Risotto is a classic Italian dish of rice slow cooked until it is creamy, luscious and absolutely perfect. Although everyone loves it, for some reason, risotto is often thought of as being difficult or high maintenance to make at home and this is not true! While it is not a dish you can just put into a pot and forget about, it is not complicated and if you follow these simple instructions, you will be richly rewarded with a pot of the most fabulously creamy lemon parmesan risotto.
Let’s get started…
This recipe will make 6 healthy sized side dish portions, so if you are cooking for a smaller group, cut the recipe in half. To begin, place 6 cups of chicken stock into a saucepan over medium high heat and bring it to a simmer. As soon as it begins to simmer, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.
While your chicken stock is heating up, gather 2 cups of arborio rice, 4 tablespoons of butter, 2 finely diced shallots, 4 finely diced cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest, 3/4 cup of finely shredded parmigiano reggiano and a pinch of black pepper.
In order to stay organized and avoid any unneeded stress, have everything you need close by. On a burner close to your warming chicken stock, place a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
As soon as the butter has melted, add the finely diced shallots and cook them for about 5 minutes.
Once the shallots begin to soften, add the finely diced garlic and cook, stirring consistently, for about 60 seconds.
Next, add the dry arborio rice into the skillet and stir to combine with the softened shallots and garlic. Cook the rice for about 90 seconds, stirring consistently and then ladle 1 cup of hot chicken stock stock into the pot and stir to combine.
Unlike other rice dishes in which equal parts of liquid and rice are combined in a pot, the stock used in risotto is added slowly over time. Once you have added the initial cup of stock, stir the rice gently to prevent the risotto from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan as it absorbs the stock.
Once all of the stock has been absorbed, ladle in another 1/2 cup of stock and repeat the process. You will know when the risotto is ready for more stock, when you no longer see stock at the bottom of the saucepan…
In the photo above, you can see how when I scrape my spatula across the bottom of the saucepan, not only does the rice stay put, but I don’t see any more liquid on the surface… this means its time for more stock!
Continue cooking the risotto, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, until all 6 cups of stock have been added and absorbed. This process should take about 30 minutes.
As soon as the risotto is done, transfer the pot onto a heat proof surface and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
Once the butter has melted, stir in 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest, 3/4 cup of finely shredded parmigiano reggiano and a pinch of black pepper.
Hopefully, whatever else you are serving is ready to go, because when the risotto is ready, its go time…
I love sprinkling some finely chopped parsley and a little extra parmigiano reggiano over the bowl and then I grab a big scoop for correctly sized portions and get ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
This lemon parmesan risotto is super creamy and bursting with fresh lemon flavors. Those beautiful bright, tart lemon flavors are perfectly complimented by the salty parmigiano reggiano. This dish is well balanced, comforting and a fantastic side dish for everything from blackened salmon to roasted chicken or a nice juicy ribeye.
Whatever you decide to serve this creamy lemon parmesan risotto with, you are going to absolutely love it!
Buon appetito!
Creamy Lemon Parmesan Risotto
Ingredients
- 6 cups of chicken stock
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
- 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest
- 3/4 cup of parmigiano reggiano, finely shredded
- a pinch of black pepper
- fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Place 6 cups of chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer
- Cover the stock and reduce the heat to low
- Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a separate saucepan and place over medium heat
- Once the butter has melted, add the finely diced shallots and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the shallots begin to soften
- Add the finely diced garlic and cook, stirring consistently, for about 60 seconds
- Add 2 cups of arborio rice in with the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring consistently, for about 90 seconds
- Ladle 1 cup of the warm chicken stock in with the rice and stir until absorbed
- Add another 1/2 cup of stock and cook, stirring consistently, until absorbed
- Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the ricotta is tender and pale in color (approximately 30 minutes)
- Transfer the saucepan onto a heat proof surface
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest
- Once the butter has melted, add a pinch of black pepper and stir in 3/4 cup of finely shredded parmigiano reggiano
- Serve immediately garnished with finely chopped parsley
