The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we've revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Serving size
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tsp pumpkin seeds
-
10g veg stock powder
-
200ml cashew cream (use half) (Nuts)
- 80g baby spinach
-
250g cooked short grain brown rice
- 1 unwaxed lemon (use half)
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 onion
-
2 tbsp green pesto
- 120g chestnut mushrooms
Nuts
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information
| Typical values | per 100g | per portion |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 116Kcal | 513Kcal |
| 484kJ | 2148kJ | |
| Fat | 6.0g | 27g |
| of which saturates | 0.7g | 3.3g |
| Carbohydrates | 13g | 59g |
| of which sugars | 1.2g | 5.1g |
| Protein | 2.2g | 9.8g |
| Salt | 0.49g | 2.2g |
| Fibre | 1.5g | 6.6g |
Ingredients
Ingredients
-
2 tbsp green pesto
-
10g veg stock powder (use half)
-
250g cooked short grain brown rice (use half)
- 3 garlic clove
-
200ml cashew cream (use a quarter) (Nuts)
- 120g chestnut mushrooms (use half)
- 80g baby spinach (use half)
- 1 unwaxed lemon (use a quarter)
- 2 tsp pumpkin seeds (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
Nuts
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Information
| Typical values | per 100g | per portion |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 121Kcal | 595Kcal |
| 507kJ | 2489kJ | |
| Fat | 7.0g | 34g |
| of which saturates | 0.8g | 3.9g |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 61g |
| of which sugars | 1.1g | 5.5g |
| Protein | 2.2g | 11g |
| Salt | 0.53g | 2.6g |
| Fibre | 1.5g | 7.3g |
Chestnut Mushroom Risotto with Cashew Cream & Basil Pesto
An easy, Mindful Chef twist on risotto – studded with garlicky mushrooms and vibrant spinach. Stir cashew cream into the brown rice to make it irresistibly creamy, then top with crunchy pumpkin seeds, lemon zest and a drizzle of basil pesto.
Cooking Instructions
Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large frying pan, a small bowl, a measuring jug, a sieve & a grater
Do the prep
- Thinly slice the mushrooms. Finely dice the onion. Finely chop or crush the garlic
Fry the 'shrooms
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the mushrooms and onion and cook for 5-6 mins, until golden and softened. Season with salt and pepper
- Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 1 min
Make the pesto dressing & build the risotto
- Meanwhile, zest the half lemon. In the small bowl, combine half the pesto with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and half the lemon zest
- Stir the stock powder, half bottle of cashew cream, remaining lemon zest and 100ml water (50ml for 1 person) into the pan. Bring to the boil, then mix in the rice, breaking it up with a spoon. Simmer for 3-4 mins, until thickened slightly
Finishing touches
- Rinse the spinach and add to the pan. Cook for 1-2 mins, until the spinach has wilted. Add a splash of water if it gets too dry
- Stir in a squeeze of lemon juice, then remove from the heat. Taste and season if needed
Plate up
- Share the risotto between bowls, drizzled with the pesto dressing. Sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds
Getting hungry?
Healthy, chef designed meal kits to cook at home.
Looking for more recipe inspiration?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get delicious seasonal inspiration and recipes, plus 25% off your first 4 boxes with us!
While you wait, pull up a chair with The Mindful Journal for healthy lifestyle tips and recipe inspiration.