Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto with Crispy Tofu

AND FRIED SAGE LEAVES!!!

Yes, those dark leaves sprinkled on top are sage leaves that have been fried in butter until they’re crispy and melt-in-your-mouth good!

this recipe

Sorry to yell at you first thing in the post but I didn’t want you to miss the fact that this recipe includes crispy sage leaves.

Have you tried them?! Oh man, they’re sooo amazing! It’s my favorite thing to work into a fall inspired recipe.  Oh, and that butter that has been infused with the sage is poured right into that cauliflower risotto – there is no way we are wasting that sage infused butter!

Moving on.

Yes. You heard me right, this is a fall recipe!!! I have finally come to terms that fall has arrived. You know me. I do love fall, but I never want to rush out of summer. Once the mornings and evenings start to get cooler is when I begin to feel the fall vibes. Which means it’s time for a comforting dish.

And no, there is no pumpkin spice, or squash, or soup involved in this recipe but it has all the comforting, earthy fall feels. Meet mushroom cauliflower risotto with crispy tofu!!!

Risotto is traditionally rice that is cooked forever in a pan until it slowly absorbs a broth until it’s nice and creamy and starchy. It’s lovely, but it involves a lot of stirring – like you-better-not-walk-away-for-more-than-5-seconds-kind-of-stirring. I made a brown rice risotto once and it was amazing but too much just standing over the stove and stirring and watching and waiting for my taste.

Cauliflower rice saves the day!

I saw an idea for cauliflower risotto a while back and made a note. I never got around to making it because I thought it would be so disappointing, flavorless and not creamy at all. I was so wrong!!! This is probably my fave cauliflower rice dish I have made so far!!! And I have made cauliflower pizza crust!!! Yes, right now this mushroom cauliflower risotto beats that pizza crust!

The cauliflower rice is cooked in broth and white wine (seriously adds so much flavor), and it’s seasoned with plenty of garlic and herbs – thyme, rosemary, and sage. It’s a flavor bomb!

The creaminess comes from a little help from the Parmesan cheese, butter, and corn starch. The corn starch helps to give the cauliflower rice a nice starchy texture.

TBH this mushroom cauliflower risotto is not exactly like your traditional risotto. The cauliflower rice isn’t as creamy and starchy as regular rice and the cauliflower rice has a different texture. Regardless it doesn’t have a strong cauliflower taste and it is quite delish!!! Just keep this one in mind if you want to add extra veggies to your diet, eat a low carb meal, or a vegetarian one.

P.S. I gave a few tips in the notes of the recipe card on how you can make this meal vegan and dairy free by using some vegan butter and vegan Parmesan cheese.

Things I love about mushroom cauliflower risotto better than regular risotto:

1. No continuous stirring for 45 minutes while adding in broth a little at a time. The actual cauliflower rice part only takes abut 5 minutes to cook up
2. More veggies. Always an A+ in my book
3. despite the good amount of butter and Parmesan cheese inside the mushroom cauliflower risotto this dish feels lighter than traditional risotto.
4. Just like regular risotto this cauliflower risotto is versatile. You can add any kind of flavors you prefer.
5. I love breaking food rules! Is this something you would learn to make in culinary school?! Probably not. Why not invent new ways to enjoy clean eating food

Up next with cauliflower risotto: butternut squash cauliflower risotto?! Yes????!!!

Look at that beautiful crispy tofu. I decided on tofu for the protein of this mushroom cauliflower risotto because it kept it vegetarian and easy to adapt to be vegan, plus I have learned to love tofu.

AKA I learned how to make tofu so that it is lovable. Baking it in the oven is the way to go for a crispy, firm texture. Last night as I reheated these leftovers up I tried reheating the tofu in a skillet with a little oil and it got even crispier! SO GOOD!!! I’m never using the microwave to reheat leftover tofu again. I love making these new discoveries!

The crispy, chewy tofu is the ultimate companion to the creaminess of the mushroom cauliflower risotto!

Okay guys, comforting, warming fall recipes here we come! It’s time!

And I know this mushroom cauliflower risotto won’t disappoint. It’s bursting with flavor, tender, and creamy. The mushrooms add a nice earthiness that I can never get enough of and that crispy tofu is surprisingly satisfying and delicious. And those friend sage leaves that melt in your mouth add so much flavor. It’s like the icing on the cake!

I hope you love this mushroom cauliflower risotto as much as we do – it’s seriously one of my current favorite recipes.

Happy fall cooking!

Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto with Crispy Tofu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Koch
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Yield: 4 to 6 1x
• Category: Entree, Bowls, Superfood
• Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, dairy free

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Description

Mushroom cauliflower risotto is a lighter and veggie loaded alternative to regular risotto. It’s packed with hearty herbs and topped with crispy tofu for a complete meal.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• Crispy Tofu
• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce (or tamari, or coconut aminos)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon corn starch (or arrow root starch)
• Mushrooms
• 16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
• 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced (can use any variety you prefer)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt
• Risotto
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay)
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock, or veggie stock
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florrets
• 1 tablespoon each fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme, chopped ( or sub 1 teaspoon dried)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablepoon corn starch (or arrow root starch)
• (Optional): Crispy Sage
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 to 8 fresh sage leaves

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Instructions

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. And line a medium rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper Set aside.
2. Drain tofu: Drain the tofu from water (at this point you can use a tofu press if you have one and skip the next step) cut the tofu into 1 inch bite sized cubes. Place the cubes on a few layers of paper towels or a clean, lint free kitchen towel, cover the top with more paper towels or the other end of the kitchen towel. Place a cutting board on top of the tofu and place 2 to 4 heavy jars or cans on top of the tofu. Allow the tofu to dry out while you prepare the other ingredients. If you have time to do this step 30 minutes in advance it is best for resulting in a crispier tofu, but okay doing at beginning of recipe.
3. Prepare veggies: At this time chop veggies as instructed above and place into separate bowls so that they are waiting for you.
4. Make Cauliflower rice: Add the cauliflower florets to a food processor, process until the cauliflower resembles rice (you only need to pulse a few times) – work in batches if necessary. Set aside.
5. Cook the tofu: Toss the drained tofu in a bowl with olive oil and the gluten free soy sauce/tamari until the tofu is well coated. Add the corn starch/arrowroot powder and toss until well coated. Transfer to the medium baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake closest to the heat source for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping half way through. The tofu is done when it’s nicely browned and slightly crispy.
6. Cook the mushrooms: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are tender and have browned – season with salt. Remove from the pan into a dish and cover with foil to keep warm.
7. Saute the onion: To the still hot pan add the olive oil and the onions and a good sprinkle of salt. Saute until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
8. Make the risotto: Once the garlic is fragrant add the wine and broth, turn up the heat a little so that the liquid comes to a low simmer. Add the cauliflower rice, give it a good stir and add the herbs. Allow the cauliflower rice to simmer for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower rice has become tender (but not mushy) and a lot of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Make a corn starch slurry: In a small dish mix the 1 tablespoon of corn starch with a little water or broth to remove any lumps. Stir it into the risotto and allow the corn starch to thicken for a minute – this makes everything creamy. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the last tablespoon of butter.
10. Optional step – Make the crispy sage:This can be done while the risotto is finishing up cooking. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter and allow it to melt. Add the fresh sage leaves and allow them to fry until they look crispy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain, Pour the now tasty sage infused butter into the risotto for extra flavor!
11. Serve: Spoon the cauliflower risotto into bowls and top them with the sauteed mushrooms, crispy tofu, and an extra sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Top with the crispy sage leaves (if using). Serve immediately.

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Notes

Wine: The alcohol from the wine does cook off so this dish is safe for kids or pregnant woman. I do recommend the wine because it adds a lot of flavor to the dish. however, if you want to omit the wine than add in an extra 1/2 cup of chicken or veggie stock.

Shortcut: Sometimes grocery stores sell cauliflower rice in bags, that would also work as a shortcut. Just don’t use frozen cauliflower rice. I imagine it would be mushy.

Vegan/dairy free option: To keep this dish vegan replace the butter with vegan butter, and use veggie stock. You can either omit the Parmesan cheese (although, it may not be as creamy), or use a vegan version such asthis recipe.

Leftovers: Store any leftovers in separate containers. Reheat the cauliflower rice and the mushrooms in the microwave. Reheat the tofu in a nonstick skillet with a little oil for extra crispy tofu!

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