Basic Risotto

Don’t be intimidated by making risotto – it’s easy! This basic risotto makes a great side dish for any protein you like and also allows for a lot of variation. Adding vegetables and a protein can turn it into a delicious main dish. {Gluten-free}

**This recipe was originally posted 12/31/13 when my blog was brand new. I’ve been making this basic risotto for years and thought this post deserved to be updated! I left the original writing, but redid the photos as the originals were pretty drab ?. Stay tuned for a fun recipe using up the leftovers!**

Whenever I go to Italian restaurants I always seem to search for risotto on the menu. I feel as though you can tell it’s a good, traditional Italian restaurant if they serve risotto.  Now, I don’t have an Italian bone in my body, but I like to think I know a lot when it comes to eating Italian food! There’s a lot more to the delicious cuisine than pasta, and don’t get me wrong I love my pasta, but I rarely order it out. I make pasta all the time at home – boxed and homemade, so when I go out (especially for Italian) I always look for something different.

I think a lot of us think that risotto is one of those “restaurant only” dishes, but I’m here to show you it’s not! I love ordering it out, but I also love making it at home too. It’s a lot easier than you may think, and all you need is a few simple ingredients and some patience.

If you aren’t familiar with risotto, it’s basically a method for cooking a starchy, short grain rice, such as Arborio. You start with some aromatics, toast the rice, and then add in liquid and frequently stir to create a lovely, creamy consistency. It’s truly an elegant dish that once you get the hang of, is fun and simple to make!

I’m sharing with you my basic risotto recipe that will make a great side dish to any meal, but can also be dressed up to something a little more special. I’ve included my favorite variations, but don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with your own! Risotto is a great dish to experiment with different flavors, and it’s versatile in that it can either be a side to a piece of chicken or fish, or a delicious entree. Leftovers can also be repurposed into wonderfully crisp risotto cakes for topping a salad or serving as an appetizer – stay tuned for that recipe in a later post!

Do you love risotto as much as I do? Is it something you only order in restaurants, or do you make it at home?

Basic Risotto

2015-12-03 06:09:23

Serves 6

Don't be intimidated by making risotto - it's easy! This basic risotto makes a great side dish for any protein you like and also allows for a lot of variation. Adding vegetables and a protein can turn it into a delicious main dish.

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

30 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

30 min

Ingredients

1. 4-6 Cups Chicken Stock
2. 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3. 1 Tablespoon Butter
4. 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
5. Salt and Pepper
6. 1 ½ Cups Arborio Rice
7. ½ Cup Dry White Wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay
8. ½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving
9. Fresh Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a low simmer.
2. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook the onion until soft and translucent; season with salt and pepper. Add the rice, stir to coat, and cook for 1-2 minutes in order to toast the grains of rice.
3. Pour in the wine and stir; allow the liquid to absorb, 1-2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth a ladle full at a time making sure each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. Stir frequently until the rice has plumped and is creamy, 20-25 minutes (you may not have used all of the broth).
4. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with more salt and pepper. Place in serving bowls and top with more cheese and fresh parsley.

**Try these fun variations!**

Lemon-Dill Risotto

1. Cut back the wine to ¼ and add the juice of one lemon. Once the risotto is cooked add 2 tablespoons of fresh dill and the zest and juice of another lemon.

Spring Lemon and Herb Risotto

1. In place of the wine, use the juice of two lemons. Once the risotto is cooked through add ½ cup of mascarpone cheese and a ¼ cup of assorted chopped herbs

Saffron Risotto

1. Add a pinch of saffron to the broth as it heats up – the broth will be a beautiful yellow-orange color and give the risotto a nice floral flavor. This variation pairs very nicely with seafood.

Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Risotto

1. Follow basic risotto recipe. After removing the cooked risotto from the heat, stir in ½ cup of drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and top each serving with grilled chicken breast slices.

Shrimp Risotto

1. Use seafood stock in place of chicken stock. Before adding the wine, stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. After removing the cooked risotto from the heat, stir in ½ pound of medium cooked shrimp and the juice of one lemon. Add in a teaspoon of freshly chopped tarragon and mix well.

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