Published February 18, 2024.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This delicious Creamy Risotto Recipe is slow-cooked arborio rice in rich chicken stock to make an amazing creamy dish for friends and family. Risotto is still one of my all-time favorite things to make and eat. You will love this.
If you’re unsure what this would go well with, try serving it with myEasy Broiled SalmonorOven Roasted Whole Chicken.
Risotto
Risotto is a classic Italian dish made by constantly stirring hot stock with rice and often other ingredients like caramelized onions. The stock is added a little bit at a time and should be fully absorbed into the rice before more stock is added. This process can take up to 45 minutes and will result in a delicious creamy mixture of al dente rice.
While this is a wildly popular dish worldwide, its roots can be traced back to Northern Italy during the Middle Ages. In Italy, risotto is most often consumed as the main entrée, not a side dish.There are also many variations of this dish where other ingredients can be added to make it a more filling meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Onions– You can use a white, sweet, or yellow onion for this recipe. I used a yellow onion because it is better for caramelizing, and it will give off more flavor.
- Garlic– This isn’t necessarily traditional in a risotto recipe, but it will help further enhance the flavor of it.
- Oil– Italians most often use olive oil as their way to sauté or use it as fat in recipes. Unsalted butter will also work.
- Rice– Arborio is the typical short-grain rice used in a classic risotto recipe. You can also substitute with Baldo, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice.
- White Wine– It’s common practice to deglaze and use a dry white wine, like chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc. Now because wine has such a distinct flavor, I advise replacing it with a little chicken stock if you do not consume alcohol.
- Stock– A good homemade chicken stock is what will be used as the liquid to cook the arborio rice. Other options are water, brodo, or vegetable stock.
- Cheese– All risotto is finished with either Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
- Salt and Pepper– Always season everything, including a creamy risotto recipe with coarse salt and pepper.
- Cream – Finishing risotto with heavy whipping cream at the end takes it to another level. You can substitute with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter. I always use unsalted because I want to control the sodium content.
How to Make Creamy Risotto
- Add olive oil to a large pot or rondeau.
- Pour in the onions and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes while constantly stirring until they are very lightly browned and translucent.
- Add in the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the arborio rice and toast in the pot for 3 to 4 minutes while constantly stirring.
- Deglaze with the white wine while constantly stirring until it has been completely absorbed into the arborio rice.
- Add 4-8 ounces of warm chicken stock at a time while constantly stirring until it has been incorporated into the arborio rice.
- Repeat the process until the rice is al dente or slightly crunchy, which takes about 20-25 minutes on low heat.
- Finish by stirring in heavy cream, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve with more parmesan cheese, pepper, and optional parsley garnish.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s finished cooking. However, you can keep this warm in a pot covered with a lid over very low heat for up to 20 minutes before serving.
How to Store: Cover and place the risotto in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of risotto to a medium-sized saucepot along with ¼ to 1/3 cup of water and stir over low heat until hot and creamy.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Traditionally, risotto is finished with whole butter. However, I learned the heavy cream trick from the famous Chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, and it is worth doing.
- Add other cooked ingredients to your risotto, like mushrooms, shrimp, chicken, seafood, asparagus, Lobster, sausage, etc.
- If you wantto alter the flavor of the risotto, do a full caramelization of the onions, about 20-25 minutes.
- The rice will gofrom bright white to translucent and may have a little brown on it from toasting.
- It takes about 5 cups of chicken stock for every 2 cups of arborio rice.
- Al Dente means “to the tooth” and refers to the doneness of grains and vegetables. When cooked in this manner, the food should have some firmness, but not crunchy.o
More Italian Recipe
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Creamy Risotto Recipe
5 from 29 votes
This Creamy Risotto Recipe is slow-cooked arborio rice in rich chicken stock to make an amazing creamy dish for friends and family.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 4 cups arborio rice
- 1 cup chardonnay
- 10 cups warm chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Add the olive oil to a large pot or rondeau over medium-low heat.
Pour in the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and translucent. Feel free to cook longer to caramelize.
Add the garlic and cook it just until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
Next, pour in the rice and toast for 3 to 4 minutes while constantly stirring.
Deglaze with the wine and stir constantly until all of it has been absorbed into the rice.
Add 4-8 ounces of warm chicken stock at a time to the rice while constantly stirring until it has been absorbed, and then repeat the process until the arborio rice is cooked to al dente. This process can take anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes.
Stir in the cream, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Garnish with more Parmigiano Reggiano and optional minced fresh parsley garnish.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s finished cooking. However, you can keep this warm in a pot covered with a lid over very low heat for up to 20 minutes before serving.
How to Store: Cover and place the risotto in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of risotto to a medium-sized saucepot along with ¼ to 1/3 cup of water and stir over low heat until hot and creamy.
Traditionally, risotto is finished with whole butter. However, I learned the heavy cream trick from the famous Chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, and it is worth doing.
Add other cooked ingredients to your risotto, like mushrooms, shrimp, chicken, seafood, asparagus, Lobster, sausage, etc.
If you want to alter the flavor of the risotto, do a full caramelization of the onions, about 20-25 minutes.
The rice will go from bright white to translucent and may have a little brown on it from toasting.
I’ve found that it takes about 5 cups of chicken stock for every 2 cups of arborio rice.
Al Dente means “to the tooth” and refers to the doneness of grains and vegetables. When cooked in this manner, the food should have some firmness, but not crunchy.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 10gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 315mgPotassium: 232mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 168IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 3mg
Course: Main, Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Chef Billy Parisi
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45 comments
- Margaret Wilk
I made this and it’s was absolutely delicious 🥰
- Reply
- Matt
I like this recipe – especially the addition of the cream. The only issue is that I needed 6 cups of both before the rice got to al dente. That could certainly be chalked up to user error, though.
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- Tilde
I made this risotto for the 1st time, it was so dang delicious!
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- Bernadette Cangialosi
This was a delicious side dish. It was so flavorful and creamy! I was concerned I would miss the butter but that was not the case. The cream was a terrific addition to the recipe. We used Locatelli pecorino romano cheese instead of Parmesan as some of my family does not enjoy the Parmesan.
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- Beth
Delicious, his videos are very easy to follow.
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- Kathryn
I’ve used another recipe for my Risotto but when I tried this recipe, it was the cream that sets it apart. Genius ingredient. I do prefer leeks to onions or a combo but same concept. This is great. Thank you
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- Cathie Z
Delicious and easy to make
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- Liz
Fantastic! As always, Billy!
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- Mike
Great
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- sue😁
Frantic ChefBilly will do far better recipe I generally don’t like it to dry etc thank you for your recipe tasty 😋 😁👋😍
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- sue 😁
Thank you sooooo much ChefBilly so appreciated 😁😋🤩👋
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- sue😁
Fabulous recipe ChefBilly thank you for all that you do for us me 😁😋🤩👋
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- sue 😁
Thank you ChefBilly for your recipe &guidance &video my hubby likes it dry ..I do not like it so joyfully going to do your Recipe thank you 😁😋🤩😍… had a duck risotto at restaurant was sooooo delicious 😁
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- Stacey
I made this to go along with your Chicken Piccata dish. So, so good! I did halve the recipe as this makes a LOT of risotto – had I known how much I’d enjoy the leftovers, I would have made the full recipe! A little labor intensive to get it right, but well worth it.
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so good!!
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- Paula T
I made this risotto yet again! I made it early this morning so it can cool and sit in the fridge to make your arancini tonight! Is it strange that I am having a bowl for my breakfast???? Love it!
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- Colleen Powell
I made this for Sunday dinner, I started w five Italian sausages casing removed broken down cooked well, then added shallots and minced garlic then rice, wine, etc
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- Donna
If your lucky enough to have any left over this recipe makes great arancini
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yes!
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- Earlene Kent
Holy smokes! This is delicious! I made it for lunch today! It’s hard to stop at one serving! Creamy and flavorful and perfect for our gray spring days in the Pacific Northwest!
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so good!!
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- Joanne Avella
Wow, worked out perfectly . Everyone enjoyed it. Shared it with friends.Thank you
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My pleasure!
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- Mike
Excellent risotto
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thank you so kindly!!
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- Edwin Davis
Easy. Elegant. And most important delicious! Pairs beautifully with lamb but honestly, I could just eat a bunch of this for a meal.
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Perfect
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- Lou
Hi, i love risotto and your recipes are always spot on and delicious. The only thing i’ve always asked myself is should i rinse the rice before making this beautiful risotto. Thanks
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Do not rinse
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- Diana
Easy to make, at the end I added sautéed porchini, shiitake, cremeni mushrooms and used vegetable stock. Delicious.
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- Sheila urieli
Can i leave out the wine….dont keep alcohol in my home!!!!
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Yes
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- Earlene Kent
We use an alcohol free wine called FRE, and they make a Chardonnay and reds. I use this in many of chef parisis recipes that deglaze with wine and the flavor is great. Without the alcohol! In fact I used fre for my risotto today, and will use it again tonight for chef’s pan seared halibut. Always get rave reviews!
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Thanks for sharing.
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- Patty
Ok, new to this chef and followed instructions to the T-Amazing results! Absolutely delicious risotto!!!
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- Paul S. Sussman
I’ve been following your lessons intently for the last 3 months or so. I’m an old guy; boys in my generation weren’t typically taught how to cook. I do okay, but I struggle with my confidence in the kitchen. Add to that I’m a single parent of a son who wants to know how to cook.
I just made this with my son joining in sous-cheffing. I think that’s the term, anyway. We went to the Italian store and bought block parmesan and the right kind of rice. We had no chardonnay and it was cold out so we substituted Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry. Holy smokes it turned out so well! Creamy, flavorful, solid mouthsful of al dente delight. I think we ate about three side servings each, as we made a full meal of it. That leaves enough to make the leftover recipe Arancini Risotto Balls, which is actually what initially caught my interest.
Anyway, yummy. Thanks, Billy. Another bullseye.
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- Tracey
So delicious! I finished mine with sautéed cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced asparagus & baby peas. Such a great base recipe!!
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- Trang
I feel like you’re my go-to guy for risotto recipes. LOL. The recent ones have been awesome. Please let me know whenever you make a vegan one! Is that possible? Cause I’d love to try it for my son.
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- Brad
Use vegetable stock. Works well have a daughter who’s vegetarian.
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perfect!
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- Betsy
Delicious and simple risotto recipe! Love the delightful combination of perfect ingredients. Good instruction, too. I always struggle making risotto correctly. Thanks for the tips.
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- Erin
This risotto is so creamy! I love risotto and this makes it so easy to prepare and so good!
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- Katie
I LOVE risotto! And this did not disappoint. I love that I can make it delicious at home.
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- Paige
I LOVE risotto in all its simplicity, and this looks like a really nice version. Looks amazing!
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