Vegan Pea and Mint Risotto (Gluten-Free)

This vegan pea and mint risotto makes for a delicious summer lunch or dinner. Featuring fresh mint, vibrant green peas, and creamy rice, it's a quick and simple recipe that can be ready in just over 30 minutes.

My original inspiration for this recipe came from leftover vegan pea and mint soup, which I decided to use in place of some of the vegan stock. I love the idea of throwing leftovers into another meal, so if you're keen to try it then check out the soup recipe first.

For more vegan risotto ideas, try this creamy beetroot risotto and smoked tofu risotto with lemon and basil.

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Is vegan pea and mint risotto healthy?

This dish is packed full of nutritious peas, which are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fibre. In one serving of this recipe you’ll find:

• Protein: 14 grams (28% of RDA)
• Vitamin C: 50 mg (61% of RDA)
• Vitamin D: 10 µg (67% of RDA)

Top tip – use leftover pea and mint soup

As I mentioned above, my original inspiration for making this risotto came about after discovering leftover soup sitting in the fridge. I used this in place of some of the usual stock/broth with great results.

If you want to give this a go, head over to my recipe for easy vegan pea and mint soup before coming back here for the risotto.

Which peas are best?

You can use any peas you like in this risotto recipe. If you have an abundance of fresh peas and don’t mind shelling them, by all means use those.

Frozen peas are absolutely fine, especially since they’re usually frozen very soon after picking. You'll just want to defrost them thoroughly before adding to the pan, since you don't want to reduce the heat of the cooking risotto.

See also my recipe for green pea and cucumber hummus.

If you have the option, I’d highly recommend getting your hands on petit pois or “sweet petite peas”. These are younger than standard green peas, meaning they’re slightly smaller with a softer skin and sweeter taste.

If you want to learn more about peas and other legumes, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Pulses.

How to make vegan risotto creamy and cheesy

For a deep-dive into all my tips and tricks for making the best vegan risotto, check out my main recipe for creamy vegan risotto.

This post includes suggestions for numerous dairy-free ingredients, as well as variations for getting a cheesy and creamy risotto that's just right for you.

How to make vegan pea and mint risotto

Begin by heating the vegan stock in a saucepan. Once hot, reduce to a very low simmer (you want the stock to be hot as you add it to the risotto).

In a separate large pan, soften the onion and garlic in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat, add the risotto rice, and stir constantly for a minute or so to avoid it catching on the bottom.

After a minute on high heat, add the white wine and lemon juice (but not the zest). If not using wine, replace this with 100 ml of stock. The liquid will bubble vigorously at first, before calming down. Stir well for a minute and then reduce the heat.

Start to add ladles of the stock to the rice, stirring regularly. The idea is to 'beat' the rice to help release the starches and make it creamy. Don't drown the rice in stock, but also don't let it dry out too much.

Continue this process for around 15 minutes, before adding the peas, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, fresh mint, and plant-based milk. (If using frozen peas, defrost these first in a bowl of boiling water).

Stir well and cook for another five minutes, adding as much stock as you need to the pan. 1 litre of stock should be enough for 300 grams of rice, but add extra water if necessary.

After the rice has been cooking for a total of 20 minutes, it should be 'al dente'. Each grain should be cooked through but still hold its shape.

It may take longer than 20 minutes depending on how hot your stock is and how much you're cooking. Once the rice is creamy and cooked through, adjust the seasoning and then turn off the heat.

Optional steps during cooking

1. If including the leftover pea and mint soup as an ingredient, add this in after you've done one or two ladles of the stock. Stir well and then continue as described above.
2. After taking the rice off the heat, I like to stir in a generous spoonful of plant-based butter and then cover with a lid. I find that this gives a nice gloss to the final risotto. After a couple of minutes, remove the lid and stir well.

Serving suggestions

• Fresh mint leaves
• Four-ingredient vegan parmesan
• A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Toasted nuts/seeds (I like pine nuts and/or pumpkin seeds)
• Wood sorrel (this wild plant has a delicious citrus note – we pick some whenever we see it out and about near Sheffield)

Variations and tips

• Adding the stock: If you want a quicker method, you can add stock powder or a crumbled cube to the pan and then gradually pour small amounts of hot water from a boiled kettle. 
• Quantity: If scaling up the amounts, just be aware that the rice may take longer to cook. 
• Peas: If using frozen peas, defrost these first in a bowl of boiling water. 
• Mint: You’ll want common garden mint, also known as spearmint, which is the one you’ll find in most supermarkets.
• Rice: Make sure you're using a risotto rice such as arborio (the most common) or carnaroli (a slightly creamier variety). 
• Plant-based milk: I’d recommend using unsweetened oat, rice, or soya milk for this risotto.
• Texture: After cooking for 20 minutes, each grain of rice should be cooked through but still hold its shape. If you need to cook it for longer, just be careful not to let it go too mushy. 
• Pan: If possible, you should use a wide, high-sided pan or skillet to cook risotto. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it does help the liquid to evaporate more evenly (and so the rice will cook more evenly).  
• Make it creamier: Another very easy way to make vegan risotto creamy is to use... vegan cream! Simply stir through some plant-based cream or plant-based crème fraiche at the end. 
• Extra zing: The lemon juice and zest will do a good job of replacing the zing you get from dairy parmesan, but if you want a little extra then try adding a splash of cider vinegar.
• Gluten-free: If you need to ensure that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, use a plant-based milk and vegan stock that are certified or labelled as such (as well as any plant-based cream or crème fraiche you add).

How to store cooked risotto

Risotto is best when it’s freshly cooked. The starch in the rice means that it'll go slightly gluey and mushy when stored. This still tastes great, however, and so your best bet is to turn it into arancini (breaded risotto balls) or risotto fritters.

Refrigerate: You can store risotto in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan with some additional water, but don’t expect it to be as good as when you first cooked it.

Note: If using the leftover pea and mint soup as an ingredient, the longer the soup was stored before cooking the risotto then the less time I'd leave the risotto in the fridge.

Freeze: I wouldn't recommend storing cooked risotto in the freezer. The rice will become grainy and lose its texture, so it’s best to refrigerate instead and use it up within a few days.

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Easy Vegan Pea and Mint Soup
• Smoked Tofu Risotto with Lemon & Basil
• Vegan Beetroot Risotto
• Creamy Vegan Risotto with Mixed Veg
• Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
• Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce
• Creamy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Tagliatelle
• 12-Minute Tomato and Basil Pasta

You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.

Full recipe