Are you a risotto lover, but lack the time and patience to stand at the stove stirring forever just to enjoy that perfect creamy risotto? This is the perfect risotto recipe for you! It’s seriously been a game-changer for us. Risotto can stay in our regular rotation rather than an occasional treat on a weekend when we actually have enough time to dedicate to it.
Now that it’s finally, finally cooling down a bit here in the South, I’m starting to crave cozying up with soups and warm, cheesy comfort foods like risotto. During those colder months each year, especially around the holidays, I want comfort foods and I want them with minimal effort so I can enjoy the extra time with my family.
This recipe is for our basic parmesan risotto recipe, but we often like to play with adding in a variety of other flavors. Some of our favorite flavor combinations are spinach and roasted mushroom, spinach and sundried tomato, butternut squash, and broccoli cheese.
Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think in the comments below. Oh and let us know what flavor combos you try as well if you decide to get fancy.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 4 1/2 – 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbs minced garlic
- 2 Tbs butter
- olive oil
- kosher salt (as needed)
- freshly ground black pepper (as needed)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the Arborio rice, 4 cups of the chicken stock, garlic and a little salt and pepper in a Dutch oven (we love our Lodge dutch oven).
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until the chicken stock is almost absorbed.
- Carefully remove dutch oven, add in the remaining chicken stock a little a time. Stir in the Parmesan and butter and stir for 2 -3 minutes until everything is incorporated well and rice has that creamy risotto consistency.
- Optional: Mix in any additions for extra flavor.
Adapted from: Ina Garten’s recipe