One of my favorite pasta dishes is spaghetti al limone, so I thought it’d be fun to try risotto al limone. Guess what? It’s delicious!
I love this recipe for risotto al limone because it’s not crazy rich, even with all the butter and cheese. The acidity of the lemon and freshness of the herbs makes it lighter somehow with a more delicate flavor. Whether or not you know how to make risotto already, this recipe is super simple and uses just a few ingredients. It’s a perfect compliment to any main course or veggie side.
You’ll serve the lemony risotto sprinkled heavily with the herby and zesty gremolata and freshly ground black pepper. Gotta love a good presentation! Stir it in and then enjoy a beyond perfect dish.
When I was in culinary school, I had chefs who taught me to make risotto using water, and then chefs who always used stock. It’s a matter of preference and what you have in your kitchen. If you want an extra boost of flavor, use stock – chicken or vegetable is fine!
Ingredient Notes:
- Water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock – As a general rule, you’ll want to use 3x the amount of stock as you have rice, but I always like to warm up 4x the amount to account for any evaporation. So if you’d like a specific amount and are making 3/4 cup arborio rice, I’d heat 3 cups of liquid. Personally. I just fill a pot up with water or stock. If you don’t use it all, that’s okay!
- Butter – There really isn’t a substitute for butter that will make the final result taste the same. However, while I haven’t tried it myself, I’ve heard wonderful things about Miyoko’s Creamery Vegan Butter.
- Garlic – Always use fresh, don’t buy the pre-minced. Hard no.
- Arborio Rice – There are other types of risotto rice out there, like carnaroli and vialone nano. They all have different cooking times and need different amount of water. You can use other types of risotto rice, you may just need to use more liquid to cook.
- Dry White Wine – Something similar to a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. No Chardonnay please!
- Lemon – Feel free to add in more lemon juice or zest if desired.
- Parmesan Cheese – Buy a good quality wedge and grate it yourself. It tastes so much better!
Risotto al Limone
Equipment
- 1 Medium Pan
- 1 Small Bowl
Ingredients
- Water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ yellow onion peeled and finely diced
- Kosher salt
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ¾ cup arborio rice
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water/stock to a boil, then keep at a low simmer while making the risotto.
- In a medium pan, melt a third of the butter over medium heat. Add onions and a big pinch of Kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 4-7 minutes. (TIP: Add a splash or two of water halfway through to prevent onions from browning, if necessary).
- Add the garlic and rice and cook, toasting the rice and stirring often, until the rice is burning hot to the touch, about 2 minutes.
- Add white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the smell of the alcohol has burned off and the wine is almost reduced.
- Add 1 cup of water/stock to the rice and stir. Let cook until the water is about 75% absorbed and the surface of the rice is bubbling, almost like it looks like it’s “dancing.” Add ½ cup of water and cook again until the water is about 75% absorbed. Keep adding water ½ cup at a time and cooking down until 75% absorbed until the rice is cooked to your preference, 18-22 minutes. Stir occasionally throughout.
- About halfway through the cooking process, add ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest and ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt to the rice and stir (double these amounts if doubling the recipe).
- In a small bowl, make the gremolata. Stir together the remaining lemon zest, parsley, and a pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside for garnishing the risotto.
- Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, remaining butter, and a big pinch of Kosher salt and stir until the butter and cheese is melted. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
- Serve sprinkled with the gremolata and some extra freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Risotto is best eaten immediately once prepared. However, if necessary, it can be stored in an airtight container int he refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat until warmed through in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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