Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish that is available in all seasons. To enjoy its flavors while paying attention to its nutritional value, here are 9 easy winter risotto recipes.
Risotto is a dish that is usually served as an appetizer in the Italian peninsula (but sometimes it is used as a side dish for the main course). Its origins go back at least to the 16th century, when its most famous version appeared: risotto alla milanesa, seasoned with saffron.
Traditional risotto recipe
This dish is made from starchy rice (such as Arborio or Carnaroli rice) pre-browned in fat (with or without onions), then glazed with wine (usually white. Then boiled, gradually adding vegetable, meat or fish stock). The recipe ends with grated parmesan, which is allowed to melt to add a creamy taste. This dish can be served with pieces of meat, fish or vegetables.
Some tips for brightening up risotto
To make this dish less caloric without losing its gluttony, it is possible to change several stages of preparation :
- sparingly measure fat for browning ingredients before adding rice;
- avoid the wine glazing step;
- prefer homemade broth or ready-made, but preferably defatted;
- limit the amount of parmesan. It is possible to use a light variety, limited to 1 tablespoon. Some recipes also recommend replacing it with 1 tablespoon of ricotta, a low-calorie Italian cream cheese, to maintain the smoothness of the original dish.
It is also recommended to add seasonal vegetables and herbs to make this dish very tasty.
These tips change the traditional recipe, but allow you to make this dish easier. This slideshow presents 9 ideas for easy winter risotto recipes to treat yourself to.
Source: The art of risottoThe Michelin Guide
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© Shutterstock / teleginatania
2/9 –
Zucchini, carrot and turnip risotto
for 4 people. Peel and cut into small pieces 400 g of zucchini, 2 turnips and 2 carrots. Peel and finely chop 2 onions (red or white to taste). Prepare 1 L of vegetable broth. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the pan, add onion and rice. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables. Brown for 2 minutes, then add 1 ladleful of stock, then repeat until the rice and vegetables are fully cooked. At the end of cooking, season everything to taste with curry and cumin, before serving with salt and pepper.
© Shutterstock / Olga Bombologna
3/9 –
Risotto alla milanesa
for 4 people. Peel and chop ½ white onion. Prepare 1 l of defatted chicken stock. Fry the onion in a pan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the rice and fry for another 3 minutes. Add 2 ladles of stock, stir to absorb the rice, then repeat several times until the rice is cooked (about 20 min). 5 minutes before the end, add 1 bag of saffron dissolved in half a glass of broth and a little salt and pepper. When done, add 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan.
© Shutterstock
4/9 –
Mushroom risotto
for 4 people. Clean and cut into pieces 500 g of mushrooms of your choice and divide the quantity in half. Peel and chop 2 cloves of garlic, 1 onion and 2 shallots. Sweat half the mushrooms and half the onion in a saucepan before pouring in 1 liter of vegetable stock. Let it be for now. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pot to make the risotto. At this time, you can add the rest of the mushrooms and sweat them together with shallots, garlic and parsley or fry them separately. Add 400 g of Carnaroli or Arborio rice. Mix well, then add a ladleful of stock until absorbed. Repeat the process until the rice is fully cooked. Cook the mushrooms if they are not cooked with the rice and then serve them. Add some pepper and 1 tablespoon Parmesan.
© Shutterstock / marco mayer
5/9 –
Mushroom and broccoli risotto
for 4 people. Clean and cut into pieces 500 g of broccoli and 250 g of mushrooms of your choice. Peel and chop 2 shallots. Prepare 1 l of defatted chicken stock. Sauté mushrooms, broccoli and shallots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a casserole dish for 5 minutes. Then add 200 g of Arborio rice, stir and add 1 ladleful of broth. Allow the rice to absorb before adding another with a ladle. Repeat the process until the rice and vegetables are cooked. Add 1-2 tablespoons Parmesan, chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
© Shutterstock / Lyudmila Mikhailovskaya
6/9 –
Barley risotto with mushrooms
for 4 people. Peel the butter and finely chop 200 g of mushrooms, 1 clove of garlic and 1 onion. Prepare 1L of vegetable broth. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in a saucepan with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and 250 g of pearl nuts, mix and heat while stirring for 1 min. Then add half of the broth and cook for 50 minutes over low heat, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Add broth as needed during cooking. At the end of cooking, add 1 tablespoon of ricotta, salt and pepper. It is possible to finish the dish by adding some chives and some crushed cashews.
© Shutterstock / tasha_lyubina
7/9 –
Saffron and salmon risotto
for 4 people. Peel and slice 1 onion and prepare 50 cl of defatted vegetable stock. Start cooking 250 g of salmon fillets by placing them in the oven at 180° for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sweat the onion in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 3 minutes. Then add 250 g of Arborio rice. Mix everything together before pouring in 1 ladleful of stock. Once the rice is absorbed, repeat the process again until it is cooked. When the salmon is cooked, cut it into pieces. Then add it to the rice along with 1 dose of saffron (previously diluted in ½ glass of stock) and cook for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and complete the dish with 1 tablespoon of ricotta and 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan.
© Shutterstock / marco mayer
8/9 –
Barley, leek and ginger risotto
for 4 people. Peel and cut into pieces 2 leeks, 3 shallots and 1 cm of ginger. Heat 1 l of defatted vegetable broth. Brown leeks and shallots in a pan in 2 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add 350 g of pearl and ginger. Mix and pour half of the stock. Cook on low heat for 50 minutes, stirring regularly and adding broth if needed. When the barley is cooked, add some chopped parsley, salt and pepper. You can finish with 1 tablespoon of ricotta.
© Shutterstock / gowithstock
9/9 –
Risotto with lemon and shrimps
for 4 people. Peel and chop 2 onions and 2 garlic cloves. Prepare 1 l of defatted vegetable broth. Sauté onions and garlic cloves in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes. Then add 300g of Arborio rice and mix everything together. Pour in 1 ladleful of stock and allow the rice to absorb before repeating until the starch is cooked. Meanwhile, cook 300g of fresh prawns in a pan (or heat quickly if they are already cooked). When the rice is cooked, add the shrimp, as well as 1 tablespoon of lemon (dosage according to taste), 1-2 tablespoons of ricotta and a little chopped dill, parsley or basil, as well as salt and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes and serve.