Risotto Recipe

In less than 30 minutes you can make a restaurant-worthy risotto recipe at home. Risotto is a creamy and comforting Northern Italian dish that can be the star of dinner or a hearty side dish served with your favorite meat or seafood.

An Italian rice dish at its core, risotto is made with aromatics, rice, wine, stock, and parmesan cheese. It’s fantastically simple to make and can be made with a variety of different vegetables and even meat.

Parmesan risotto is the classic standard and probably the most simple variety of this dish. With just a few ingredients and a little stirring, you’ll have a simple and comforting dinner on the table in no time.

At first glance, you might think that this recipe is made with heavy cream but in fact, all of the creaminess in this recipe comes from the starch in the risotto rice and the stirring technique that is used to coax that starch out of the rice. It’s a magical thing, really.

Let’s get started!

What You’ll Need

NOTE: Saffron is optional. Risotto alla Milanese is made with saffron. Leave it out if you want to make a simple Parmesan Risotto.

Aromatics

I use shallots as my only aromatic in this recipe. You can add garlic if you’re a fan. If you don’t have a shallot on hand it’s fine to use a regular onion.

Risotto rice

Use short-grain rice such as Italian Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice. This type of rice can absorb quite a bit of liquid without becoming mushy. It’s the key to creamy risotto.

What wine

The best wine to use is a dry white wine such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Grigio is the Italian varietal that is equivalent to Chardonnay in the US.

Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are dry, and have fruit and oak characters that add a fantastic flavor to this recipe and as a bonus will pair nicely when you’re ready to eat.

Broth

Chicken or vegetable stock is warmed in a saucepan and added one ladle at a time. It’s best to use the highest quality broth you can find and make sure it’s unsalted or low in salt. You want to be able to control the amount of salt that is in this recipe.

Homemade broth is the best if you have it. You can make a batch and keep it in the freezer. I like to have it on hand at all times.

Parmesan cheese is salty as well so using a low salt will ensure that this dish doesn’t get overly salted.

How To Make This Risotto Recipe

The creaminess in this dish comes from adding warm broth added to the rice one ladle at a time while continuously stirring. While this recipe is super easy to make, it is hands-on the whole time.

The technique of cooking the risotto rice on the stovetop is what gives this dish its signature texture and creaminess. Many people ask if you have to make risotto in an instant pot. While the answer is yes you can technically cook arborio rice in an instant pot you’re not going to get the same creamy texture where every grain of rice is separated and cooked to a perfect al dente texture.

1. Warm the stock in a medium saucepan. You’ll want to keep it warm the whole time.
2. Sauté the aromatics in a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the arborio when the shallots are translucent and aromatic add the rice. Sauté so that the grains are coated in olive oil.
4. Add the wine and cook the rice until is absorbs the liquid. Make sure to cook the wine long enough to burn off the alcohol. You want the flavor of the wine but not the booziness of it.
5. Start adding the chicken stock. When the wine is completely absorbed add one ladel of warm broth. Stir until the broth is completely absorbed. Then continue to add the broth one ladel at a time making sure to stir continuously and that each ladel is absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
6. Add the parmesan. When all the broth is absorbed, remove the risotto from the heat and add in the parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
7. Garnish with fresh parsley and more parmesan.

Adding Flavor to Risotto

All the flavor in this dish comes from the aromatics, wine, broth, and a little parmesan cheese. I like the simplicity of this dish as is but you can add fresh parsley, or basil to add a little extra flavor.

The best risotto recipe is simple. You’ll find a lot of variations. The possibilities are endless. One of my favorites is Risotto Milanese also known as Saffron Risotto. Making this dish is as simple as adding a pinch of saffron when you still have two to three ladles of broth left.

The saffron gives this dish a beautiful bright yellow color and an earthy flavor that really elevates this recipe.

Variations On This Risotto Recipe

Vegetables

To add vegetables to a risotto sauté them in the skillet before adding the rice. You can use a vegetable broth that complements your choice of vegetables or stick with chicken broth. A few classic vegetable additions are:

• Mushrooms
• Butternut Squash
• Asparagus
• Peas
• Pumpkin

Seafood

Seafood is a delicious addition to risotto. Saffron pairs nicely with most seafood. Use a seafood stock, if you have it. Some seafood that works great in this recipe is:

• Shrimp
• Lobster

FAQs and Expert Tips

What to Serve With Risotto

Hearty main dishes like Chicken Picatta or Braised Shortribs are perfect with Risotto.

I also love to serve a fresh salad like my Fall Harvest Salad with Kale and Apples. A classic Wedge Salad is always a winner.

Hungry for More Rice Recipes

Easy rice dishes are always a welcome side dish but don’t write them off as the main course. Fried rice recipes are a meal in themselves, usually filled with veggies and protein you don’t need to add anything else to the one-bowl dinner.

Coconut rice served with fresh mangos is a satisfying ending to a spicy meal or if you’re serving anything grilled.