Almost hands-free risotto made sweet and savory with honey-roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, and creamy ricotta salata.
honey-roasted sweet potato and carrot risotto with ricotta salata

Spring food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or, Exhibit A in my petition to create a whole Easter menu around CARROTS.

I was thinking this and then twenty different variations on carrot cake. Don’t even tell me you think that’s not a great idea.

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Seriously, though, I have been reeealllyyyy into carrots lately. There’s no explaining it.

Okay, there is explaining it. It’s that IT STILL FEELS LIKE WINTER OUTSIDE.

Did I mention that it snowed on Saturday? Did I mention that the troposphere and I are NOT ON SPEAKING TERMS?

But, carrots. They feel like a spring vegetable, but roast up like a winter one, and you gotta love that kind of ambidexterity.

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This risotto is especially “large family gathering” perfect because it’s almost hands-free! Meaning that the kind folks over at Cook’s Illustrated figured out how you can get dreamy creamy risotto without having to actually stand near your stove for 45 minutes. Yes, I want to make out with them too.

I think this requires about 10 minutes of intensive hands-on time, five at the start and five at the end, where you actually have to be standing by the stove and stirring. The rest is totally set it and forget it. Man, I love that.

The mix of sweet and savory always sounds good to me, so I roasted up my carrots in a honey olive oil bath alongside their root veggie bestie, the sweet potato, letting them get all ultra tender and caramelized. Then I stirred them into their final risotto destination along with ricotta salata, which is just the right amount of salty to balance out their sweetness in the final dish.

Honey-Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Risotto with Ricotta Salata
 
Normally a very attention intensive dish, this risotto employs an almost hands-free method that lets you cook it without having to stand over the pot! It gets it's sweet and savory flavors from honey-roasted sweet potatoes and carrots, and creamy ricotta salata.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
For the honey-roasted vegetables
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
  • salt, to taste
For the risotto
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1½ cups water
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped finely
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 2 cups arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 4 oz ricotta salata, crumbled
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 450F. In a medium bowl, toss together the olive oil and honey with the carrots and sweet potato cubes. Season to taste with salt. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, start the risotto. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a simmer.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and ¾ tsp salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 4-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until lightly toasted and starting to look translucent around the edges.
  4. Add in the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until almost completely absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in 5 cups of the hot broth mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 16-19 minutes, or until the rice is al dente and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, stirring twice during cooking.
  5. Add in ¾ cup of the remaining hot broth mixture. Stir gently until risotto becomes creamy. Stir in the cheese. Remove from the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining butter, lemon juice, thyme, parsley, and roasted vegetables. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, adding more broth as necessary to reach desired consistency.
Notes
Heavily adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 bowl

 More risotto!

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Corn, Asparagus, and Basil Barley Risotto

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Asparagus and Green Pea Risotto with Fresh Herb Tarka

roasted cauliflower, sage, and almond risotto

Roasted Cauliflower, Sage, and Almond Risotto

From Around the Web:

Lemony Roasted Cauliflower Risotto from Cookie + Kate

Red Wine and Goat Cheese Risotto from How Sweet It Is

Roasted Corn and Poblano Risotto from Spoon Fork Bacon

Hoppin’ John Risotto from Bittersweet Blog

Sweet Corn, Gouda, and Farro Risotto from Foodiecrush

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honey-roasted carrot and sweet potato risotto
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34 Responses to Honey-Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Risotto with Ricotta Salata

  1. Who can’t use this bright simple and delicious recipe for Easter? This looks divine, my friend!

  2. A honey sweet potato = a BIG yes from me. A perfect spring meal.

  3. Pass me those carrots in everything PLEASE!! I love this Springy risotto!

  4. This would make a nice Easter side dish!

  5. Joanne, oh my gawd woman .. dreamy, creamy, GORGEOUS risotto . . LOVE this!!!

  6. cheri says:

    Love risotto Joanne, never thought to make it using sweet potatoes and carrots, sounds delicious. It was 97 degrees here yesterday (ugh) which is way to hot for this time of year. Take care……

  7. Just gimme all the carrots. I can’t get enough. And carrot cake too. So if you need a taste tester, I’ll be on a train to NYC STAT! XO

  8. SallyBR says:

    Perfect! Love everything about this recipe… I’ve been eating a lot of carrots lately, sometimes I get into one of these phases in which I cannot get enough of one particular ingredient… go figure!

  9. Heather says:

    This sounds super tasty. I love honey roasted carrots and sweet potatoes, but rarely make risotto due to the time spent at the oven. Love that you can walk away for this recipe!

  10. I need this risotto in my life! Perfect way to start the week!

  11. This looks super delish! Would love to eat some now!!

  12. I want those honey roasted sweet potatoes! The risotto must be very tasty.

  13. Divine recipe! This salad looks so tasty, Joanne! I’m definitely going to be making this over Easter break! 😀

  14. Agness says:

    Recently I have been adding a lot of sweet potatoes to my salad and they are so so delicious!! 🙂 Great recipe!

  15. I love risotto especially when it’s loaded up with veggies – this looks wonderful Joanne!

  16. Snow?! That really is quite rough. Although, if it gives an excuse for carrots, it’s not all bad. I think 20 varieties of carrot cake sounds like a great idea, but this does look delicious for eating while waiting for them to bake.

  17. The day I discovered how beautifully sweet and delicious roasted carrots are was a beautiful day! I actually have some roasting in the oven right now along with some sweet potatoes (going to have it with baked salmon) This is one of my fave meals, but I’m now wishing I had some of this risotto instead!

  18. Yum! You’re totally the only person who would have the ingenuity to refer to a carrot as ambidextrous 🙂 This risotto looks great, and cheers to less work, always 🙂

  19. Looks incredibly delicious. Never thought of sweet potatoes and carrot risotto. Smart!!!!

  20. Hotly Spiced says:

    I do love carrots roasted in honey. Unbelievable that it’s still snowing! I have a friend who was just in NY to buy an apartment in Gramercy Place. As soon as he landed he went straight to the beach to thaw out – kept saying how cold it is in NY. I hope Spring arrives before Easter! xx

  21. Yes! Bring on the spring! These dish looks so fresh and light. I love that you used sweet potatoes!

  22. This looks delicious AND beautiful!

  23. Krista says:

    Such a comforting dish, Joanne. Perfect for a chilly Autumn evening in my part of the world. 🙂

  24. A lovely dish – Joanne – perfect for the cooler weather we are getting down here.

  25. Kate says:

    Carrots are a great thing to be into!

  26. Sues says:

    I want to see this carrot cake themed Easter dinner!! But I hope we can still have this on the side 🙂

  27. Eileen says:

    Yes to carrots! I have to admit I am not a carrot cake person (though I will eat the cream cheese frosting with a spoon), but a risotto like this? YES. Such a great plan for new spring carrots.

  28. This is a great method when making risotto for a dinner party 🙂

  29. Ala says:

    I told you the story of how my feet soles turned orange once because I ate an entire Costco bag of baby carrots in like, 3 weeks or something ridiculous? By myself? Yeahhhh. Apparently that can happen, though thankfully orange-tinted feet are really the only symptom of hyper-carotine. whoot! Enjoying this carrot-inspired risotto, this is right up my alley!

  30. Johanna GGG says:

    I think a 20 course carrot meal sounds like a great idea! And this risotto sounds great – I should try it as I suspect I make risotto less these days because it is hard to give it 100% attention when a small child also demands it.

  31. Kelly says:

    Love this creamy risotto! Those honey roasted carrots and sweet potatoes sound absolutely heavenly!

  32. I love carrots too. I love them in the risotto.

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