Spring is in full bloom here in San Diego and nothing tastes better than a light salad and beautifully crafted side dish. Our Creamy Springtime Carnaroli Rice has been paired with fresh green peas, organic asparagus and a touch of fresh lemon zest, making this dish a standout spring meal. Carnaroli rice is a short-grain rice with a high starch content typically used to make risotto, however, I also love this rice as a base for vegan sushi rolls or rice pudding.
Creamy Springtime Carnaroli Rice
Our Carnaroli Rice comes from non-other than my favorite rice company – Lotus Foods.
“More than a century of experience and passion for rice growing is in every bag of Carnaroli Rice produced by the Picco family of Cascina Belvedere in Italy’s premier rice-growing region. They farm organically and control every aspect of the production, assuring quality and taste in every grain.”
-Now that’s rice we can trust!
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups Lotus Foods Carnaroli rice
- 4 cups vegetable stock (homemade is nice, but feel free to use prepackaged - low sodium)
- 2 cups asparagus, roughly chopped
- 1 cup green peas
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cashews, soaked at least 2 hours
- 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
- Juice of 1 fresh lemon
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup coconut water or vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Garnish: Zest of 1 lemon
- Coat a large saucepan with olive oil and add finely diced onion. Sauté onions until translucent (about 3-5 mins.)
- Add rice and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 mins. If needed, add more liquid. Rice should end up with a soft, creamy texture.
- Using a high-speed blender, add soaked cashews, nutritional yeast flakes, fresh lemon and 1/2 -3/4 cup liquid. Blend on high until creamy. Add more liquid if needed. Add sea salt to taste.
- Asparagus can either be roasted or lightly steamed. Add to cooked rice.
- Fresh or frozen peas work in this dish. I typically lightly steam them for 2-3 mins. before adding to my cooked rice.
- Toss cooked rice, cashew cream, asparagus and peas together until combined. Adjust seasonings as desired. (Sea salt & pepper)
- Garnish with fresh lemon zest.
- ENJOY!
- vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free
- All recipes and images are protected under copyright laws and owned by Kris Kelly and Goofy Foot Foods.