Someone on Facebook recently asked me what staples I keep in my pantry. My number one answer? Arborio rice!
Arborio rice is a short grain rice that you use to make risotto. A number of my friends have told me that risotto was too intimidating for them to try at home, but really, it’s a super simple and quick dish to make. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, and you can add in many things you likely already have in your fridge, freezer or pantry. It’s perfect for weeknights, and it’s so versatile!
The key for me to making risotto is to add your liquid to your rice a little at a time, letting each previous addition fully absorb before adding the next. What you mix into your risotto is up to you. The sky’s the limit! Some of my other favorite variations include asparagus and lemon, shrimp with saffron and fresh tomatoes, and a breakfast risotto with onion, hot Italian sausage, parmesan and saffron.
The version I make most often, though, is shrimp and asparagus with parmesan.
In this video, I make the dish start to finish. This recipe is adapted from one I originally found on IowaGirlEats. I hope you give risotto a try! It has absolutely become a staple in our weeknight meal rotation!
As always, if you have comments or suggestions for future recipes or videos, let me know below. I’d love to hear from you!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 3 3/4 cups chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp shallot minced
- 1 1/8 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine dry
- 1/2 bunch asparagus chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined, tails removed
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
|
|
- In a small pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to keep warm.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, then saute shallot until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add rice, stirring to coat in butter, then let sit to toast for 1-2 minutes. Add wine, stirring until it's completely absorbed into the rice.
- Begin to add chicken stock, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until previous addition is fully absorbed before adding the next. During the third addition of stock, add asparagus. During final addition of stock, add shrimp.
- Once all stock is absorbed, rice is fully cooked and creamy, turn off heat. Add in parmesan, stirring to melt, and add salt and pepper to taste.
