I admit it. Up until recently, I thought one of the main secrets to risotto’s creamy, dreamy consistency was a hefty dose of Parmesan cheese. Oh and butter, too.

My first lesson to the contrary was when I made this vegan risotto. Deee licious.

My slow realization that vegan risotto can indeed be just as incredible as its dairy-filled counterpart was confirmed when I made a vegan risotto as part of an assignment in the plant-based cooking course I recently took.

So what is a good risotto all about then, if not the parm? Here’s what I’ve learned.

Well, first, of course, you need the right rice. Something short-grain and super starchy – the usual suspect is arborio rice.

You know how you usually rinse rice before cooking it? Don’t do that with risotto rice! You want those starches. The starches are where it’s at. Starches = creamy.

Otherwise, we’re talking about careful treatment of the ingredients. Let the onions sweat – cook ’em low and slow. Toast the rice. Deglaze with a nice dry white wine. Perhaps use a special broth. And then exercise a bit (okay, a lot) of patience. Add the broth one cup at a time, waiting until it’s completely absorbed before adding more, coaxing the creaminess out of the rice.

A good risotto, they say, should be nice and loose. Spoon some on a plate and give it gentle shake. The risotto should spread out. If it stays in a pile, it’s too thick. (Does anything else think of that episode of Food Network Star with Wolfgang Puck? I think of that every single dang time I make the stuff.)

And guess what? These simple guidelines around a great risotto don’t involve parmesan! The right ingredients, the right treatment of ingredients, a little patient coaxing. So now I know.

And now I share this perfectly creamy vegan risotto recipe with you.

So what’s in this version aside from the usual risotto suspects?

Fresh summer-sweet corn, right off the cob. A light, homemade veggie broth made with the cobs. (You can skip the homemade broth but it does infuse more corn flavor, so make it if you can!)

Some zucchini to add color, a bit of texture, and to up the summer quotient. And, finally, a finish of the most vibrantly green basil oil along with some charred fresh corn to top it off.

This Sweet Corn Risotto is a hearty summer dish that’s both vegan and gluten-free – and a total crowd pleaser to boot.

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I have to be honest here. I felt a tad deflated when I was asked to review a brand new cookbook called “Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore: Dinner for Everyone At the Table.”

“That’s the cookbook I wanted to write someday!” I thought. But instead, an accomplished, James Beard award-winning cookbook author had written it – someone who has written cookbooks that I really like, to boot. Grr! Think The Vegetarian Epicure and Love Soup. Thankfully, my jealousy turned to excitement pretty quickly, because the truth was, I was pretty excited to crack open Anna Thomas’ latest.

As it turns out, Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore – with loads of vegan base recipes and options for taking them in both vegetarian and meaty directions – is indeed perfect for Kitchen Treaty readers. But I find it to be more of a special occasion cookbook – a bit different than my more everyday point of view. And I love that, because even if you don’t live in a mixed-diet family, almost everyone encounters dietary differences when it comes to holidays and parties.

Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore is the kind of cookbook you’ll enjoy reading cover to cover, then whipping out whenever you want to seriously impress guests – even better when a plethora of dietary preferences and requirements are presenting themselves at the table.

It’s packed with ambitious but doable holiday menus and recipes (with options, of course). The menus and recipes are interspersed with set-the-mood stories that transport you to, say, a golden California evening, lounging on a tree-covered patio and sipping rosé with Anna herself. (And you feel quite welcomed, thank you, regardless of your dietary preferences.)

Each dish is both familiar and different, often with one or two special ingredients you might not use in everyday cooking. For me, I like how it bumps me a bit out of my comfort zone and challenges me to try new things. I need that now and then!

This Spinach & Herb Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms has two ingredients I’d never tried – and I’m now in love with both. Oyster mushrooms – so (for lack of a better word) meaty! And mirin – Japanese sweet rice wine. Holy moly. Glazed oyster mushrooms, cooked with a splash of mirin until golden. Such flavor.

This risotto recipe made me believe that a vegan risotto can be just as good as risotto served up with tons of Parmesan. The parm is truly not necessary, as it turns out, although in the spirit of the cookbook (and Kitchen Treaty too!) it is an option. So is chicken. My guy enjoyed his with warmed cooked chicken and a sprinkle of shaved cheese. And I rewarded myself by sneaking a few extra glorious mushrooms into my own serving.

If you’re looking for more flexibility and interesting choices for serving yourself, your family, and your guests – particularly on special occasions – consider adding both this recipe and the book to your arsenal.

One gripe I do have about the cookbook is the lack of prep and cook times. I need that! But if you read through the recipe thoroughly before starting, you should get a good feel for about how long it should take. (And I did add my own prep/cook times to the recipe I’m sharing below).

Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore: Dinner for Everyone at the Table is available now on Amazon.

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