So you wanna cook risotto? Creamy parmesan risotto with peas...seriously one of my favorite recipes of all time. And dare I say...easiest!?! There's this misconception out there that it's a difficult dish, but delicate is probably a better way to describe it. Stop being silly will ya?! Give it a go...I promise you it's easier than you think. One thing I will tell you is that once you do...you'll be hooked!
Gaylord Focker had it right in Meet the Fockers..."I'm a-lookin' and I'm a-likin'"!
Like other creamy dishes, be sure to check out my Creamy Spinach Gnocchi with Basil and Cherry Tomatoes.
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Ingredients for Creamy Parmesan Risotto with Peas
Key ingredient
WARM Chicken Stock - there's some controversy out there (amongst us foodies 🙂 about whether or not you need to warm the stock before ladling it into the rice. Here's what I'll say...I've never done it with a room temperature or cold stock, but a warm stock is absolutely key! It'll ensure even cook times and consistent tenderness of all the rice throughout cooking. Wanna maka the gooda risotto??? Oofah...just warm the broth!
How do you make it?
First off…get a big pan. I typically double this recipe when I make it, so I like using a wok. Yeah yeah...trust me the wok is where it's at for risotto. Super big and enough room to take on 2 cups of rice and 4+ cups of stock. Don't knock it until you try it!
- Warm the chicken broth. Make sure you’re ladling warm broth to your risotto.
- Heat your extra virgin olive oil and butter, and cook your garlic.
- Cook your onions until soft.
- Add your rice and toss around the wok to coat the rice in the butter and oil mixture.
- Add your wine and cook until it’s absorbed.
- START LADLING YOUR CHICKEN BROTH.
- LADLE and STIR.
- LADLE and STIR.
- LADLE and STIR.
- Keep adding your broth one ladle at a time. When one ladle is absorbed, add another. And so on….and so on!
- Add your frozen peas halfway through your ladling process.
- On your last ladle, add your parsley and cheese. Stir until you’ve found the right consistency.
Not that hard, right?
Tips, Tricks, FAQs
There's 3 main keys to ensuring a good risotto.
Key #1 - So I've already addressed this above, but one of the first things you'll want to do is to WARM THE STOCK! I've spoken to a lot of people who just can't seem to get their risotto 'right'. And every time I ask them if they warm the broth before adding it to the rice, they say no. To ensure a consistent temperature of the rice throughout cooking, heat the broth.
Key #2 - You'll also want to stir pretty frequently. Now don't get all crazy and think shit will hit the fan if leave the stove. You can take your eyes off of the risotto from time to time, but you will want to stir it pretty frequently.
Key #3 - Lastly, make sure all the stock/wine is fully absorbed before you add any more. Add one or two ladles (just enough to cover the rice) of stock...stir until absorbed...add more stock. Repeat!
Medium heat. You don't want it too low because it won't cook, or too high because you run the risk of burning it.
One of the great things about risotto is its versatility. You can add so many different ingredients: seafood, vegetables, chicken, sausage, cheeses, beans. The possibilities are endless. Once you get a general feel for how to cook it, get creative and enjoy the process.
You don't. I do, but not everyone cooks with wine. If you plan on making this without wine, add just 1-2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar in lieu of the white wine. But be very careful. Too much vinegar = trouble!
It depends. You want to ladle in just enough to cover the rice each time. For 1 cup of Arborio rice (which is what this recipe calls for), figure 1, maybe 2 ladles at a time. Again, be sure the stock is absorbed before adding another ladle.
How was your Creamy Parmesan Risotto? Would definitely appreciate if you leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! Always love hearing from you guys...and don't worry I'm an Italian from New Jersey...I got thick skin!
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Recipe
Creamy Parmesan Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup shallots minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine dry, crisp
- 4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen peas frozen
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Warm chicken broth in a pot. Keep warm throughout cooking by leaving on a low simmer.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a 3-4 qt pan or wok. When heated throw in your garlic - cook for a minute until fragrant.
- After garlic is fragrant, add your shallot (or onions if you're using them). Cook for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add the rice, mixing and tossing all together until the rice is fully coated with the oil and butter mixture.
- Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently to prevent any sticking of the rice to the bottom of the pan.
- When the wine is absorbed, add 1-2 ladles of chicken broth (just enough to cover the rice each time) and stir until fully absorbed.
- Repeat this step until you’ve absorbed all your chicken broth. If you need more broth, just make sure you warm it up in the pan first before ladling.
- About half way through your ladling, add the peas to the risotto. Stir all together.
- On your last ladle, add the parsley. Just about when the chicken stock is half absorbed, add your cheese. Keep stirring until you reach your desired consistency (which should be creamy...not soupy and not too pasty).
Notes
- If you're feeding a family, you're going to want to double this recipe. We're 3 big eaters here with one somewhat picky one, but when I make this and double up, we barely have any leftovers. Just remember, the more rice you cook the longer it will take to cook it, so make sure you plan accordingly. 2 cups of rice usually takes me about an hour or so to cook.
- WARM THE BROTH - I've said it throughout this post, but I can't tell you how important it is to warm the broth before adding it to the rice. Keep a sauce pot of warm/hot chicken broth on the stove and ladle from there when needed. DON'T SKIP THIS STEP!
- Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking method and ingredients used. It's advised you calculate your own nutritional values if needed.
Nutrition
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About The Skinny Guinea
Hey...how you doin'? I'm Tommy, The Skinny Guinea…just a busy dad who loves to cook. Offering easy to cook dinners and family friendly recipes, while always staying true to my Italian roots!
Never made risotto, tried this. Best decision, just awesome