping with some roasted shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian meaty texture. Thanks for continuously making bomb ass recipes that I want to make immediately after you post them online!
Ahhh thank you so much! This is the nicest compliment and I’m so glad you liked this!
Can I use orzo for this recipe?
Since this uses the classic risotto method to build up the starches naturally in rice, it unfortunately will only get creamy and smooth with rices like arborio or sushi rice. I hope this helps, and I’m sorry that it can’t be swapped!
Very, very delicious. Have been following you for a few months on insta. First recipe of yours to try, and was not disappointed. Thank you! Would definitely repeat.
So so glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and review 🙂
This was so amazing and creamy. I paired it with seared Ahi Tuna. I also took some of the bok choy and sauteed it with garlic to put on top for a little extra depth.
With seared tuna this sounds like a DREAM. I’m so glad you liked it, and I’m stealing the garlic idea for next time 😉
This reel kept coming up in my feed and I finally had to make it myself. I accidentally put too much vinegar in, but because i served with crispy tofu on top, the flavour was not too overwhelming. Otherwise, a delight. My bok choy had sturdy stems, so I separated them from the leaves and chopped them up to start them with the onions off the top. That worked well. I decided to chop the leaves and just add them as was with the last couple of ladelfuls of liquid, and that worked well too. Definitely recommend pairing with the episode of Ugly Delicious where they compare Chinese dumplings and Italian stuffed pasta, which we did by accident.