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Even when I was eating meat and dairy, I found it unnecessary to add cheese to risotto. To me, it was almost cheating to add a melting cheese, such as mozzarella, to risotto. Arborio rice naturally turns creamy when it's cooked right. And I always preferred to use flavors other than cheese to accompany my risotto. 

Here is my recipe for basic vegan risotto. In the photo, I served the risotto with sautéed mushrooms and artichoke hearts. You can put almost anything at all on top of risotto. I love using steamed asparagus or a melange of sautéed mushrooms.

Basic vegan risotto -- prep time: about 1 hour; makes 4 large side servings or 4 small main servings.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth

5 cups vegetable broth, simmering

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1/4 cup thick cashew cream

Directions

Prepare broth and leave it simmering on back burner.

In a large, deep skillet, heat oil and 2 tablespoons of vegan butter over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic for several minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in arborio. When arborio is fully coated in oil, add white wine. Stir until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time (1 soup ladle at a time), until liquid is absorbed. Stir constantly to avoid sticking. Continue stirring in broth until arborio is cooked al dente. This will take 30-40 minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in remaining vegan butter and cashew cream.