what main course goes with risotto

What is the best Italian risotto to eat?

Butternut squash risotto and mushroom risotto are some of the recipes you'll find at Allrecipes for this authentic Italian rice dish. Authentic Italian-style risotto cooked the slow and painful way, but oh so worth it. Complements grilled meats and chicken dishes very well.

Can you just serve Risotto on its own?

You can’t exactly just serve risotto on its own, because it’s basically just a rice dish (albeit a mind-blowingly good one). But that’s what makes it so easy to come up with flavors that go well with it.

What side dishes go with risotto?

Scallops are an excellent side dish to a rich, flavorful plate of risotto. It's a common pairing, and for good reason too! Picture a golden, buttery crust and a soft inside.

What does risotto taste like?

Rich and creamy risotto with a burst of color from sun dried tomatoes and zucchini. A pretty fall risotto with lots of color and texture. This dish makes a great meatless main course or an elegant side dish. Risotto flavored with fava beans, onion, broth and white wine.

What goes well with risotto for dinner?

What Goes Well with Risotto: 13 Juicy Side DishesSEARED SCALLOPS. ... SPINACH PESTO WITH ALMONDS AND FETA. ... SAUTEED MUSHROOMS. ... GREEN SALAD WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE. ... PARMESAN GARLIC ROASTED GREEN BEANS. ... FRESH PEA AND MINT SOUP. ... ASPARAGUS WITH POACHED EGGS. ... CAPRESE SALAD.More items...

What meat goes well with risotto?

Here are seven great additions to try.Roasted Shrimp. Not only does a pile of roasted shrimp add a touch of fanciness to risotto, but it's also the ultimate last-minute addition, since it takes no more than a few minutes to cook. ... Beans. ... Crispy Chicken Thighs. ... Cooked Sausage. ... Fried or Poached Eggs. ... Ricotta. ... Seared Scallops.

Is risotto a main dish or side dish?

This creamy Italian rice dish is a stunning centerpiece to a meal, or as a side for fish or meat. But what sides to serve alongside it? It can be difficult to make risotto into a meal: especially if you're looking to round it out as a vegetarian main dish. Here's a list of exactly what to serve with risotto!

What meat goes well with mushroom risotto?

What to serve with Mushroom RisottoCRISPY Herb Baked Chicken with Gravy.Crispy Pan Fried Fish – or serve this as the main with the Mushroom risotto on the side.Garlic Prawns (Shrimp!)Roast Chicken – or a Slow Cooker Roast Chicken.Pork Roast with Crispy Crackling.Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib) or Marinated Roast Beef.More items...•

What proteins go well with risotto?

What to Serve with Risotto: 11 Delightful SidesRoasted Shrimp.Chicken Thighs.Sausage.Seared Scallops.Fried Eggs.Ricotta.Beans.Arugula Salad.More items...•

Is a risotto healthy?

Risotto. There's no doubt that risotto is creamy and indulgent, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's unhealthy. Risotto's luscious texture comes from the starch of Arborio rice. This short-grain rice is packed with more fiber than traditional pasta, and it doesn't need a heavy, dairy-based sauce.

Is risotto the first course of a meal?

In traditional Italian style, rice or pasta is a primo, or first course. The meat or fish is the secondo, or second course, though it is common to have a simple meal of only risotto or pasta. Risotto is also a good alternative for those on a gluten-free diet.

Can risotto be a meal?

Basic risotto is rich, creamy, and delicious, but it's not a complete meal on its own. Simple additions like shrimp or perfectly poached eggs can turn this side into a main dish.

Is risotto a side dish or an appetizer?

Risotto is a staple dish in Italian cuisine. It is a rice dish that typically consists of Arborio or Carnaroli rice, white wine, and chicken broth.

Does steak and risotto go together?

This creamy and cheesy risotto paired with pan-seared filet mignon steaks makes for a dinner worthy of a special occasion.

What meat goes good with white rice?

Mongolian beef is an asian cuisine meal, made with thin cuts of beef (from flank steak) and a sweet but spicy, dark sauce. You can serve it with steamed white rice (or brown rice), noodles, vegetables, really whatever you want.

What wine goes well with risotto?

For risotto dishes made with herbs or vegetables, pair them with an aromatic white wine – try a Sauvignon, Muller Thurgau or a Verdicchio. White wines also work well with vegetable soups like minestre with rice. The only difference is that this time it should be a less aromatic white.

What goes with Milanese risotto?

One of the more traditional foods to have with risotto Milanese is a poached egg, but garlic steamed vegetables are also a good choice. A lot of egg dishes work well with this, including fried egg. If you are feeling like you could put some extra effort into your meal, you could go all out and make a tasty quiche.

Can you use beef broth risotto?

I choose chicken or beef broth depending on what I am serving this with. Occasionally I'll add in some asparagus tips or grated carrot to give it some color.... feel free to add what you'd like.

How do you make seafood risotto?

Ingredients4 cups seafood stock (or fish stock, clam juice, or vegetable stock)3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)1/2 cup minced shallots.1 cup arborio rice (or carnaroli)1 teaspoon minced garlic.2/3 cup dry white wine.1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, optional.1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste.More items...•

Is risotto a rice?

Risotto is an Italian dish made by cooking a starchy, short grain rice like arborio with stock until it becomes creamy. When you serve it on a plate, risotto should spread out into a silky, spoonable pool.

1. Scallops

Scallops are an excellent side dish to a rich, flavorful plate of risotto. It's a common pairing, and for good reason too!

2. Asparagus

Green vegetables also work really well to balance out the risotto carbs. This recipe uses an air fryer, so not only are they bursting with Parmesan flavor, but they’re incredibly fast to throw together.

3. Sauteed Mushrooms

Speaking of balsamic - these sauteed balsamic mushrooms are to die for! A side of these tasty mushrooms is just what risotto needs!

4. Green Beans

This classic gets a new spin swapping the typical “boil in broth” for pan-frying. It will leave you with the same great flavor of bacon and garlic with a bit of crunch. And only 25 minutes from start to finish!

5. Shrimp

If you’ve never made shrimp in an air fryer, this is a great place to start ! Spice it up any way you want, and finish it off in under 10 minutes from a completely frozen state.

6. Oven Baked Chicken

Not interested in a rich main dish with your deliciously rich and creamy risotto? Baked chicken is a fantastic choice!

7. Roasted Carrots

My Honey and Herbs Oven Roasted Carrots are another easy side dish for risotto that the whole family will love! I make this slightly sweet but extremely flavorful side in the oven year-round!

1. Texas Roadhouse Prime Rib

Well, if you are going to cook a prime rib, you may as well model yours after one of the best in the business. Texas Roadhouse. This would make an excellent choice for what to have with risotto. Creamy side with tender beef is an outstanding combination! This recipe recommends a three days preparation before cooking, so planning is essential.

2. Pan Seared Scallops With Garlic Butter

When leaning towards seafood and wondering what to eat with risotto, scallops would be a great selection! Cooking them with a golden crust and garlic butter sauce would complement a savory, creamy risotto. Great pictures keep you on track while making this recipe!

3. Caprese Salad (With Balsamic Reduction)

When considering what to serve with risotto on the lighter side of things, a Caprese salad would fill the bill! A savory risotto paired with a delightfully refreshing salad of tomato slices, mozzarella slices, basil leaf, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar reduction is a masterful and satisfying presentation!

4. Spinach A pple Salad

If you’re looking for a quick dish to serve with risotto, this spinach, pear, and apple pecan salad would be perfect! All you need to do is mix the ingredients (glazed pecans, baby spinach, sliced apple, and pear) and drizzle your balsamic dressing over the salad. Toss, then it’s ready to serve!

5. Spicy Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Vegetables make great sides for risotto. This recipe is ready in five, with olive oil, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Stir until slightly wilted, and you are good to go! The risotto is the indulgent part of the meal, and the spinach is the healthy part! Great when you can enjoy a little of each together!

6. Buttermilk Ch i cken Tenders

Most proteins are good choices when deciding what goes well with the risotto. Earlier, we looked at prime rib or scallops. Now chicken is up to bat! This delicious buttermilk chicken tenders recipe teaches all about how to cook the juicy and crispy chicken to pair with your risotto. Delicious indeed.

7. Easy One-Pan Cajun Shrimp

The title pretty much tells you everything you need to know plus this is indeed an option for what to eat with risotto.

What To Serve With Risotto

Risotto pairs perfectly with vegetables and make an ideal vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free course. It also goes well with protein, and you can pair it with fish, pork, poultry, and meat. You can serve risotto simply with just parmesan cheese or elevate it to 3 star Michelin status with the additions of truffles and exotic shellfish.

Is Risotto A Main Dish Or A Side?

And variety is what risotto is all about. Think of risotto as the Northern Italian equivalent of pasta. As you can create a multitude of dishes with pasta, so can you with risotto.

Vegetable Risotto

One of the things I like about making risotto is that I can always find a few vegetables in my refrigerator perfect for this dish. Mushrooms, of course, are the classic vegetable pairing with risotto, but others, such as butternut squash, asparagus, peas, and zucchini, are also a delicious choice.

Protein With Risotto

Though risotto is a perfectly fine main course as a vegan or vegetarian dish, it also pairs nicely with proteins like seafood, pork, and chicken. Because risotto is eaten in all of Northern Italy, there are a variety of regional recipes of seafood risotto along with sausage, pork, prosciutto, and poultry.

Appetizers And Desserts

Risotto is so adaptable; it’s an ideal main course for a dinner party. It works with foods from all seasons and for all occasions. So if you’re serving risotto for a dinner party, you might wonder what to serve as an appetizer or dessert. You have a lot of options, but keep it simple, colorful, and crunchy for these two courses.

Is It Risotto Or A Rice Dish?

But when it’s time to serve the risotto, how do you know you’ve made risotto and not just a puffed rice dish with Northern Italian short-grain rice? This has been the primary concern or even angst by risotto purists over the past ten years.

Bowl Or Plate?

But how will you know that your risotto is on the right track? One of the indications is that you will need to serve it in a bowl and not a plate. When the risotto has absorbed all the liquid, it will still have a creamy consistency, much like porridge.

1. Roasted Shrimp

Rice yearns for some protein. The first on our list is an incredibly flavorful shellfish: roasted shrimp. This crustacean turns your risotto into a fancy dish, so this is a good option if you’re trying to impress your guests (or a date).

2. Chicken Thighs

Next up on our protein list is crispy chicken thighs. Whether it’s deep-fried or oven-baked, some crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside chicken is exactly what your risotto needs.

3. Sausage

Picture this: A bowl of warm, creamy, and buttery rice, topped with plump, smoked, and savory sausage. Now doesn’t that sound perfect? You can use either your favorite sausage links or some crumbled sausage.

4. Seared Scallops

What can we say, seafood really pairs well with risotto! Scallops are sweet, buttery, and tender – everything an ordinary bowl of risotto needs to make it extraordinary.

5. Eggs

Whether it’s poached or fried, adding an egg to your risotto is all it takes to turn it into a complete meal. The key is to cook it to that perfect consistency so when you slice into it, it oozes out that gorgeous runny yolk and makes your risotto even creamier than it already is.

6. Ricotta

We know, risotto is already bursting with lots of cheese, but what’s wrong with adding more? When it comes to risotto, you can never go wrong with more cheese!

7. Beans

The greatest thing about beans is how accessible they are. In fact, you probably already have some in your pantry.

What Goes Well with Risotto?

One of the best things about risotto (aside from the mouthwatering taste that is) is that it goes well with nearly everything from salads to seared ahi tuna.

Should You Serve Risotto as a Main or Side Dish?

There isn’t any reason to confine risotto to being a side dish or a main dish. It can be whatever you want it to be!

Best Side Dishes to Serve with Risotto

Risotto itself to almost any flavor combination you want to toss into the pot, which makes it a perennial favorite.

Best Main Dishes that Risotto Goes With

If you decide to serve risotto as a side dish, here are some great main dish options to serve alongside it.

What Wine Goes Best with Risotto?

Using the appropriate wine to cook risotto makes all the difference. A decent white wine adds the proper amount of balance to a meal, with a fruity note and a touch of acidity.

What Goes with Mushroom Risotto?

Mushroom Risotto can be served either as a starter/appetizer or main dish.

How to Make Mushroom Risotto?

You should finish this risotto in 30 minutes if you follow my instructions. However, if you choose to add more ingredients, such as spinach or cheese, it may take longer to cook.

Mushroom Risotto Recipe

Over high heat, combine 1 tbsp oil and half the butter in a huge heavy-based pot. Once melted, add half of the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes until golden brown.

FAQs

Any whitefish or firm, oily fish would work well here. I like salmon, cod, haddock, etc.

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Authentic Italian-style risotto cooked the slow and painful way, but oh so worth it. Complements grilled meats and chicken dishes very well. Check the rice by biting into it. It should be slightly al dente (or resist slightly to the tooth but not be hard in the center).

Risotto alla Milanese

Typical Italian risotto as the tradition of my city wants it. Directly from Milano I send you this wonderful recipe!

Butternut Squash Risotto

If you like the natural sweet flavor of butternut squash, you'll love this risotto! It is so creamy and full of flavor! Great as a side dish or main course.

What Is Risotto?

We'll answer some of your most frequently asked questions about this famous Italian dish, tell you the best rice to use, and give you recipes to try.

Saffron Risotto in the Pressure Cooker

In Italy, this is known as 'risotto alla Milanese,' 'risotto giallo,' or 'risotto allo zafferano.' Whatever you call it, it is the king of risottos, the simplest yet best known of all. The traditional preparation requires 20 minutes of stirring and cooking, but I managed to learn how to prepare it in the pressure cooker or an Instant Pot®.

True Italian Porcini Mushroom Risotto

As classically Italian as you can get, this unadulterated risotto is made in the traditional way and simply flavored with porcini mushrooms, white wine, butter and Parmesan cheese.

Italian Shrimp and Scallop Risotto

The secret to making a good seafood risotto is to use a high-quality fish stock and of course the freshest seafood you can find. Cook the shellfish and rice separately, as the rice needs more time. If you cook them together, the shellfish will overcook and get chewy.

Oven Risotto with Crispy Roasted Mushrooms

This risotto recipe cuts down your stirring time—you'll pop the pot in the oven alongside a sheet pan of mushrooms so that you'll have a crispy-savory topping by the time the risotto is creamy and tender.

Tomato and Parmesan Risotto

Cherry tomatoes are pretty decent even in the depths of winter, so this is a risotto you can make all year. Stir it up and serve with extra Parmesan and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

Creamy Squash Risotto With Toasted Pepitas

Silky miso and a paprika-packed squash purée makes this dairy-free risotto hearty and satisfying. Double or triple the squash purée, and use it in other meals throughout the week—we like stirring it into broth for a quick soup, or using it as a pasta sauce.

Creamy Shrimp Risotto With Mascarpone

Take an hour out of your Sunday to make the shrimp stock for this recipe—yes, it's really worth it—and use it to make a deeply flavorful seafood risotto.

Spring Risotto

A last-minute addition of store-bought basil pesto turns creamy risotto into the ultimate bowl of spring comfort. The recipe calls for asparagus, English peas, sugar snap peas, and fiddleheads, but you can adjust for whatever spring produce you can find.

Risotto with Amarone and Caramelized Radicchio

Risotto recipes often call for a little wine, but here it's a star, alongside the flavorful caramelized chicories.

Risotto With Mushrooms and Thyme

There's nothing wrong with a basic, simple risotto when it's this delicious. A touch of fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar brightens it up, while Parmesan deepens the savory flavor.