Although summer doesn’t “officially” start until later this month, I’ve always considered June 1st to be the kickoff to the best of the four seasons. Bring on bike rides, steamy nights, fresh cut grass, and garden raids to make all my summer favorites, including Tomato-Basil Risotto. This light and fresh take on risotto is a DREAM. Creamy, velvety risotto spiked with juicy tomatoes and herby basil?
BRING. IT. ON!
We purchased a fresh basil plant at the grocery store last month and I love how simply picking up the planter to water causes the leaves to rustle and release their magical scent. If I could bottle up the scent of this season I’d snag summer mornings, tomato plants (trust me – pluck a few off the vine and give it a big whiff!) and basil. A truly magical trio.
Tips to Make Tomato-Basil Risotto
- If you’ve never made risotto before, trust me when I tell you it couldn’t be easier. Really, all you have to do is stir.
- As I advise in almost all my rice-based recipes – rice quality DOES matter. Risotto is made with a short grain rice called arborio rice, and I prefer Lundberg Farms or Rice Select brands.
- Arborio rice is high in starch and stirring the risotto constantly during the cooking process causes the starch to be slowly released resulting in a creamy final dish. That said, this is a dish you’ll need to stick by the stove for. Pour yourself a glass of vino and enjoy the process.
- Since there’s so few ingredients in this dish, I recommend using chicken STOCK vs broth for maximum flavor, and super ripe and juicy tomatoes. That said, if the vine-ripened tomatoes aren’t great in your area yet, select whatever tomato variety is the most ripe.
- If you’d like to keep this recipe vegetarian, you may swap vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Eek! I’ll can it so you can get to cooking – can’t wait for you to try this elegant and lovely risotto recipe!!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by bringing 3 cups chicken stock to a simmer then lower the heat to keep it hot. You want to use hot broth when making risotto so you don’t bring down the temperature of the dish and a.) make it take even longer to cook, and b.) mess up the texture of the rice in the final dish.
Ok! In a large skillet over medium-heat next door, melt 1 Tablespoon butter then add 1 minced shallot and 2 cloves garlic that have been pressed or minced. Season with salt and pepper then saute until tender, 5 minutes.
Next add 3/4 cup arborio rice then lightly toast for 1 minute while stirring.
Now add 1/4 cup white wine then stir until it has been absorbed by the rice. You can use any white wine you’ve got except sweet wine, like a sweet riesling. I usually use sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. The addition of wine doesn’t make this dish taste “wine-y” – it just adds a hint of sophistication. That said, you can absolutely leave it out, if you prefer!
Once the wine has been absorbed by the rice, add one ladleful of hot broth to the skillet at a time, slowly stirring until it’s nearly completely absorbed by the rice before adding the next ladleful. The whole process will take 30-35 minutes.
When there’s two ladlefuls of hot broth left, add 2 vine-ripened tomatoes that have been seeded and chopped. Ripe Roma tomatoes would taste delicious too, if that’s all you’ve got! I’d use three or four of those.
When there’s one ladleful of hot broth left, add 2 cups baby spinach that have been chopped, plus 10 fresh basil leaves that have been chopped. Continue stirring until the rice is tender and creamy.
Last step is to take the skillet off the heat then stir in 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. Taste then add more salt and pepper (or parm!) if you please.
That’s all she wrote! Isn’t this summery risotto GORGEOUS?! You can enjoy as is in a bowl, or serve it next to grilled chicken or shrimp – YUM. I hope you love this creamy, dreamy dish – enjoy!
More Creamy Risotto Recipes
- Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto
- Sweet Corn Risotto
- Bacon, Leek and Mushroom Risotto
- Shortcut Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto
- Lighter Chicken Piccata Risotto with Crispy Capers
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Tomato-Basil Risotto
Description
Tomato-Basil Risotto is fresh and light, yet decadent and dreamy. This one pan recipe is delicious any time of year!
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup gluten-free arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white wine (anything but a sweet riesling)
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- Bring chicken broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep hot.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the shallots are tender, 5 minutes. Add rice then stir to coat in butter and lightly toast for 1 minute. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by rice.
- Add chicken broth one ladle full at a time, stirring slowly until the broth has been nearly entirely absorbed by the rice before adding another ladleful. The whole process will take 30-35 minutes. Note: the broth will absorb more slowly near the end of the cooking process.
- When there's two ladlefuls of broth left, add the tomatoes. When there is one ladleful left, add the baby spinach and basil. Once the rice is tender, remove skillet from heat then stir in parmesan cheese. Taste then add more salt and/or pepper if necessary, and then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
jennyv 02.19.2013
I love risotto and have never really thought to make my own (laziness, perhaps?) but this looks so worth it !
Carrie @ Season It Already! 02.19.2013
How did you know tomatoes and spinach are my favorite vegetable combo? Must make now!
Stephanie @ I really take the cake 02.19.2013
Looks delicious! I love risotto, too, and I love to try out new versions.
Alaina @ Fabtastic Eats 02.18.2013
Im always in need of sides! This looks fabulous! Thank youu!
Nicole @ Fruit 'N' Fitness 02.18.2013
I love ordering risotto when we are out! It is one of the dishes I’m most intimidated by, I tried to make it once and it was a total flop. This really makes me want to attempt to make it again!
erin @hooleywithaz 02.18.2013
@stefanie….i totally agree, but i almost never get that loving feeling more than once or twice a year! i think if my husband agreed to take turns on the stirring, i may be able to muster it up more often. :)
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking 02.18.2013
I love making risotto! It is a tender, loving process, but sooooo worth it in the end. I love tomato basil anything.
Brie @ Entrée the Giant 02.18.2013
In addition to having the cutest nephew (and niece, by the way – omg she KILLED me with her little pink coat and pony from yesterday’s post) you just may very well have the best behaved one.
Kudos to your bro and sister-in-law :)
Elizabeth 02.18.2013
My fiance and I loved your last risotto! It was so creamy and warming, perfect for a cold winter night. I cant wait to try this variation. I am disappointed to hear you don’t like mushrooms, I’ll have to try that combo on my own. Thanks for the blog, I enjoy reading and making your creations
Kristen 02.18.2013
A definite must try–I’ll use “no-chicken” broth and make it a main course. We have the rice already!
kim@hungryhealthygirl 02.18.2013
Looks very fancy and delicious! I’ve actually been wanting to try making risotta for a while….I need to just give it a try.
Annie 02.18.2013
Tomato and basil are probably one of my top favorite food combos! This risotto looks delicious and I love the step by step photos!
Lauren 02.18.2013
I could’ve used the patience song today ;)
Kloe @ Running Shoes & Chocolate Mousse 02.18.2013
this looks absolutely delicious!
there’s something oh so comforting about risotto, and so many different ways you can make it :)
what camera do you use? all your food photos are divine!!
Kath 02.18.2013
Beautiful risotto, and a great tutorial. Thanks!
Beth @ Running with the Sunrise 02.18.2013
Your risotto looks amazing! I love the tomato-basil pairing (and there’s nothing better than fresh basil). I’m so glad that more grocery stores are carrying arborio rice–making risotto recipes is much easier. :) Thanks for the recipe!
John 02.18.2013
Did you forget about your lightened spring risotto? It wasn’t oven baked and it had shrooms!
Iowa Girl Eats 02.18.2013
You’re right! And I just shivered looking at those mushrooms!
Katie 02.18.2013
Ok this has nothing to do with your post today but it has been something that I have been thinking about while reading your blog so I thought that I would just ask. Can you give me the low down on different oils. Which ones are the healthiest, and are you suppose to use certain oils with certain foods? You seem to use vegetable oil while cooking but then I hear all about EVOO too. I’m new to this whole cooking thing and trying to figure it all out. Any info would be much appreciated! Thank you!
Iowa Girl Eats 02.18.2013
I generally use vegetable or canola oil when I’m cooking something at a high heat because it has a high smoke point, and extra virgin olive oil for everything else, including salad dressings. I’ll occasionally use sesame or peanut oil for stir fries because they have great flavor and a high smoke point, too. Here’s some more info if you’re still curious! http://mideastfood.about.com/od/tipsandtechniques/a/cooking_oils.htm
Katie 02.19.2013
Thank you for the info!
Rachel 02.18.2013
Looks fabulous!!
This is my favorite risotto to make, or maybe the only one I have ever made :) Not sure if Ben is a pea lover, but the mushrooms are delicious! Happy risotto making!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mushroom-risotto-with-peas-recipe/index.html
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl 02.18.2013
This looks SO tasty. I would love to make a vegetarian version and serve it as a main dish. I am definitely intimidated by the idea of cooking risotto, but your recipe makes it sound manageable. Thanks for sharing :).
Sheryl Chamberlain Hart 02.21.2013
Was thinking the same thing myself, using veggie stock. Always looking for good recipes to serve when my vegetarian friend comes to dinner.
Natalie 04.08.2015
I’ve made this a few times (with chicken and veggie broth) and the directions are so on the dot, I want to say it’s almost fool proof. As long as you are near by the whole time to stir, you’ll be fine. So good!