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Beautiful risotto colored yellow by the deliciously aromatic spice known as saffron. Simple and comforting, this risotto is super easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes. This risotto can be served as a hearty main or comforting side dish with stewed meats or fish plus leftovers will never go to waste!
Risotto alla Milanese is one of the most popular risotto dishes. Creamy and tasty, saffron risotto is made with rice, saffron, butter, meat stock, dry white wine, and Parmigiano cheese. I added garlic and onions to give the dish more flavor. To give this dish its color, I soaked some saffron in hot water for 5 minutes. It colors the water and gives more of the taste you want in this dish. The smell is absolutely pleasant too! You can omit the carrots and just add peas if you wish. I had leftover frozen peas and carrots so that’s what I used.
How to make the creamiest Risotto on your first try?
- Stirring the rice constantly will add air into the risotto and release its starch. That will cool it down and make a glue-like consistency. But if you don’t stir enough, the rice will stick to the bottom and burn. I made this mistake the first time I ever made risotto! Agitating the rice is VERY important, because risotto’s creaminess comes from the starch generated when grains of rice rub against each other.
- Add butter and parmesan cheese at the end. The butter will make it silky when stirred in. While the parmesan cheese (or in this recipe, havarti) will add that nutty bite to it, as well as make it even creamier. Of course, stirring the rice is also a big part.
- Short-grain rice is a must, because it has a higher starch content. As you stir, the constant friction releases starch into the stock, which thickens into the creamy sauce that coats the rice. Arborio rice is the most commonly use, but if you find carnaroli rice, use that instead.
Risotto Tips
- Make sure to use warm stock when making this recipe. Adding cold stock to a hot pan will cool everything down and mess up the cooking process. Keep the stock at a simmer in a separate pan so everything stays hot and cooks evenly.
- Don’t add the stock too quickly; you want to cook the rice slowly so that the stock is absorbed. If you pour the stock into the pot all at once, you’re just boiling rice. Also, because the starch is absolutely necessary, don’t rinse the rice before cooking it.
- It’s helpful to have everything prepped and ready to move before starting this dish. You will need both of your hands; one for stirring and one for ladling.
- Use fresh Parmesan and not the stuff from a can. Parmesan is the star of a good risotto dish, or in this case, havarti cheese, so you want it to be of decent quality.
- Toast the rice with the onions and garlic before adding the wine. It’ll taste so much better. You can substitute the onions for shallots. After letting it toast for a few minutes, add the wine and let that cook out so the rice absorbs it. Ladle in the stock one cup at a time and you have a deliciously creamy risotto!
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Risotto alla Milanese with Peas and Carrots
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp saffron, crushed
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat broth in a pot. Bring it to a simmer, not boiling. Cover and keep the heat on low once simmering.
- Crush the saffron so tiny threads are made, or use a mortar and pestle. Take 1 cup of the chicken broth and add the saffron to it and allow the saffron to soak for 5 minutes. This will open up the flavor of the spice. Add this back to the broth pot.
- In a medium saucepot, melt 2 tbsp of butter on medium-high heat then add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter and toast for about 2 minutes. Add the wine to the pot and simmer on medium-low heat until wine is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
- Once the wine is absorbed, start by adding 1 cup of broth. Stir and simmer until the broth is absorbed by the rice. Once it absorbs, add another 1 cup then let it cook. This whole process will take about 30-35 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently so it doesn’t burn. Add the frozen peas and carrots during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Remove from heat. Add butter to the risotto and parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
280.94Fat (grams)
15.71Sat. Fat (grams)
9.31Carbs (grams)
23.43Fiber (grams)
1.65Net carbs
21.79Sugar (grams)
3.58Protein (grams)
7.64Sodium (milligrams)
460.39Cholesterol (grams)
45.02I did my best to research! Let me know if this is correct.
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