Rich in umami flavour, antioxidants, minerals and nutrients, this mushroom, wild garlic and seaweed risotto encompasses foraged and sourced medicinal ingredients.
Serves 4 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 45 minutes | Vegan, gluten free and nut free
Ingredients
A rich and flavoursome risotto recipe made with a variety of foraged ingredients, including seaweed, wild garlic and mushrooms, this versatile recipe offers a delightful umami flavour profile with the addition of miso paste and soy sauce. It can be adapted to suit vegan and gluten-free diets.
- 2 cups of risotto rice
- 6 cups of water
- 10 mixed mushrooms of any type
- 1 tablespoon of dried or flaked mixed seaweed, or six fresh pieces of any seaweed of choice approximately finger-sized
- 2 tablespoons of butter or dairy free alternative
- 1 tablespoon of white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- Pinch of salt
- 6 wild garlic leaves
Method
- Sauté the onion and chopped garlic cloves in the olive oil for five minutes on a medium heat in a non-stick pan.
- Add mushrooms and saute for a further five minutes.
- Add the rice, stir well and coat in the oil.
- Add the miso paste, smoked paprika and butter. Stir well.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, salt and dried or finely chopped seaweed. Stir in well.
- Keep on a medium heat and stir regularly, adding the water a little at a time as the rice absorbs the fluid.
- Continue to stir well and add all the water until the rice is cooked.
- Remove from the heat and stir through the chopped wild garlic leaves.
- Enjoy your tasty seaweed risotto.
Expert tips / cooking tips
Green seaweed has a light, salty flavour. The red seaweed (dulse) has an almost bacon-like flavour. Brown seaweeds are best finely chopped and eaten in small amounts as they can be chewy. Optional extras: Stir through or sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of yeast flakes, or parmesan.
Can be made with wholegrain buckwheat instead of rice for an alternative dish similar to risotto.
How to store the leftovers of your seaweed risotto
This seaweed risotto dish can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for two days or alternatively can be frozen for use at a later date.
Foraged seaweed is best stored in an airtight container once it is completely dry. It can be dried in the sunshine. The wild garlic is best used fresh, but can be shredded and stored in olive oil in an airtight container in the fridge for several weeks. Alternatively, any additional wild garlic can be made into a wild garlic ferment.
Medicinal benefits
Medicinal benefits of wild garlic
Wild garlic is shown to be highly antioxidant and support the circulatory system by reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It has also demonstrated antibacterial and antiparasitic actions (1).
Medicinal benefits of seaweed
Green seaweeds are a rich source of protein and essential fatty acids. They also have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity (2).
Red seaweeds, such as Irish moss, have exhibited antiviral effects and contain protein and essential fatty acids. Dulse contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which contribute to maintaining healthy eyesight (3).
Brown seaweeds, such as Arctic wrack, contain fucoidan, which is shown to support healthy joints and bones. Brown seaweeds contain the richest source of iodine, and caution is advised in overconsumption in thyroid conditions (4).
Seaweeds have an incredibly high nutritional and mineral profile, known to be more than ten times higher than land plants (5) which makes this seaweed risotto an excellent healthy choice.
References
- Sobolewska D, Podolak I, Makowska-Wąs J. Allium ursinum: botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological overview. Phytochemistry Reviews. 2015;14(1):81-97. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-013-9334-0
- 2. Xu J, Liao W, Liu Y, Guo Y, Jiang S, Zhao C. An overview on the nutritional and bioactive components of green seaweeds. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition. 2023;5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-023-00132-5
- 3. Brownlee IA, Fairclough AC, Hall AC, Paxman JR. The potential health benefits of seaweed and seaweed extracts. Northumbria University Research Portal. Published online December 2011:119-135. Accessed March 21, 2025. https://researchportal.northumbria.ac.uk/en/publications/the-potential-health-benefits-of-seaweed-and-seaweed-extracts
- 4. Vaamonde-García C, Flórez-Fernández N, María José Torres, et al. Study of fucoidans as natural biomolecules for therapeutical applications in osteoarthritis. 2021;258:117692-117692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117692
- 5. Lozano Muñoz I, Díaz NF. Minerals in edible seaweed: health benefits and food safety issues. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2020;62(6):1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1844637
