This creamy parmesan and pea risotto is the ultimate side dish or main entree. Although, this goes greatly with some Creamy Garlic Salmon and Shrimp!

Risotto is something that I always look forward to having. Especially on the weekends with a glass of wine and some cheesy garlic bread. My only goal here is to get you to love risotto as much as I do if you don’t already.

This dish requires very basic ingredients that you most likely have on hand. Make sure to use arborio rice for this dish, no other rice will work for this recipe.

If you enjoyed my saffron and chorizo risotto, then you’re going to love this one.

What is Risotto?

Risotto is an Italian dish that is cooked with broth and arborio rice until it reaches a loose and creamy consistency.

How to cook creamy pea and parmesan risotto perfectly:

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer over low heat.
Cook the shallots and garlic over medium heat for 40 seconds.
Add the risotto once the shallots and garlic are caramelized and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
Add the wine and let it reduce. Once the wine reduces, add a ladle full of the chicken broth and stir it in the risotto. Make sure the arborio rice soaks up all of the chicken broth before adding more. Continue this until the arborio rice is 90 percent cooked.
Once the arborio rice is 2-3 minutes away from being fully cooked add the final ladle of chicken broth, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and stir in the parmesan cheese, butter, and green peas. Cover and turn off the heat.
Let the risotto sit for about 3 minutes before serving.
Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Why this risotto recipe is so good:

It’s a simple recipe that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy.
Only requires a handful of ingredients.
Can be served as a main course or side dish.

Recipe tips and variations:

Although this is a vegetarian risotto recipe, feel free to incorporate some vegetables like mushrooms or pumpkin.
If adding mushrooms, saute the mushrooms in a different skillet and add them to the risotto when the risotto is done cooking.
Make this vegan-friendly by omitting the butter, parmesan cheese, and swapping out the chicken broth for some vegetable stock.
Add a tbsp of truffle oil when the risotto is fully cooked through.

More side dishes you’ll enjoy:

a small plate of cooked arborio ricewith a skillet in the background

Creamy Parmesan Risotto

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Course: Main Entree, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Servings:

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Julie Maestre

A creamy and delicious risotto cooked to perfection. Made with white wine, lots of parmesan cheese, garlic, and green peas.

Ingredients

Instructions

Place the chicken broth in a saucepan and bring it up to a simmer.
Heat up a large skillet with high sides with some olive oil over medium heat.
Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 40 seconds.
Stir in the arborio rice and cook for 1 minute.
Add the wine and let it reduce.
Once the wine reduces, add one ladle full of the chicken broth and let it absorb completely before adding another ladle.
Continue this process while stirring the risotto continuously, preferably with a rubber spatula.
Once the arborio rice fully cooked add the final ladle of chicken broth, season with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and stir in the parmesan cheese, butter, and green peas. Cover and turn off the heat.
Let the risotto sit for about 3 minutes before serving.
Garnish with extra parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

Notes

For a vegan risotto, use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth and omit the butter and parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

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