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Risotto recipe – basic recipe from Italy
The basic risotto recipe has endless variations With our basic recipe, you can cook a creamy, shiny, snow-white risotto. This risotto bianco is one of the primi piatti in Italy, which means it is served as a small, stand-alone starter. However, it also makes a very good side dish, for example for stews or Italian […]
- 1 L Vegetable broth
- 2 Shallots
- 4 EL Olive oil
- 300 g Risotto rice, e.g. Carnaroli
- 100 ml White wine, dry
- 4 EL Parmesan cheese, grated
- 100 g Butter
- Pepper
- Salt
Schritt für Schritt durch´s Rezept
- Step 1Bring the vegetable stock to the boil. It must be really hot.
- Step 2Peel and dice the shallots.
- Step 3Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the shallots. When they become translucent, add the rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Step 4Pour in the wine and simmer until it has almost boiled away.
- Step 5Add a ladleful of vegetable stock to the risotto and simmer. Repeat until all the stock has been reduced and the rice grains inside are al dente. Stir again and again.
- Step 6When the last ladle of stock is in the risotto, stir in the grated Parmesan and butter to make the rice creamy and shiny.
- Step 7Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Step 8Tip: We really recommend only seasoning the risotto with salt and pepper at the very end. The Parmesan and the stock already add so much seasoning that the dish sometimes doesn’t need any more salt at all.
Ideal types of rice for the risotto recipe
Not every grain of rice makes a good risotto. Long grain rice such as basmati or jasmine will not get you far with risotto. The commercially available parboiled rice in the cooking bag is also not suitable. Risotto must be made with round grain rice, as this is the only rice that has the necessary starch to make the risotto really creamy in the end.
Ideal and original Italian rice varieties are Carnaroli, Arborio, Vialone Nano or Baldo. If you want to know exactly which rice is suitable for which risotto , take a look here!
The basic risotto recipe has endless variations
With our basic recipe, you can cook a creamy, shiny, snow-white risotto. This risotto bianco is one of the primi piatti in Italy, which means it is served as a small, stand-alone starter. However, it also makes a very good side dish, for example for stews or Italian sausages.
Risotto also makes a stand-alone main course in no time at all that will fill everyone up. Simply combine the recipe with your favorite ingredients. There are no limits to your imagination! In Italy, you can find combinations with saffron (risotto alla milanese), with seafood, with tomatoes, with spinach and gorgonzola, with porcini mushrooms, truffles or fennel, with asparagus, pumpkin or radicchio…
More on the topic
Risotto: a question of consistency
Risotto is traditionally cooked in a large, open pot while stirring. Our basic recipe gives you the guidelines for a dish that is sure to succeed. However, the exact consistency of your risotto is a matter of taste. Generally speaking, it’s quite simple.
If the risotto threatens to become too dry, simply add a little more stock. If you want it to be even more liquid, simply add a little more stock. In Italy , this is called “all onda”, or wavy.
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