Risotto is like a clingy baby. You can’t put it down, you can’t walk away from it, and you can’t ignore it. Its needs are simple, it just wants all of you. And if you give it all of your patient attention, it will turn into a puddle of love. This simple, pure, unadulterated version stands up on its own, but it also makes an excellent canvas for seasonal ingredients—find out more about those toppings at the very end of the recipe.
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What you’ll need
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Dutch Oven
$80 At Amazon
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Microplane
$16 At Amazon
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Medium Saucepan
$39 At Amazon
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Heatproof Measuring Cup
$18 At Amazon
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Wooden Spoon
$6 At Amazon
Ingredients
8 servings
1
6
½
2
1
5
1¾
Preparation
Step 1
Combine 1 Tbsp. salt and 10 cups water in a medium stockpot. Bring to a very bare simmer over medium heat.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium. Cook onion and a pinch of salt, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and starting to soften, 6–8 minutes. Add ½ cup water and cook, stirring often, until water evaporates and onion is sizzling in oil and completely tender, about 5 minutes. (Adding the water allows the onion to cook gently and thoroughly without taking on any color.) Taste onion; if it’s still firm at all, add another splash of water and continue cooking until meltingly soft.
Step 3
Add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until grains of rice are translucent around the edges and they make a glassy clattering sound when they hit the sides and bottom of pot, about 5 minutes. Coating the grains with oil before adding any liquid helps the rice cook evenly so that the outside does not become mushy before the center is tender. Add wine and another pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Reduce heat to medium, then add hot salted water to rice in ¾-cup increments, stirring constantly and allowing liquid to absorb fully before adding more, until rice is al dente and surrounded by fluid, not-too-thick creamy suspension, 25–30 minutes. It should take 2–3 minutes for each addition to be absorbed; if things are moving faster than this, reduce heat to medium-low. Gradual absorption and constant agitation are key to encouraging the starches to release from the risotto, creating its trademark creamy consistency. You may not need all of the hot water, but err on the side of soup rather than sludge. The finished texture should be more of a liquid than a solid. Start checking the rice after about 15 minutes; the grains should be tender but not mushy, with a slightly firm center that doesn’t leave a chalky or bitty residue between your teeth after tasting. Do not overcook!
Step 5
Remove pot from heat, add butter, and stir until melted. Gradually add 1¼ cups Parmesan, stirring until cheese is melted and liquid surrounding risotto is creamy but very fluid. Stir in more hot salted water if needed to achieve the right consistency. Taste and season with salt.
Step 6
Divide risotto among warm bowls. Top each with a grind of pepper. Serve with remaining ½ cup Parmesan alongside for passing.
TOPPINGS
BA’s Best Risotto Parmigiano is good enough to serve on its own, but it’s also an excellent canvas for a whole host of toppings. Here are a few options we love, for whatever season you’re in.
Spring: Buttered Sugar Snap Peas with Mint
Heat
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
in a large skillet over medium until foaming, about 1 minute. Add finely chopped
white and light green parts of 5 scallions
, season with
kosher salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
, and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are bright green and aromatic, 1–2 minutes. Add
1 lb. sugar snap peas (trimmed, cut in half lengthwise)
, season again, and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in
½ cup sliced mint leaves
. Spoon peas and any pan juices onto BA’s Best Risotto.
Summer: Burst Cherry Tomato Sauce
Heat
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
and
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
in a large skillet over medium until butter is foaming. Add
4 crushed garlic cloves
, season with
kosher salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is aromatic and starting to brown, 1–2 minutes. Add
2 pints cherry tomatoes
and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, tossing frequently and pressing down on tomatoes with a wooden spoon to encourage skins to split, about 5 minutes. Add
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
and toss to combine. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Spoon tomatoes and pan sauce onto BA’s Best Risotto. Drizzle with oil.
Fall: Browned Mushrooms with Thyme
Heat
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add
1 lb. mushrooms
(such as shiitake, crimini, or maitake, trimmed, caps torn into 2" pieces) and cook, tossing occasionally, until they begin to soften and release some liquid, 3–4 minutes. Season with
kosher salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
and cook, tossing occasionally, until deeply browned and tender, 8–10 minutes. Add
5 crushed garlic cloves
,
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
, and
4–5 sprigs thyme
and cook, tossing occasionally, until garlic softens and butter is golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and add
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
. Toss to coat, scraping up any browned bits from surface of pan. Pluck out thyme sprigs. Spoon mushroom mixture onto BA’s Best Risotto.
Winter: Lemon and Chives
Stir
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
,
½ cup thinly sliced chives
, and
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
in a small bowl; season with
kosher salt
and
freshly ground black pepper
. As soon as BA’s Best Risotto is done, stir in
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
. Spoon lemon-chive mixture onto risotto.
How would you rate BA’s Best Risotto?
Leave a Review
Reviews (42)
Back to Top-
Thanks for this lovely recipe. Another rice species that's ideal for risotto is vialone nano. It's flavor is somewhat more robust compared to carnaroli, and is, in my opinion, ideal if you're preparing a risotto with meat or poultry inclusions.
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George Arnold
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Boston, MA
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1/5/2022
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This is the best risotto I’ve ever made. I followed the recipe as written and used the winter add-ins Of lemon zest, lemon juice, and green onions (green part only) since I didn’t have fresh chives) Wow!! Even my young grandchildren couldn’t get enough. They asked for seconds. This will now be a staple in my kitchen.
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Tommysdebi
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Orlando, FL
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1/3/2022
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Made the recipe as described. Worked out great. Would make again
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Bheavy
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Omaha, ne
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12/27/2021
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super great risotto recipe, but I would use appropriate stock instead of salted water.
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Wine is everything
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Charleston SC
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11/4/2021
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Why not list the traditional ARBORIO rice for this recipe?
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Kama
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Joshua Tree, CA, USA
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10/27/2021
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Best risotto recipe I've ever made, and I've many. So creamy, such a clean taste. Important to use wonderful rice, parmesan, etc. We topped it with grated bottarga to try to replicate a dish I had in a wonderful restaurant in NYC. Transcendent! :)
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Anonymous
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St Petersburg, FL
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10/13/2021
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Wow, excellent. Did the mushroom, thyme version. Perfect outcome
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Tracey
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Danville, CA
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9/13/2021
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Too good! Of course a lot of time and attention,and so worth it!
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MaryM
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Latonia, Ky.
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7/13/2021
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spot on!! kept adding water and stirring, made nice soup like stew, added the butter, and 2 cups of cheese, was heaven in a bowl. Used tomato topper, doubled the red pepper, we were thrilled with this recipe. THANK YOU :) PS my grand parents in the US only spoke Italian.
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Anonymous
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Fredericksburg VA, originally Dearborn, MI
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6/2/2021
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Carla's instructions are spot on!! Love the buttery flavor, and adding more salted water than you think you need is key to success!! this Risotto recipe does not overshadow any main dish, it compliments it. Favorite easy, risotto recipe I've made!
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ChefGigiTra
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Illinois
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5/23/2021
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I'm a chef (retired) living in Milano, where Risotto rules, there seems to be a concern about the amount of wine, in Italia many people don't even use wine. When I make risotto I don't really measure the wine, but I would estimate for two cups of rice I use about 1/2 glass of wine would be sufficient, you don't want to have drunken rice, you know how unruly rice gets when it's over the beveraged. The final steps are the most important, stirring in the butter and Parmigiano vigorously to achieve a creaminess in Italian it's called (manticare) and then shaking the pan back and forth to make waves, onde. The risotto at this point should be streamed onto a flat plate and eaten from the outer edge and inward. Buon appetito.
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pacepuleo
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Milano Italy
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4/19/2021
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Yes, this is the best risotto I’ve made. (You only have to read to the first step of the recipe to know that there’s water in the recipe.) Easily adaptable and so comforting.
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Emily H
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Calgary
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2/24/2021
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Great recipe except you failed to listed the stock quantity. One cup of wine will not be sufficient to groom the rice or add enough rich flavor. Perhaps an error.
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Mrs. Kareen
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London, UK
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1/6/2021
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Made it exactly according to directions (which I almost never do) and it was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised to end up with such a flavourful risotto without using stock. Using a delicious wine is key; don’t use one you wouldn’t want to drink. And obviously freshly grated parm. I also made the burst tomatoes, but with Sambal Olek in place of the crushed pepper flakes just because. Really tasty!
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Pierie
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Calgary, AB
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12/20/2020
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Perfect. Made a fantastic neutral base risotto. This is a new go-to.
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Chef Koala
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Seattle, WA
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12/12/2020
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