Parmesan Risotto is a creamy Italian side dish with fresh spring flavors. It’s perfect for Easter dinner and ready in 30 minutes. Try it soon!
Rice is such a popular dish in many cultures that it can be served with practically any meal. Try my Mushroom Risotto or my One Minute Brown Rice Risotto for some other delicious side dishes.
Sabrina’s Parmesan Risotto Recipe
This creamy risotto makes a fancy side dish for Easter Dinner, is easy enough to serve on a weeknight, and hearty enough to be a main course. If this is your first time making risotto, prepare to be pleasantly surprised by how quickly this beautiful rice dish comes together.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 shallots , finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice , uncooked
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup white wine , or additional chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup frozen spring peas , thawed
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel , grated
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat chicken broth and keep warm on low heat.
- In a large skillet, sauté shallots in butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender.
- Add the rice, thyme and black pepper; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Stir in white wine and lemon juice.
- Cook while continuing to stir until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in heated broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow liquid to absorb between additions.
- Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add the peas, parmesan cheese and lemon peel. Stir and cook until heated through.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Sabrina Tips
Parmesan Risotto is all about stirring in small cups of liquid at a time and the creaminess you get with each bite is so worth it. It may be tempting to add the chicken broth all at once or before it’s fully absorbed each time. But if you keep your broth warm and add in small amounts, this recipe actually only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish!
Table of contents
About this Recipe
Lemon Risotto might seem like the kind of dish you only see on a five-star menu or cooking competition, but trust that any home cook can easily master this Italian rice dish. Learn a few basics, and you will be serving this delicious side dish every chance you get.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve this creamy Parmesan Risotto with simple rustic mains like Baked Scallops, Roasted Chicken, or Pork Loin Roast. Risotto can be an easy vegetarian main course by using veggie broth instead of chicken broth and serving with Dinner Rolls.
How to Store
- Serve: This dish is best served immediately for maximum creaminess, but can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- Store: Transfer cooled risotto to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove top with a little milk or chicken broth to make creamy again.
- Freeze: You can freeze risotto for up to 3 months in a sealed container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stove top over medium heat.
Frequent Questions
Arborio rice is the best choice for Parmesan Risotto. Its high starch content creates the creamy texture risotto is known for while still holding its shape during all the stirring. Arborio rice is widely available in most grocery stores and works perfectly in this recipe.
Yes! While this recipe uses frozen peas for convenience, you can substitute fresh or spring peas if you prefer. Just be sure to steam them before adding them to the risotto so they are tender and ready to mix in.
Variations
- Cheese: Instead of Parmesan cheese, try using other strong-flavored cheeses like Romano cheese, Swiss cheese, Asiago cheese, or Manchego.
- Wine: Use a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc. If you don’t want to use wine, substitute chicken broth or white grape juice.
- Herbs: You can use other Italian herbs in this dish. Add fresh or dried herbs like sage, rosemary, or oregano. If you like garlic, add a teaspoon or two of minced garlic cloves after cooking the shallots, heating for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Veggies: Try this risotto recipe with chopped roasted veggies, steamed broccoli or cauliflower, or cooked chopped zucchini.
- Vegan Risotto: Easily make this a Vegan Lemon Risotto by using olive oil instead of butter, veggie broth for chicken broth, and nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese. You can get nutritional yeast in bulk bins at many stores.
Related Recipes
More Tasty Grain Dish Recipes
These photos were in a previous version of this post
Risotto can feel a bit intimidating, but your clear instructions made this completely foolproof! It came out perfectly rich, creamy, and packed with that savory, nutty parmesan flavor.
Oh good, I’m so glad that these instructions helped. I agree, risotto seems scary to make at first glance, but truly is easy with the right steps. Thank you for the 5 stars Michael!