• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Coley Cooks
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Casseroles
    • Chicken + Poultry
    • Cookies + Bars
    • Drinks
    • Frozen Treats
    • Pasta + Risotto
    • Pies + Tarts
    • Meat
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Snacks
    • Soups + Stews
    • Starchy Sides
    • Vegetable Sides
    • Vegetarian Main
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Privacy Policy
×

Home » Recipes » Gluten Free

Tomato Fennel Risotto

Published: Oct 4, 2016 · Modified: Jan 7, 2022 by Coley · This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

This easy recipe for Tomato Fennel Risotto is one of my favorite ways to use up heirloom tomatoes from my garden! It's vegan, gluten free, and totally delicious. Don't skimp on the olive oil!

It's October the 4th, and believe it or not, tomatoes are still in season. Of course, this is the end of the season, but for many growers, they're still coming in strong. I can't exactly say that for myself, however, since most of my plants were mysteriously taken out by a cocktail of different blights and garden diseases. Neat, huh?

That said, I am still getting some tomatoes. The past week has seen nothing but rain, which sent my already sad looking plants into even further death and decay. But shockingly, there are still a few tomatoes hanging on for dear life. And while these ones may be looking a bit worse for the wear, they're still meaty and juicy and flavorful and meant for so much more than the trash (or, uh, compost pile).

Shallow bowl filled with tomato fennel risotto.Vertical shot of a shallow bowl of tomato fennel risotto with a fork.

Cut around those little black cankers and there's still plenty of tomato to be enjoyed. I put a lot of time, money and effort into growing these babies and you can bet your life I'm not about to see any of them go to waste. That's why they're perfect for this recipe: a creamy and rich risotto that actually doesn't contain any cream at all. Or cheese. Or butter for that matter. In fact, this recipe is completely vegan (and gluten free, to boot).

In a strange twist of events, I forewent my usual instincts to load up a dish with as much butter and cheese as possible and instead, opted to let the natural flavors shine. It's essentially a rule of mine, as well as every Italian and most other chefs, to always finish a risotto with lots of butter and parmesan cheese. But I felt this one actually benefitted from a lack of dairy. The flavors are so perfect on their own, the only finishing touch it needs is a little bit of olive oil and a slew of fresh herbs.

Top view of tomato fennel risotto in a white bowl.Close up view of tomato fennel risotto in a white bowl garnished with fresh herbs.

This recipe was inspired by these stuffed tomatoes that I used to make for a client. I always found that, no matter what I did, the tomatoes always turned to mush and leeched out tons of liquid that would pool up in the bottom of the pan and never actually absorbed into the rice. Overall, I found the recipe just didn't work very well, but what did work was the combination of flavors, and they worked beautifully.

Fennel and onions get cooked down until they're sweet and tender, then the addition of toasted fennel seed really drives home that fennely flavor. I happen to adore fennel seed. It's that flavor in Italian sausage that some people hate, but personally, I find Italian sausage just doesn't taste right without it. We use nothing but a little bit of wine, water, and the juice from the tomatoes as liquid, and it's finished with a shower of fresh dill, mint, and parsley, plus a generous drizzle of your best extra virgin olive oil. The flavors are so simple, and this is definitely one of those dishes that only works with the best tomatoes you can find, which - guess what, you guys - are still available for a limited time right now.

Rice and fennel in a cast iron dutch oven being stirred with a wooden spoon.Bright green chopped herbs on top of tomato fennel risotto in a Dutch oven.

One thing to note about risotto... Or, okay, two things. Risotto should never be cooked into a thick glob of mushy rice. That description just sounds bad, but so often I find this is how people think risotto should be cooked. It should be on the soupier, or rather, saucier side; a bit loose. And the rice should be al dente, just like pasta, and not completely soft. Towards the end of cooking, you need to continuously taste, adding little bits of liquid and adjusting the seasoning as necessary until you get it just right. Your mouth is - and in cooking, should always be - your best friend.

This is a simple dish to throw together and can be served as either an entree or a side with chicken or fish. I love these shoulder season foods that showcase the best of lingering late summer produce, but with the warm and comforting cooking techniques of fall. I still can't figure out how to dress myself this time of year (shorts are too summer but pants are too hot and one minute I need a jacket and the next minute I'm sweating), but I know what to eat, and to me, that's far more important.

Enjoy.

Close up of a shallow white bowl with tomato risotto and fresh herbs.Shallow bowl filled with tomato fennel risotto.

One Year Ago: Ground Cherry Torte
And: Tuscany, Italy
Two Years Ago: Spicy Pumpkin Soup with Corn + Crab Relish

Print

Tomato + Fennel Risotto

Close up of a shallow white bowl with tomato risotto and fresh herbs.
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This easy recipe for Tomato Fennel Risotto is one of my favorite ways to use up heirloom tomatoes from my garden! It's vegan, gluten free, and totally delicious. Don't skimp on the olive oil!

  • Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: main dish
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 medium yellow onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 medium bulb of fennel, cored and very thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed with a mortar or back of a knife
  • 1 tablespoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 6 cups diced fresh heirloom tomatoes (from about 4 medium)
  • 3-4 cups of water
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Instructions

  1. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat, then add the onion and fennel. Saute until softened and barely starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the fennel seed and half of the salt, then cook for 1 minute more.
  2. Add the arborio rice, stir, and cook for about 2-3 minutes to toast the rice. Add the white wine and stir until fully absorbed. Add one cup of water and stir until absorbed, then add another cup of water and continue stirring.
  3. Place the tomatoes in a strainer over the pot and stir in their liquid. When the rice absorbs all of the liquid, add another cup of water and continue stirring. Add the remaining salt and season with pepper. Give the risotto a taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed, and take note of how done the rice is. You want it to be slightly al dente.
  4. Continue tasting every few minutes and add ¼ cup more liquid at a time until the rice is to the right point of doneness. Add the tomatoes and keep stirring. They will release some liquid, but you want the risotto to be a bit on the soupier side. Taste to see if it's ready, and when it is, remove it from the heat and stir in all but a small amount of the herbs, along with the remaining ¼ cup olive oil.
  5. Spoon the risotto into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the remaining herbs. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serves 4 as an entree or 8 as a side dish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 515
  • Sugar: 10.6 g
  • Sodium: 1805.6 mg
  • Fat: 29 g
  • Carbohydrates: 56.7 g
  • Protein: 7.4 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: tomato, fennel, risotto, tomato risotto, one skillet meal

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review and star rating ⭐️ to help other cooks!

TOMATO FENNEL RISOTTO | Easy summer risotto recipe! Full of flavor, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh herbs. Healthy dinner recipe! #vegan #glutenfree #plantbased | ColeyCooks.com

SaveSave

More Gluten Free Recipes

  • Easy New England Fish Chowder
  • A close up of a Dutch baby pancake in a cast iron skillet.
    Easy Oatmeal Dutch Baby Pancake
  • maple syrup being poured on a slice of Oatmeal Pumpkin Dutch Baby
    Oatmeal Pumpkin Dutch Baby Pancake
  • Three mini chocolate souffles in ramekins next to a bowl of freshly whipped cream.
    4 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Soufflé Cakes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating and review! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. jess

    March 16, 2017 at 3:25 am

    trying this now and im not impressed, it needs vegetable stock or garlic, its watery and has maybe a touch too much wine other than that its okay

    Reply
    • Coley

      March 16, 2017 at 12:01 pm

      Hey Jess. Sorry you didn't enjoy the recipe. This recipe really only works with the best, most flavorful, super juicy in-season heirloom tomatoes. They should add lots of sweetness and acidity 99% of tomatoes on the market right now can't do that (unless you're in the southern hemisphere?). I don't like to use vegetable stock because it changes the flavor so drastically and takes away from the subtle flavors of the tomatoes, onions, and fennel. But it should not be watery, and the wine should have been mostly cooked out before adding the water. I'd love to hear more of your feedback however, please let me know if I can help you troubleshoot. I really love this dish!

      Reply
  2. Jessie

    December 20, 2022 at 10:04 am

    This is such a perfect summer-to-fall transition meal. I loved it. The fennel here is AMAZING. Super cozy and really flavorful.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Nicole Gaffney smiling for the camera
I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley. You should, too! I'm a chef and recipe developer specializing in coastal Italian cooking. Welcome to Coley Cooks! About Nicole Gaffney

Italian Recipes

Close up of 3 slices of braciole over red sauce on a white plate with a fork.

Authentic Italian Beef Braciole

Large, oval serving platter of fusilli pasta with tomato, olive, and anchovy.

Pasta with Olives, Anchovies, Tomatoes + Breadcrumbs

Vertical shot of eggplant parmesan on a plate next to a baking dish.

Unbreaded Eggplant Parm

sweet potato gnocchi on a fork

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

overhead shot of grilled zucchini bruschetta on a wood platter

Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta with Whipped Ricotta + Mint

Grilled Pizza with Prosciutto + Corn

Grilled Pizzas with Corn + Prosciutto

Seafood Recipes

overhead shot of a bowl of pasta with clam sauce

Linguine alle Vongole: Pasta with Clam Sauce

Easy New England Fish Chowder

A white bowl with bright orange lobster soup with a lobster tail and chives on top.

Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños | ColeyCooks.com

Clams with Bacon, Tomatoes + Jalapeños

overhead shot of a platter with crab cakes and lemon wedges on top

Easy Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes

Close up of a pile of steamed crabs and corn on the cob.

Steamed Crabs Maryland Style

The Art of the Smoothie Bowl Cook Book is Out NOW!! Click the photo above to order.
Nicole Gaffney of Coley Cooks As Seen On...

Footer

Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer. Learn More about Coley…

Stay Connected!

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Didn't find what you were looking for?

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme