24 Risotto Recipes to Make Again and Again

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on July 1, 2023

Risotto with Boquerones and Fish Sauce Caramel — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Whether you like your risotto studded with shrimp or mixed with earthy mushrooms, these rich risotto recipes are sure to deliver maximum satisfaction and flavor. Some of our favorites include Lobster Risotto, which gets a double dose of seafood from bottled clam juice and cooked lobster meat, and striking Risotto Nero with Squash and Burrata, where the cheese and a butternut squash puree pop against Venere black rice. This impressive yet simple — we're talking ready-in-30-minutes simple — Saffron Risotto is also a winner. Find your next favorite risotto recipe here.

01 of 24

Dried Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese

Dried-Porcini-Mushroom Risotto with Goat Cheese — Maxwell Cozzi

Using the mushroom-soaking liquid to cook the rice gives this risotto intense flavor. There's just enough goat cheese to balance the earthiness of the porcini with a touch of tartness without overwhelming the dish.

02 of 24

Mushroom and Chicken Risotto

Chicken and Mushroom Risotto Recipe — Diana Chistruga

This lusciously creamy mushroom risotto gets extra texture and flavor from chicken. If you're using canned chicken broth here, make sure it's low-sodium. The broth reduces at the same time it cooks into the rice, and regular canned broth would become too salty.

03 of 24

Lobster Risotto

Lobster Risotto — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

A small pinch of saffron goes a long way in imparting a vibrant golden hue and floral fragrance to this creamy, rich lobster risotto. Precooked lobster and bottled clam juice deliver robust layers of flavor with a minimum amount of effort, making this a perfect weeknight supper.

04 of 24

Cheesy Farro and Tomato Risotto

Cheesy Farro-and-Tomato Risotto — © LUCY SCHAEFFER

Sommelier Rajat Parr came up with this vibrant risotto when trying to feed a bunch of hungry friends in his San Francisco apartment from a pantry that happened to contain tomatoes and farro.

05 of 24

Italian Wedding Risotto

Italian Wedding Risotto — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Inspired by the classic Italian wedding soup, this heartier risotto is filled with just-wilted spinach and topped with crispy, garlicky meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to quickly portion out the meatballs; make a double batch and freeze half to whip up the dish in a flash. Remove the risotto from the heat while it's still a little soupy — it will thicken slightly as it rests.

06 of 24

Croatian Langoustine and Squid Ink Risotto

Langoustine and Squid Ink Risotto — Jennifer Causey

For this creamy Croatian risotto, chef Joe Flamm was inspired by a dish from Gverovic - Orsan, a seafood restaurant on the Adriatic Sea. Squid ink provides dark color and a gentle brininess. Rather than lots of butter and cheese, this risotto relies entirely on stirring to make it creamy, so stay close by as it cooks. You can substitute the langoustines with eight large shrimp or four halved Maine lobster tails, if needed.

07 of 24

Risotto al Salto (Crispy Rice Pancake)

Riso Giallo al Salto (Crispy Rice Pancake) — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Also known as risotto alla Milanese, risotto giallo is a yellow risotto that gets its vibrant color as a result of the pigment released by saffron, the hero of the dish. In this two-for-one recipe, you can make a sumptuous saffron-stained risotto that's perfectly delicious served all’onda (creamy and hot) — or prepare it al salto (fried) into crisp golden pancakes.

08 of 24

Risotto with Boquerones and Fish Sauce Caramel

Risotto with Boquerones and Fish Sauce Caramel — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

While the idea of a risotto studded with anchovies and fish sauce caramel might seem out of the box, this dish, rich with umami flavor from aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and colatura di alici, an Italian anchovy fish sauce, is pure elegance.

09 of 24

Saffron Risotto

Saffron Risotto — Jennifer Causey

"This decadent amalgam of saffron, stock, Parmigiano, and rice is as comforting as it gets. It's the perfect dish for celebrating important milestones — no matter how tired you are!" says F&W contributor David McCann.

10 of 24

Risotto with Parsley Puree and Caramelized Garlic

Creamy Supergreen Risotto with Caramelized Garlic — Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Pureed parsley, goat cheese, and Parmesan offer an herbaceous yet creamy take on classic risotto from chef Alice Delcourt, who's famous for her risotto. “It is best to keep it pretty simple with risotto, only add two or three elements: The key is to allow all of the flavors to shine while the risotto binds them into a creamy and satisfying meal,” she says.

11 of 24

Broccoli Rabe Risotto with Grilled Lemon

Broccoli Rabe Risotto with Grilled Lemon — © Con Poulos

Chef Isaac Becker's vegetarian risotto is enriched with flavorful broccoli rabe that's stirred in before serving. The method is a little simpler than the one for traditional risotto: Instead of stirring in hot stock by the cupful, it's added in just two batches.

12 of 24

Clam Risotto with Bacon and Chives

Clam Risotto with Bacon and Chives — © David Malosh

This risotto recipe calls for drained chopped clams and bottled clam juice. If you buy just-shucked whole clams instead, use their liquid and skip the bottled juice; just be sure to strain it through a paper towel first to remove any grit.

13 of 24

Black Risotto

Black Risotto — Chris Middleton and Ino Kuvačić

"There are some dishes in Croatia, like this risotto, which we call specijaliteti, which means they are just special," chef Ino Kuvačić writes in his book Dalmatia: Recipes from Croatia's Mediterranean Coast. "You could call this the magical dish of the Adriatic because it will enchant your taste buds."

14 of 24

Pea and Bacon Risotto

Pea-and-Bacon Risotto. Photo © Petrina Tinslay — © Petrina Tinslay

At Craft in New York City, Tom Colicchio paired chef James Tracey's pea-bacon risotto with the late Hollywood-turned-vintner Mark Tarlov's Oregon Pinot Noir. The bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese were added to the risotto so it would go with the wine.

15 of 24

Orzo Risotto with Buttery Shrimp

Orzo Risotto with Buttery Shrimp — © Ngoc Minh Ngo

When chef Ryan Poli and his kitchen staff tried finishing orzo risotto-style (stirring the cooked orzo with stock until creamy), they got fantastic results with impressive speed.

16 of 24

Butternut Squash Risotto with Goat's Milk Gouda

Butternut Squash Risotto with Goat's Milk Gouda — © Guy Ambrosino

Slowly cooking the butternut squash along with the rice not only makes this a simple one-pot dish but allows every drop of flavor to infuse the risotto.

17 of 24

Roasted Mushroom and Vermouth Risotto

Roasted Mushroom and Vermouth Risotto — Christopher Testani

Roasting mushrooms concentrates their flavor, while dry vermouth offers an aromatic kick to this otherwise classic risotto.

18 of 24

Baked Shrimp Risotto

Baked Shrimp Risotto — © Christina Holmes

In her low-fuss risotto, former F&W editor Kay Chun doesn't bother with stirring. Instead, she bakes the rice in the oven and then adds shrimp and cheese at the very end.

19 of 24

White Fish Risotto

White Fish Risotto — Abby Hocking

Here, delicate cod is poached in a tasty broth; the enriched broth is then used to cook creamy risotto. To finish, the dish is garnished with mint leaves.

20 of 24

Risotto Nero with Squash and Burrata

Risotto nero with Squash and Burrata — Chris Court

Chef Nancy Oakes makes this gorgeous risotto with Venere black rice, a naturally black short-grain variety. The glossy grains are especially striking served with the golden butternut squash puree and creamy white burrata.

21 of 24

Butternut Squash Risotto with Shrimp

Butternut Squash Risotto with Shrimp — © Sarah Bolla

In this recipe, roasted butternut squash is incorporated into hearty risotto and then topped with juicy shrimp. Finish off the dish with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

22 of 24

Crab Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms

Crab Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms — © Chris Court

For this fabulous seafood risotto, chef Nancy Oakes folds in Dungeness crab, which is abundant in the Bay Area, but the dish is wonderful with any fresh local crab. If oyster mushrooms aren't available, try other varieties, like clamshell, lobster, or abalone mushrooms. All are excellent with shellfish.

23 of 24

Shrimp-Asparagus Risotto

Shrimp-Asparagus Risotto — © Con Poulos

This easy risotto is studded with shrimp and pieces of plump asparagus, and delicately flavored with saffron. It's the perfect fresh-tasting spring dish.

24 of 24

Sweet Brown Rice Risotto with Kale and Cremini

Sweet Brown Rice Risotto with Kale and Cremini — © Con Poulos

"Despite its name, sweet brown rice isn't sweet," says chef Marco Canora. Instead, this short-grain glutinous rice resembles whole-grain sushi rice. Here, Canora uses it to make a hearty vegetarian risotto.

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