Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to creamy risotto? ›

Don't add the stock too quickly; you want to cook the rice slowly so that the stock is absorbed. If you dump in the stock all at once, you're just boiling rice. Also, because the starch is crucial, don't rinse the rice before cooking it. You also want to be careful not to over-stir while this creamy risotto is cooking.

Use Salted Water Instead of Broth in Risotto

It's an ingenious tip on many levels.

Cream – Finishing risotto with heavy whipping cream at the end takes it to another level. You can substitute with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter. I always use unsalted because I want to control the sodium content.

Risotto for two people: ¾ cup of rice, at least 2 ¼ cups of broth. Risotto for four people: 1.5 cups of rice, at least 4.5 cups of broth or a little over 1 liter.

According to Salvatore, it all depends on the ingredients. The chef prefers oil over butter (and oil works particularly well with seafood risottos), but butter is better for vegetable-based dishes like Rampoldi's black truffle with mushroom or mixed vegetable and ginger risotto.

Pour in a quarter of the chicken broth, bring to a boil and cook until absorbed, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in the rest of the broth over a period of about 15 minutes, adding more as each previous amount is absorbed. This helps to give you a creamy risotto.

If you are able to get white wine vinegar then you can add a tablespoon of this to the rice and let it boil away before adding any stock and this will often give some of the flavour of wine, whilst reducing the alcohol content.

Sautéed shallots, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, and thyme are used to build a robust and flavorful foundation on which arborio rice and hot stock are melded. With each stir of the spoon, the starches thicken, and the earthy essence of the mushrooms builds depth of flavor.

Butter is fat. It adds richness and moisture to risotto, as well as mouth feel. Fats carry flavor, and coat the inside of your mouth, allowing the flavor nuances of the dish to persist and be enjoyed for longer. It also helps to keep the grains of rice separate.

Using the Wrong Type of Rice

Avoid using long-grain rice like basmati or jasmine for risotto, as they don't have enough starch content to achieve risotto's signature creaminess. The type of rice you should be using when making risotto is called Arborio rice, which is available at most supermarkets.

What is the best rice for creamy risotto? ›

Arborio is the most popular short-grain rice for making risotto. It is capable of absorbing large amounts of liquid and produces a relatively creamy risotto with a hearty texture.

The cream and butter adds extra richness for finishing (cream also makes risotto white). Still incredible without! I would choose cream over extra butter in this recipe.

I prefer the flavor of chicken broth or stock in risotto. If you're vegetarian, vegetable broth or stock will be just fine. I use regular broth for this recipe and not low-sodium, if you use low sodium just be sure to taste test and add more salt at the end as needed.

It's a good idea to keep your stock in a covered pan over a very low heat on the back of the hob while the risotto cooks.

Monitor your heat.

After you've sautéed the onions, garlic and toasted the rice on a higher heat, you want the rice to stay at a medium simmer for the entire cooking process. Too low, and the stock will take a long time to absorb into the dish. Too high, and you'll have rice stuck to the bottom of your pan.

Unlike long-grain rice, medium-grain rice has a higher starch content, perfect for risotto, because when cooked, it releases that starch and when simmered with broth and stirred, it thickens giving it that signature creamy and more compact texture without needing butter and cheese – but keep it handy for an extra ...

If you are able to get white wine vinegar then you can add a tablespoon of this to the rice and let it boil away before adding any stock and this will often give some of the flavour of wine, whilst reducing the alcohol content.

For each cup of leftover risotto, first heat 2-3 tablespoons of low-sodium stock or water. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the risotto after it has reached a comfortable temperature. Reheat the risotto for 3-4 minutes or until creamy.