Roast Cherry Tomato and Thyme Risotto with Basil Pesto

A celebration of beautiful seasonal tomatoes in the delicious risotto. Topped with vibrant basil pesto, it’s an incredible combination of taste and texture.
Roast cherry tomato and thyme risotto with basil pesto

Tomato season is here and as a tomato obsessive this is fantastic news.

We have little cherry tomatoes popping up in the greenhouse and picking them to add to salads is just the best.

My roast tomato and thyme risotto with basil pesto really is a celebration of beautiful seasonal tomatoes.

With a fresh but rich taste, it’s packed with flavour.

The roast tomatoes, stirred in at the end, add the wow factor as they pop and ooze their roasted juices into the creamy risotto.

To add even more intense, summery vibes, I’ve added a generous drizzle of fresh basil pesto over the top. It’s so good!

To make the risotto creamier, I stirred in some coconut yogurt–this is optional but adds a creamy contrast to the juicy tomatoes.

I hope you love this as much as I do, Niki xx

The Recipe

Roast cherry tomato and thyme risotto with basil pesto

Roast Cherry Tomato and Thyme Risotto with Basil Pesto

A celebration of beautiful seasonal tomatoes in the delicious risotto. Topped with vibrant basil pesto, it’s an incredible combination of taste and texture.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 hours
2-4 servings
5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

For the roast tomatoes

  • 500 g cherry tomatoes
  • Splash olive oil
  • Sea salt

For the risotto

  • 250 g arborio rice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions chopped roughly
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 3 tbsp white wine
  • 750 ml veg stock
  • 4 ripe tomatoes roughly chopped
  • 8 Sun blush tomatoes in oil drained and roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • Zest 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
  • Lots of black pepper
  • 2 tbsp coconut yogurt or cream

For the pesto

  • 30 g basil
  • 50 g pine nuts
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive
  • Juice 1/2 lemon
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 50 g water

For the toppings

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Big pinch salt
  • Fresh thyme
  • Toasted pine nuts

Instructions

To cook the tomatoes

  • Add the cherry tomatoes to a large baking tray and toss them in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Bake on a medium heat for 30 minutes or until soft and browning a little. Set aside.

To make the risotto

  • Add the oil to a large pan (with a lid) on a low to medium heat, then add in the chopped onions. Fry for 8-10 minutes until soft.
  • Next, add the garlic and fry for a minute, then add rice and stir for a minute, then add in the wine. Stir to combine thoroughly.
  • Add 1 cup at a time of stock at a time until all the liquid is absorbed.
  • Half way through, add in the fresh tomatoes and sundried tomatoes.
  • Continue to add the veg stock.
  • When absorbed and the rice is tender, add in the lemon zest, salt, pepper, coconut yogurt and nutritional yeast and stir to combine.
  • Finally, fold half the roast cherry tomatoes through the rice.

To make the pesto

  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz to combine.

To serve

  • Top with the roast tomatoes, pesto, toasted pine nuts, a handful of fresh thyme and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Print Recipe

I'd love to hear your comments…

  • Eyleen
    2 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    Best risotto I’ve ever made and my husbands absolutely loves it, too!

  • Anya
    3 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    OMG this risotto is absolutely incredible!!! Everyone in my family absolutely loved it (even my super picky sister). The flavors are so amazing and everything pairs so well together. I used a scoop of vegan cream cheese instead of coconut yogurt/cream and it came out amazingly creamy. You would never in a million years be able to tell this recipe is vegan! I will 10000% make this again 🙂

    • Niki
      3 years ago Reply

      Hi Anya
      Thats absolutely amazing! So happy to hear that!
      Much love, Niki xx

  • Vicky
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    Just finished eating this and we absolutely loved it. Glad I made too much so we can have seconds.

  • Katja
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    I’m not really a big risotto fan but this is so delicious!

  • Barbara Cameron
    4 years ago Reply

    Hi, I don’t have sunblush tomatoes in oil – would sun-dried tomato halves (from a packet) do as a substitute?

  • Mimi
    4 years ago Reply

    5 stars
    Best risotto I’ve ever made. Thank you

  • Anaïs
    4 years ago Reply

    Hello,

    Is the nutritional yeast necessary ?

    I’m glutenfree and here in Belgium we don’t cook with it, so it’s difficult to find a GF version.

    What can I used instead? Or is it optionnal ?

    Thanks 🙂

    • Omar
      12 months ago Reply

      5 stars
      This is probably not necessary as this comment is 3 years old but, Nutritional yeast is 100% Gluten Free

    • Niki
      4 years ago Reply

      Hi Anais
      Its definitely optional. If you can find the GF option then great. But absolutely not necessary.
      Much love, Niki xxx

Let me know what you think below…

Latest Recipes