Creamy Parmesan Risotto

This Creamy Parmesan Risotto is the ultimate Italian comfort food—rich, indulgent, and loaded with cheesy goodness. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a restaurant-quality dish at home that feels elegant yet is incredibly easy to make.

Whether served as a main course or a side, this foolproof creamy parmesan risotto recipe is perfect for both cozy weeknights and special occasions.

This creamy parmesan risotto recipe is the perfect thing to serve with a fork-tender pot roast and a side of garlic breadsticks. Be sure to check out our other dinner recipes for more pairing options!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Simple ingredients – Made with pantry staples like rice, broth, and Parmesan.

Essential technique – Needs frequent stirring to create a creamy texture, turning the cooking process into a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Ultimate comfort food – Creamy, cheesy, and cozy.

Versatile – Serve it as a main dish, side, or add mix-ins for variety.

Here's What You Need

• Arborio rice - This is key for parmesan risotto’s creamy texture. Medium-grain rice like Carnaroli or Vialone Nano also work.
• white wine - Adds depth of flavor; a dry white wine like Pinot Grigio works best, but you can skip it and use extra broth or water instead. It doesn't have to be an expensive bottle of wine, just one that is pleasant tasting.
• parmesan cheese - Parmigiano-Reggiano is the preferred choice for its rich, nutty flavor. Grana Padano is a less expensive substitute, though slightly milder in taste.
  
  Pro Tip: Note on Melting. Use freshly grated parmesan for the best melt and texture. Avoid using anything pre-grated or in a green container, as it will likely not melt properly and will ruin your creamy parmesan risotto.
  
  Pro Tip: Note on Salt. Parmesan varies in saltiness due to the age and quality of the cheese. A quality parmigiano-reggiano that is grated at home will add the perfect flavor to this recipe making the addition of salt unnecessary.
  
• chicken broth - Use homemade chicken broth or stock for the best flavor. May substitute the best-tasting canned broth you can find.
  
  Vegetarian? - May substitute vegetable broth for a meatless option.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Mushroom Risotto – Sautéed mushrooms add a rich, earthy flavor.
• Seafood Risotto - ie. Butter Poached Lobster Risotto, or Salmon Risotto.
• Pot Roast Risotto - A family favorite recipe: fork-tender pot roast served with sauteed mushrooms and asparagus tips. So good!

How to Make Parmesan Risotto

Creamy parmesan risotto is an elegant, restaurant-quality dish that you can make using the time-honored techniques passed down through generations of Italian home cooks. We'll show you how to make it at home with ease.

Step 1. Simmer the Broth. In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Keep it hot as you prepare the creamy parmesan risotto.

Pro Tip: We recommend using homemade chicken broth or stock that is made with our chicken soup recipe and then strained. This step can be done ahead of time and then kept in the freezer until needed.

Step 2. Sauté Aromatics. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.

Once the butter has melted, stir in the shallots and garlic.

Cook until they become just translucent, without even a hint of browning.

Pro Tip: Be careful not to brown the garlic - sweating it until it's just translucent preserves its mellow flavor and prevents it from becoming bitter.

Step 3. Toast the Rice. Stir in the rice, making sure it is well coated with the oil and butter mixture.

Continue stirring until the rice is lightly toasted (about 5 minutes).

Step 4. Deglaze with Wine. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it and release all the flavors.

Continue stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.

Step 5. Incorporate the Broth. Add ½ cup of the hot broth to the rice and stir until it is absorbed.

Continue to add broth gradually, allowing the rice to simmer while stirring constantly to achieve a creamy texture.

Repeat this process until the rice is al dente, yet creamy. Once done, turn off the heat.

Step 6. Finish and Serve. Stir in additional butter and grated Parmesan cheese until the creamy parmesan risotto is smooth and creamy.

Serve in a warm bowl, garnished with shaved parmesan, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Use High-Quality Ingredients. The quality of the ingredients directly impacts the flavor of the risotto, especially the rice, broth, and parmesan.
• Trick for Measuring Rice. A super useful tip I learned from watching tv chef Gennaro Contaldo make risotto is to measure two handfuls of rice per person for the perfect portion every time.
• Use Hot Broth. Keep the broth simmering so that as you gradually add it to the risotto, the cooking temperature stays steady for even, consistent cooking.
• Stir Frequently. Risotto requires constant gentle stirring to develop its signature creamy texture and to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot and marring the grains of rice.
• Don’t Rush! Slow cooking helps develop that creamy texture. So, pour yourself a glass of wine, relax, and enjoy the process.
• Taste Test for Doneness. Do a taste test when you have about two ladles of broth left. If the rice is not quite done yet, turn the heat down to slow down the cooking process, and adding increments of broth until done. If it is done already, turn off the heat and finish the risotto according to the recipe instructions.
• Flavor Taste Test. Test the risotto's flavor when its finished. Stir in a pinch or two of salt if necessary to correct the flavor. See the above ingredient note on parmesan.
• Reserve Some Broth. Reserve a little broth to loosen up a risotto that has gotten too stiff. A spoonful of broth around the edges when serving is also a nice finishing tough.
• Use a Risotto Pot and Spoon - like the one I use from Ruffoni. It's an absolute joy to use!

How To Serve Creamy Parmesan Risotto

This creamy parmesan risotto is delicious as a main dish or a side dish with marinated grilled chicken, or a juicy grilled ribeye steak. Try pairing it with homemade garlic bread or a fresh garden salad with a tangy vinaigrette.

Related Recipes

• Pot Roast
• Sauteed Asparagus
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Chicken Broth