This Italian Risotto Recipe is a creamy rice dish that can be customized with a variety of flavors and ingredients. It should come as no surprise that Italian cuisine is famous for its rich and flavorful dishes that combine fresh ingredients with traditional cooking techniques.
One of the most beloved Italian dishes is this seafood tomato risotto. This particular recipe features succulent seafood and tangy tomatoes, resulting in a mouth-watering combination that is sure to delight your taste buds. Rest assured that this Italian Risotto Recipe will become your family's next favorite dish, no special occasion needed.
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Risotto isn’t something that’s ready in 10 minutes. Patience is needed as the rice takes some time to cook to a consistency that is edible. The longer this Italian Seafood Risotto cooks the better the flavors meld together.
Fresh shellfish is always better when you are making a traditional Italian Risotto recipe. But, previously frozen shellfish like scallops, prawns and shrimp are just as good. That's what makes this dish perfect for any time of the year.
If you love rice, try these dishes next:
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Ingredients
You won't need a lot of ingredients to make this Italian risotto recipe. Here's what you'll need:
- Red onion
- Butter
- Water
- Dry white wine
- Parmesan cheese
- Tomato puree
- Fresh basil
- Shellfish
- Tomato paste
- Arborio rice
See recipe card for quantities.
Italian Risotto Recipe Instructions
In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook onion until softened. Add rice and stir for about one minute. Then add the wine and allow the alcohol (not the liquid) to evaporate while you stir the rice and onion mixture.
Add the tomato paste and stir everything in the pot to combine. Pour the tomato puree in the skillet and bring to boil. Add one cup of the water and bring to boil and let simmer.
Add more liquid if needed - about ½ cup of water at a time to allow the rice to absorb the water, expand and cook. Cook the risotto covered, but with the lid slightly ajar.
Add the seafood and continue to cook . The rice should be done by the time the seafood cooks through.
Before serving add about ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and the basil at the end and mix well.
HINT: Allow the risotto to cool for about 10 minutes before serving as it will be scorching hot.
Variations
This Italian seafood risotto recipe is perfect the way it is, but here are some variations to consider if you are looking for a variation:
- Mushrooms - try adding mushroom and forego the sauce for a tasty mushroom risotto with cheese recipe.
- Egg, Parmesan and Parsley - skip the sauce and seafood and crack an egg in your arborio rice just before serving. Garnish with lots of parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley flakes.
- Arancini (Rice Balls) - use leftover risotto to make arancini (rice balls) an Italian delicacy.
If you can think of any other way to make this seafood risotto dish unique, go for it!
Ingredient Substitutions for an Italian Risotto Recipe
We all know that from time to time we come across recipes we wish we could eat or serve to our friends and family. Here are some substitutions if you need to meet specific dietary needs:
- Vegan Cheese - Use a non dairy cheese to make this dish vegan compatible
- Vinegar - Substitute apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead of using white wine.
- Dried Basil - Use ground dried basil as a substitute for fresh basil if you don't have fresh basil on hand.
The perfect Italian risotto isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Equipment
You won't need a lot of equipment to make this recipe. Grab a large non stick frying pan some measuring cups and spoons.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for a maximum of three days. You can also freeze for later.
Take leftovers out of the freezer and thaw them out in the refrigerator overnight. Then warm them up on the stovetop for best the leftover flavor results.
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Top tip
Remember that as the rice cooks, it will double in size. Therefore, you need to select a pot that can accommodate the rice once it’s fully cooked. Keep in mind that you will also be adding mushrooms or seafood, etc… I usually use a frypan that is large enough that will accommodate the expanded and cooked rice. I also ensure that I have a lid that I am able to place on the pan for quicker cooking and retaining moisture.
Remember two things:
- You want to select a pan large enough so that the rice doesn’t boil over, and
- You want to have a lid for the pot/pan so that it doesn’t take you 3 hours to cook the risotto.
FAQ
A dry white wine added to the risotto and cooked off before you start adding the water brings a nice acidity to the dish. If you don’t want to use wine, you can substitute the wine for lemon juice or even apple cider vinegar. Add the wine or lemon juice to the rice in the pan and let the alcohol evaporate before adding water or stock.
Risotto is a very versatile meal starch. You can eat it plain with butter and a little bit of parmesan cheese. You can add mushrooms, seafood or vegetables to risotto as well.
Risotto isn't less healthy than rice necessarily. Risotto is more of a meal because it contains more ingredients than boiled rice alone. Depending on what other ingredients you pair with the risotto will determine it's nutritional content and whether it is healthy or not.
You can expect it to take at least an hour until the Risotto is cooked perfectly. The Risotto shouldn’t be mushy or overcooked. It should be “al dente”. This means that it should be slightly hard, but not to hard enough to break a tooth. As you add liquid, taste the rice to determine how much longer the rice will need to cook. Add liquid, taste, repeat until the rice is cooked to your satisfaction.
Well boiled rice is just that, it’s boiled in water. Or sometimes, people boil rice in stock, broth or vegetable seasonings for added flavor. When you boil rice, you usually use it as a side dish.
Risotto is more of a main dish. Usually, people add meat, seafood, mushrooms or vegetables to arborio rice and slow cook it over the stove. Liquid is added as the rice expands. For a liquid, you can use tomato sauce, stock, cheese, milk, water etc.
To make the perfect risotto, you’ll need a rice with a high starch content. The higher the starch content, the creamier the rice will be. For the perfect risotto you will need either short grain rice or arborio rice.
Other Main Dishes You'll Fall in Love With
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage Sauce
- Homemade Potato Gnocchi with Veal Ragu
- Seafood Pasta with White Wine Sauce
- Zuppa Toscana with Hot Italian Sausage
Recipe Details
Seafood Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter
- 4 to 6 cups water
- ½ cups dry white wine apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ cups parmesan cheese
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1 tbsp dried basil or 4 fresh leaves chopped
- 3 cups seafood shellfish preferred
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups Italian style rice or Arborio rice short grain rice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the ghee or butter and add the chopped onion. Cook onion until softened. Add rice and stir for about one minute. Add wine and allow the alcohol (not the liquid) to evaporate while you stir the rice and onion mixture.
- Add the tomato paste and stir everything in the pot to combine. Add the tomato puree and bring to boil. Add one cup of the water and bring to boil and let simmer.
- Add more liquid if needed - about ½ cup of water at a time to allow the rice to absorb the water, expand and cook. Cook the risotto covered, but with the lid slightly ajar. Just jam a spoon in the lid to allow the steam to escape. This allows the rice to absorb the flavor of the wine. Repeat until the rice is al dente.
- Add the seafood and continue to cook until the seafood is done. The rice should be done by the time the seafood cooks through.
- Before serving add about ½ cup of Parmesan cheese and the basil at the end and mix well.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kathy says
This looks delicious and I would love to try it. I've never made risotto before because I think I'm afraid too, lol. I love seafood also so I'm going to give this recipe a try. I like that you included the nutrient value of the recipe, I just hate when you can't find that and I'm watching what I eat.
AmyG says
Hi Kathy,
Please let me know how it turns out and post your picks tagging my instagram @girl_with_a_spatula.
Katie says
Your description of risotto was AWESOME! I never knew the actual difference between risotto and rice...just that they tasted different. I can not wait to make this with all this new knowledge!!!
AmyG says
Hi Katie,
Glad I could clarify the difference for you. Let me know how it turns out and post your pics tagging @girl_with_a_spatula!