Parmesan Pesto Risotto (Printable)
A creamy Italian rice dish infused with fresh basil pesto and rich Parmesan. Ready in 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rice
01 - 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
→ Broth
02 - 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, kept warm
→ Aromatics
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Wine
07 - ½ cup dry white wine
→ Cheese & Pesto
08 - ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
09 - ⅓ cup basil pesto (homemade or high-quality store-bought)
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
11 - Fresh basil leaves
12 - Pine nuts, toasted
# Directions:
01 - Heat butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
02 - Add Arborio rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until the grains are well coated and slightly translucent at the edges.
03 - Pour in the white wine. Stir and cook until almost completely absorbed.
04 - Add warm vegetable broth, one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 18–20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and pesto until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with extra Parmesan, basil leaves, and toasted pine nuts if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- The pesto adds an incredible depth that feels like a shortcut to restaurant quality flavor
- It's one of those dishes that makes people think you spent hours when it really just needs patience
02 -
- Stirring frequently releases starch from the rice, creating that creamy sauce without adding cream
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate better than cold ones, so take the pesto out of the fridge early
03 -
- Make your own pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays for instant portions all year
- Toasting pine nuts in a dry pan until golden brown adds an incredible crunch