risotto recipes
Here's a collection of risotto recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index!
Spring Risotto
Beetroot Risotto with Summer Greens
Broad Bean Risotto
Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto
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A simple and delicious recipe that complements roasted chicken - or serve over thin slices of cured ham. Serves 4.
- 225g English asparagus, trimmed, cut into 5 cm lengths
- 1.1 L chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 325 g Arborio or other risotto rice
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 75 g Parmesan cheese, grated
- Pepper to taste
Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, then drain it and rinse it under cold water. Bring your stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep it simmering on a low heat. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the liquid evaporates. Add a ladle of stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, until the rice is tender but still slightly firm in the centre and the mixture is creamy. The process will take 20-30 minutes. Add the blanched asparagus pieces and stir until they are heated through. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan, and season to taste with pepper.
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Serves 4.
- Around 1.5 l (about 2 pints) vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 350 g (12 oz) Arborio (risotto) rice
- 120 ml white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 2 to 3 medium beetroots, peeled and grated
- 2 to 3 handfuls dark greens – like beet greens, kale, spinach or chard – finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 handful freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve
Bring the stock to a simmer. Heat the butter in a separate wide pan over medium heat; add the onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat well, cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it’s absorbed, then stir in the parsley, basil, and the beets. Add 500ml stock, cover, and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Begin adding the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until the rice is tender. Before the last ladle, add the beet greens or spinach. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the lemon peel and juice. Top with parmesan.
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- 450 g broad beans, shelled
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped finely
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 500g risotto rice
- 1.7 litres hot vegetable Stock (or chicken stock if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme sprigs
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parmesan shavings
Gently heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan. Cook the onion until it has softened but do not let it brown. Add broad beans and the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue to cook until the grains have become translucent and glossy. Turn the heat down and add the stock, one ladle at a time. All the liquid must be absorbed before adding more. Stir all of the time. This will take no less than 20–25 minutes. Add half the thyme with the last ladle of liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Take the pan off the heat, cover and leave of stand. Serve hot on warmed plates and sprinkle with the last of the thyme and shavings of Parmesan. Serve with a delicious salad and garlic bread.
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Serves 4
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 chopped onion, finely chopped
- 300g risotto rice
- 400g butternut squash flesh, cut into 1cm cubes
- 200ml dry white wine
- 1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
- 12 largish fresh sage leaves
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
- 6 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
Heat olive oil in a wide pan. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in risotto rice and turn in the oil until all the grains are coated and you hear them crackle and pop a bit, about 2 minutes.
Stir in butternut squash cubes and thoroughly mix in with the rice. Add 200ml dry white wine and let it bubble up until it's fully absorbed into the rice. Add 1 litre hot vegetable stock a quarter at a time, adding each quarter only after the previous stock has been absorbed by the rice.
Meanwhile, place 8 of the sage leaves of top of each other, all stacked up, roll them horizontally so it's like you have a long, thin sage cigarette. Then, slice the sage into very thin slivers. Set aside. In a small frying pan, melt the butter and then fry the remaining sage leaves until just crispy on each side. Set on a wooden cutting board to dry and crisp up, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.
When the rice is tender and the stock absorbed, stir in chopped sage until thoroughly mixed. Then, fold in the mascarpone and half of the Parmesan, spoon onto plates and top with the remaining cheese and then garnish each with one of the fried sage leaves.
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