This Easy Risotto Recipe makes delicious and creamy parmesan risotto every time. After you master this simple method, you can explore the endless recipe variations, from Milanese saffron risotto to wild mushroom or seafood risotto. There’s a risotto variation to suit everyone’s taste!
Many people feel intimidated by making homemade risotto, and associate it with a fancy restaurant, but its origins are far more humble. Once you try this basic risotto recipe and see how delicious and easy it is to make, you’ll quickly find it on your regular menu rotation, even on weeknights. You will also notice how clean and rich the flavor is compared to boxed or pre-packaged risotto.
What is Risotto?
Risotto is an Italian rice dish that grew to fame in the northern region of Italy, in cities along the Po River. Revered for its creamy texture and declared to be “the best rice” by Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, the dish has enjoyed popularity since the early 19th century. The unusual cooking method and high starch content of the rice give the dish its creamy consistency. Although chefs around the world put their spin on the dish, traditional risotto is made with toasted arborio rice or carnaroli rice, diced onion, butter, and heated stock that is added slowly as the rice cooks. The short grain rice has a high starch content that gives risotto its distinctive creaminess.
Is risotto a main dish or a side dish?
That’s entirely up to you! This simple parmesan risotto makes an excellent side dish, but many risottos like lobster risotto and wild mushroom risotto can certainly hold their own as a main course. In fact, they have gained a lot of popularity as an entree in recent years.
About this easy risotto recipe:
This recipe for making risotto stays fairly true to its traditional roots, but uses shallots, rather than onions. I prefer the delicate flavor and subtle hint of garlic that the shallots give the dish. I also stir far less frequently than most recipes, but I assure you, you will still achieve deliciously creamy parmesan risotto! And cooking risotto is much simpler than it may sound. You may envision someone bent over the stove stirring constantly, sweating over a large pot. And purists may claim that to make risotto, you must stir constantly. But honestly, with little worry and without constant stirring, you will have yummy risotto worthy of 5 stars. I’ve been making variations of this recipe for years and it always receives rave reviews.
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter for sauté + 1 Tablespoon butter for finishing
- 1 1/2 cups dry arborio rice
- 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish, if desired
How to cook this easy risotto recipe: Watch my quick 30 second video:)
Prepping the Risotto
- First, finely chop the shallot. Aim for rice sized pieces of the shallot.
- Then heat the oil and butter in a heavy bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven, over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped shallot and sauté until tender and browned.
- Meanwhile, heat the stock in a small saucepan on medium low heat to just below a simmer. You will add the hot stock throughout the cooking process. Or, if you prefer, you can microwave the stock in a microwave safe measuring cup, like these Pyrex ones. They are perfect for pouring the hot stock.
- Next, add the dry arborio rice to the pan and stir to coat each kernel with oil. This will prevent the outside of the rice from becoming mushy before the interior of the rice is fully cooked. Continue cooking and stirring the rice until it almost seems toasted. It may take up to 5 minutes.
Adding the Stock to the Risotto
6. Next, add some of the stock, just a cup at a time- enough to just cover the rice. Stir the mixture for a moment and adjust the heat to a low simmer. Allow the risotto to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and it looks like the photo below. 
7. Then after 5-10 minutes, add another 3/4-1 cup of the stock. Stir the risotto for a moment and then let it simmer. Some traditionalists claim that to make a proper risotto you must stir constantly to maximize the creaminess of the risotto rice. I find that a little goes a long way and infrequent stirring still creates delectably creamy risotto!
8. Continue cooking the risotto for another 20 minutes, adding the remaining stock one cup at a time, stirring after each addition of hot stock. Taste the risotto periodically to see if it is done. It should be rich and creamy but never mushy. The rice grains will still have a slight firmness when you bite through them- al dente. It is possible that you do not need to use all the stock. Save the remaining stock for leftovers.
9. Lastly, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in one Tablespoon of butter, a little salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 cup of the freshly grated parmesan.
10. Serve the risotto with a little more grated parmesan on top of each serving. For garnish, you can add a little fresh parsley or some parmesan shavings.
How to Store Leftover Risotto
It is best to serve this amazing parmesan risotto recipe right away, but if you have leftovers, you can save them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to Serve Leftover Risotto
I recommend adding a little extra stock or broth to the leftovers as you warm them up to ensure creamy risotto. A good guide is 1/4 cup stock or broth per cup of reheated risotto. It warms best in a pan on medium low heat on the stove, but 30 second intervals in the microwave works, too. Another delicious way to serve leftovers is to add them to a soup-the luscious creamy parmesan risotto will make your soup next level! I’ve added it to my lentil soup and Tuscan White Bean Soup, but it would be awesome in many others!
**What is the difference between stock and broth and can I use broth instead of stock in this recipe?
Firstly, yes, you can absolutely use broth in this easy risotto recipe and it will be fantastic. As in most recipes, broth and stock can be used interchangeably. Chicken stock tends to have a deeper, richer flavor than chicken broth because it is made by simmering the bones, whereas for broth, no bones are used. Vegetable stock involves simmering whole, untrimmed vegetables for a longer period of time, which yields a deeper flavor. Both stock and broth work beautifully in this recipe (and in every soup I’ve ever made).
Can I use mushroom stock or broth?
Yes! It will give a nice earthy flavor to the risotto. You may need to add a bit more salt, as I find mushroom stock to be less seasoned than chicken or vegetable stock. And I highly recommend using mushroom broth if making mushroom risotto. See the variation below!
Variation: Mushroom Risotto
Mushroom risotto is also super easy! Follow this same creamy parmesan risotto recipe, but in addition to the shallot, sauté 1 cup of mushrooms like porcini, crimini, or your favorite wild mushrooms. Also, before adding the first cup of broth, deglaze the pan by adding 1/4 cup of white wine to the dry rice and mushroom mixture. The white wine will get all the caramelized bits of shallot and mushroom off the bottom of the pan and will add some nice acidity. You can serve the risotto as a side dish or as the main event.
Can I substitute finely chopped onion for shallots?
Many risotto recipes call for diced onion instead of shallot. You can certainly use onion instead if that’s what you have on hand.
Variations in Texture
Some people prefer a more soupy texture to their risotto, and if you prefer that style, just add one more 1/2 cup of stock after you remove it from the heat. Then stir in the final butter and parmesan cheese. I prefer a risotto that I can scoop up with a fork, rather than one that requires a spoon. Both are supremely creamy and delicious and considered “proper risotto”; it’s just a matter of personal preference.
Can you make risotto with other types of rice?
Yes, you can make risotto with almost any type of rice by following the unique cooking method. The other types don’t have quite as high a starch content and will not yield a risotto that is quite as creamy but they can still be delicious. I’ve used the risotto method with Basmati, Jasmine, and Brown rice, but have never tried it with wild rice.
Credits: The historical information was adapted from Brittanica.com
