Easy Risotto Recipe

Every Christmas Eve, I pour myself a glass of chardonnay and make this risotto recipe. To put it simply, it has garnered rave reviews from family and friends near and far.

I will admit that this recipe does require a lot of stirring, which is why a large glass of wine in hand is a must. I usually double the recipe for a large group because the leftovers are even better than the OG batch.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy holidays to you and yours!

Easy Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

6 cups organic chicken broth
2 Tablespoons butter
4 oz pancetta, chopped
1 link spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 link mild Italian sausage
¾ cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep warm over low heat.
In a large heavy shallow saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sausage and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté until tender, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup of simmering broth and stir until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next. Do this until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 25 to 30 minutes total.
Remove from heat. Stir in ¾ of the Parmesan. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl.
Sprinkle with the parsley and remaining Parmesan and serve immediately.