Parmesan Risotto

This Parmesan risotto is super rich, creamy, and a fantastic base for making a variety of wonderful risotto dishes! It tastes sophisticated and gourmet, but is easy to make! In fact, it is the perfect side dish for any meal and will easily impress all of your guests!

Best Parmesan Risotto Recipe

There's something spectacular about a well-made risotto. This risotto recipe is the base of so many other variations and a perfect risotto to start out with if you're new to the risotto method!

It is creamy, cheesy, and amazingly delicious. Plus, it is not difficult to make at all!

Risotto is always showcased as being a difficult dish to prepare. However, it really isn't the case! While there is a specific technique involved in making risotto, it is not hard to do!

For more information on how to make some perfect risotto, check out my ultimate guide to cooking risotto!

🥘 Parmesan Risotto Ingredients

This ingredient list is incredibly simple. Make sure you are using the correct kind of rice for risotto, like Arborio.

• Chicken Broth - 4 cups of chicken broth. Go ahead and heat it to a low simmer in a saucepan.
• Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
• Arborio Rice - 1 cup of Arborio rice.
• Shallots - ¼ cup of finely minced shallots or white onion.
• Garlic - 2 teaspoons of finely minced garlic.
• White Wine - ¼ cup of dry white wine. I used Pinot Grigio.
• Butter - 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into two 1-tablespoon pats.
• Parmesan - 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Feel free to add more for garnish.
• Salt & Pepper - To taste.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Parmesan Risotto

This risotto is not difficult to make! All you are going to need is a saucepan, skillet, and a wooden spoon!

This recipe will make 4 servings of risotto. You can either serve it as your main course, as an appetizer, or as a side dish!

1. Heat broth. Start off by heating your 4 cups of broth to a low simmer in a saucepan.
2. Cook garlic and shallots. Bring a large skillet or frying pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then add 2 teaspoons of garlic and ¼ cup of shallots. Cook until softened, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add rice. Add your 1 cup Arborio rice and cook the kernels, stirring occasionally, for about 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour in the wine. Add the ¼ cup of dry white wine and cook for one minute, stirring frequently.
5. Slowly add broth. Add one cup of the broth and stir occasionally while the rice cooks and absorbs the liquid. Ladle in additional amounts initially in approximately ½ cup portions. Allow the rice to absorb the liquid as added.
6. Continue cooking. When your rice has cooked for about 15 minutes, the rice will slow down on absorbing the liquid when added. Use smaller ¼ cup portions as you near the end of the cooking process.
7. Check for doneness. You are looking for an al dente texture to your rice, and I start checking for this at the 15 - 16 minute mark. Test an individual rice grain for a soft texture that still retains a semi-firm core to the grain.
8. Remove from heat. Once your rice has reached an al dente texture, remove the risotto from the heat and add the 2 tablespoons each of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir to combine and serve on warmed plates with additional freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, if desired.

Risotto is incredibly versatile and can be served as an appetizer, entree, or side dish! Serve your risotto alongside some baked scallops and air fryer asparagus for a complete meal. For more ideas, check out my post on what to serve with risotto! Enjoy!

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Notes

• For best results, have your broth simmering in a saucepan before ladling it into the risotto. This helps it absorb into the rice.
• It is not necessary to stir your rice constantly. Every 30 seconds or so is better!
• Make sure to add your broth in small increments, giving the rice time to absorb the liquid in between each addition.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Store your leftover risotto in a sealed container in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days.

Reheating Parmesan Risotto

To reheat your risotto, add about ¼ cup of chicken broth to a pan and bring it to a low simmer. Add in your risotto and stir until it is warmed all the way through. If it is too thick, add more broth as needed.

As a general rule of thumb, you'll need ¼ cup of broth for every 1 cup of risotto.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🍚 More Rice Dishes

• Prawn Risotto - This prawn risotto features some juicy shrimp and creamy risotto!
• Dirty Rice - Dirty rice is packed with Cajun flavor, tasty veggies, and hearty meat!
• Mushroom Risotto - This classic risotto dish uses mushrooms as the star ingredient!
• Vermicelli Rice - Vermicelli pasta and rice come together for this easy and tasty side dish!
• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice - Break out your Instant Pot for an extra effortless cilantro lime rice dish!
• Creamy Coconut Rice - This delicious recipe uses Jasmine rice and coconut milk for a creamy and tasty side!

📖 Recipe Card