Risotto is one of the most satisfying dishes! With just a few ingredients, you have a delicious, hearty main course or side dish. Most of the time, the ingredients are pantry and fridge staples, too! It’s a perfect dish to welcome cooler weather.
There are a few tricks to making perfect risotto.
- Choose the right pan for the job! A large, heavy bottom Dutch oven is helpful. By having more surface area, the liquid stays hot and helps become absorbed by the rice more quickly.
- Start with fat and aromatics. Butter and olive oil together give beautiful color and flavor to the rice. And the shallot melts into the sauce.
- Toast the rice! Arborio rice is the only kind of rice to use in making risotto. It has a higher starch content that helps create a creamy, starchy texture. But toasting the rice in the fat helps develop even more flavor. BONUS: You don’t have to rinse arborio rice before using!
- Use acid – dry white wine adds flavor while deglazing the pan. Risotto is all about building levels of flavor that permeate the rice.
- Flavorful stock gets added in small amounts to help tenderize the rice while building a silky, smooth sauce.
- Finish off heat by folding in the parmesan cheese.
- By adding a protein like shrimp, chicken, or vegetables, you can make the risotto a main dish. Be creative!
Equipment
You’ll need a good wooden spoon for making risotto. Since there’s a lot of stirring, a long-handled, wooden spoon is the best choice to withstand the heat while protecting your cookware. Here’s a beautiful, teak corner spoon that is on sale for 20 percent off.
A Dutch oven is a must have for every kitchen. It’s perfect for making risotto, as well as many other slow-simmered recipes such as soups, stews, and meats as we head into autumn. Here are two to choose from, a budget-friendly 4.5-Quart Lodge or the classic, 4-Quart Staub Cocotte that will be a family heirloom.
Risotto
Equipment
- 4 quart Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- ¾ cup dry white wine (like Chardonnay)
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 5-6 cups chicken broth, bone broth, or stock (keep hot on the stove)
- 1¼ cups parmesan cheese, grated
- 4-6 leaves fresh basil (optional) (rolled and cut into thin strips called chiffonade)
Instructions
- Start by heating the chicken broth in a separate, small saucepan on the stove.
- In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter with olive oil over medium high heat.
- Add minced shallots and cook until just tender, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add rice and stir with wooden spoon to completely coat in butter and oil.
- Cook and stir 1-2 minutes.
- Add white wine. Cook and stir until all liquid is absorbed.
- Add hot chicken broth, one cup or ladle at a time, stirring until fully absorbed before adding the next cup or ladle. Repeat using 5 of the cups of broth.
- You should be able to draw your spoon across the bottom of the pot with no liquid remaining.
- Cook rice until desired tenderness by gathering a few grains on the end of a fork and tasting. Risotto should be firm to bite, or al dente, and all liquid should be absorbed.
- Use the final cup of broth if you want it a little creamier. I usually use all 6 cups.
- Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with basil, if using. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
