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Everyone needs a Basic Risotto recipe! Made with a handful of simple, kitchen staple ingredients, this easy, creamy Italian rice dish is delicious served on its own or can be the perfect compliment to a main!
A simple recipe for Basic Risotto that will have you swooning over the creaminess! This simple Italian staple uses a small list of kitchen staple ingredients to achieve the dreamiest rice dish out there!
Although this recipe is called “Basic Risotto” the flavor is anything but basic. Made with starchy arborio rice and chicken broth, dry white wine, creamy butter and aromatic garlic and onion are then added to the mix. Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley and a simple seasoning of salt and pepper finish off this simple, yet exquisite dish.
Why Make This Risotto
- Super Easy To Make
- Simple Ingredient List
- Delicious
- Versatile & Customizable
Creamy and delicious, risotto is one of my all time favorite dishes! Not only is it super easy to make, it’s also extremely versatile and customizable. Trust me when I say this will definitely be a recipe you add to your repertoire.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Broth – I use low sodium to control the salt levels! You can use any broth of your choosing – vegetable, beef, fish etc.
- Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium, just make sure the butter is divided.
- Wine – We want a dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked Chardonnay (see “FAQs & Expert Tips below).
- Rice – Arborio rice, also known as risotto rice! Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice, and is the most commonly used for risotto. See FAQs & Expert tips for more info!
- Cheese – Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded.
How To Make Basic Risotto
- Simmer Chicken Broth: Add the chicken broth to a stockpot (deep pot) with the salt to taste. It should be slightly under salted. Let it come to a gentle simmer, not a boil.
- Cook Onion and Garlic: In a large skillet or pot with a fitting lid, melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the wine. Let the wine bubble and reduce for 1-2 minutes.
- Cook Risotto: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and stir often until it absorbs most of the wine. Ladle 1 cup of the hot broth into the pot, and stir occasionally until absorbed by the rice. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and tender, about 25-30 minutes. You may not use all of the broth.
- Finish & Serve: Turn the heat off and stir in the parmesan cheese and remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and chopped parsley.
Anything But Basic Additions
I wanted to keep this recipe simple and easy, yet still flavorful. If you want to add ingredients into this recipe to make it your own, you have a wide variety of options. Mix and match your favorite proteins, veggies and spices to create the risotto of your dreams! Check out some of these additions:
| PROTEIN | VEGGIES | Other |
| Shrimp | Mushrooms | Eggs |
| Chicken | Chickpeas | Ricotta Cheese |
| Bacon | Asparagus | Thyme |
| Sausage | Peas | Fennel Seed |
| Tofu | Arugula/Kale | Lemon |
| Scallops | Zucchini | Nutmeg |
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Risotto?
Risotto is absolutely delicious, that’s all you need to know. Just kidding.
Risotto is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy! Originating in Northern Italy, a starchy type of rice such as arborio aka “risotto rice” is cooked with a broth until reaching a creamy consistency. Although this rice has a creamy consistency, there is no cream in the recipe whatsoever! Many versions of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and parmesan cheese – which is exactly what we are using today! Simple, classic, perfection.
What Is Arborio Rice?
Now you might be wondering, “what is arborio rice? Where do I find it? Can I use white rice? Help.” Don’t worry, I’m here to educate! You want to go with a high starch variety of rice in order to cook a real risotto. Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice, and is the most commonly used for risotto (the others being carnaroli or vialone nano.) It is also the most accessible, and can easily be found in your local grocery store or Italian market! When cooked, the rice grains are firm, creamy and chewy compared to other varieties of rice, due to their high starch content. The taste of this rice blends beautifully with other flavors, making this dish easily customizable!
How To Serve
Most would consider risotto to be an entree, and while this creamy Italian rice dish is a stunning centrepiece to a meal, it can also be a tantalizing side dish served with any type of chicken, fish or meat of your choosing! Try pairing your risotto with your favorite main and don’t forget to add a glass of that white wine you have left over.
Tips
- Rice and Risotto are not the same! The main difference comes from the rice variety, but the way you cook risotto is also a bit different from how you cook other types of rice dishes! Risotto is much creamier and uses a specific type of starchy rice, which is why I chose to use arborio rice.
- When choosing a wine for this dish, you’ll want to opt for a dry variety of white wine. The white wine adds such a nice flavor to the dish and really amplifies it as a whole. Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are the two I would reach for first, but an unoaked Chardonnay is a fine choice as well.
- My best recommendation would be to choose a wine that you would typically reach for yourself, since we only need 1/2 cup, you’ll be drinking the rest with dinner.
- Not a fan of wine? Just replace it with the same amount of broth in the recipe!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing
In my opinion, risotto is best made fresh and typically does not freeze well. The texture and consistency of the dish tends succumb to the depths of the freezer. If you find it absolutely necessary to freeze, make sure the risotto has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It’ll last 2-3 months frozen.
Reheating Risotto
Reheating your leftovers: Take the risotto from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Place it in a saucepan and add a little broth or water while stirring for about 2 minutes or until heated through.
Reheating from frozen: Let the risotto thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Keep in mind after freezing and thawing, the risotto will have a much more soft texture. You’ll have to be careful when reheating as to not break up the grains of rice.
More Related Recipes
Basic Risotto
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup butter unsalted, divided
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup white wine dry, such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or unoaked Chardonnay
- 2 cups arborio rice also known as risotto rice
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly shredded
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped
Instructions
- Simmer Chicken Broth: Add the chicken broth to a stockpot (deep pot) with the salt to taste. It should be slightly under salted. Let it come to a gentle simmer, not a boil.
- Cook Onion and Garlic: In a large skillet or pot with a fitting lid, melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Next, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the wine. Let the wine bubble and reduce for 1-2 minutes.
- Cook Risotto: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and stir often until it absorbs most of the wine. Ladle 1 cup of the hot broth into the pot, and stir occasionally until absorbed by the rice. Continue this process until the rice is creamy and tender, about 25-30 minutes. You may not use all of the broth.
- Finish & Serve: Turn the heat off and stir in the parmesan cheese and remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and chopped parsley.
Tips & Notes:
- When choosing a wine for this dish, you’ll want to opt for a dry variety of white wine. The white wine adds such a nice flavor to the dish and really amplifies it as a whole. Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are the two I would reach for first, but an unoaked Chardonnay is a fine choice as well.
- My best recommendation would be to choose a wine that you would typically reach for yourself, since we only need 1/2 cup, you’ll be drinking the rest with dinner.
- Not a fan of wine? Just replace it with the same amount of broth in the recipe!
- Store leftover risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In my opinion, risotto is best made fresh and typically does not freeze well. The texture and consistency of the dish tends succumb to the depths of the freezer. If you find it absolutely necessary to freeze, make sure the risotto has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It’ll last 2-3 months frozen.
