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.
Creamy Pomodoro Risotto with Pesto Aubergine & Sunflower Seeds
This creamy risotto has all your favourite Italian flavours. Enriched with creamy cashew butter and vibrant sundried tomato. Crisp leaves with pesto aubergines and crunchy sunflower seeds for contrast. Dinner is ready - buon appetito!
1/3 daily fibre
4 of 5 a day
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 250g cooked short grain brown rice (Cooked Wholegrain Risotto Rice 97% (Water, Risotto Rice), Sunflower Oil, Salt.)
- 20g rocket
- 2 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 30g smooth cashew butter (Nuts, Peanuts) (Roasted CASHEW NUTS (90%), Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil).)
- 10g vegetable stock powder (Chicory Extract, Salt, Yeast Extracts, Onion Powder, Carrot Extract, Tomato Powder, Rapeseed Oil, Natural Flavouring.)
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste (Tomato Puree, Sundried Tomatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Pine Kernels, Salt)
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 pepper
- 1 onion
- 10g sunflower seeds
- 1 aubergine
Nutritional Information
Calories: 623
Protein: 15g
Carbs: 71g
Fat: 33g
Ingredients
- 250g cooked short grain brown rice (use half) (Cooked Wholegrain Risotto Rice 97% (Water, Risotto Rice), Sunflower Oil, Salt.)
- 30g smooth cashew butter (use half) (Nuts, Peanuts) (Roasted CASHEW NUTS (90%), Vegetable Oils (Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Oil).)
- 10g vegetable stock powder (use half) (Chicory Extract, Salt, Yeast Extracts, Onion Powder, Carrot Extract, Tomato Powder, Rapeseed Oil, Natural Flavouring.)
- 1 aubergine (use half)
- 10g sunflower seeds (use half)
- 20g rocket (use half)
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 2 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste (use half) (Tomato Puree, Sundried Tomatoes, Rapeseed Oil, Water, Pine Kernels, Salt)
- 1 pepper (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 3 garlic clove
Nutritional Information
Calories: 709
Protein: 17g
Carbs: 75g
Fat: 40g
Creamy Pomodoro Risotto with Pesto Aubergine & Sunflower Seeds
This creamy risotto has all your favourite Italian flavours. Enriched with creamy cashew butter and vibrant sundried tomato. Crisp leaves with pesto aubergines and crunchy sunflower seeds for contrast. Dinner is ready - buon appetito!
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Preheat the oven to 240C / fan 220C / gas mark 9 / air fryer 190C
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Pull out a large frying pan, a large bowl & a measuring jug
Roast the aubergine
- Slice the aubergine lengthways into 2cm thick wedges
- Place the aubergine onto the lined baking tray, toss with 1/2 tbsp oil and season with salt and pepper
- Roast for 18-20 mins / air fryer 8-12 mins, until soft and golden, then allow to cool slightly
Toast the sunflower seeds
- Heat the large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sunflower seeds and toast for 2-3 mins, tossing regularly, until golden brown
- Remove from the pan, roughly chop, then add to the large bowl and set aside
Soften the veg
- Finely dice the onion. Dice the pepper into 1cm chunks
- Reheat the frying pan with 1/2 tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and pepper and cook for 4-6 mins, until softened. Season with salt and pepper
- Meanwhile, finely chop or crush the garlic. Halve the tomatoes
Simmer the risotto
- Add the garlic, sundried tomato paste and tomatoes to the pan. Cook for 2 mins, then stir in the stock powder and 200ml hot water (100ml for 1 person). Bring to the boil and stir in the cashew butter and rice, breaking it up with a wooden spoon
- Simmer for 3-4 mins, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of water if it's a little dry
Last bits & plate up
- Add the pesto and rocket to the sunflower seed bowl
- When the aubergine is ready, add to the bowl and gently toss to combine
- Share the risotto between bowls, topped with the pesto aubergine
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