Introduction

Remember those cozy nights in, the kind where the aroma of something delicious fills the kitchen and your worries just melt away? This Garlic Parmesan Risotto is exactly that feeling in a bowl. It’s pure comfort food, elevated just a touch, and guess what? It’s surprisingly simple to whip up! You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to create this restaurant-worthy dish. It’s the perfect recipe for a weeknight treat or when you want to impress without the stress.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: Dinner on the table in about 30 minutes!
Easy: Simple steps that anyone can follow.
Giftable: Portion it into cute jars with the dry ingredients for a thoughtful edible gift!
Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love creamy, cheesy risotto?

Ingredients

Gathering your ingredients is half the fun! Here’s what you’ll need for this dreamy risotto:

1/2 medium onion, finely diced: The sweet foundation of our flavor. Red or yellow onions work beautifully here.
4 cloves garlic, minced: Because what’s better than garlic? Plenty of it!
1 tablespoon olive oil: Our trusty cooking fat.
1 tablespoon butter: For that extra richness and glossy finish.
4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock), warm: Keeping this warm is key to a smooth cooking process.
1/4 cup dry white wine: This adds a wonderful depth of flavor. Don’t worry, the alcohol cooks off!
1 cup Arborio rice: The star of the show! Arborio rice has a high starch content that makes risotto so wonderfully creamy.
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving: Get the good stuff! Freshly grated melts so much better and tastes amazing.
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley: For a pop of freshness and color.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper: To taste, of course!

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get cooking! This is where the magic happens. It’s all about patience and stirring, but trust me, it’s incredibly satisfying.

Sauté the Aromatics: Grab a large saucepan or a Dutch oven. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add your finely diced onion and let it soften and become translucent, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. You’re just looking for a nice, gentle cook here, not browning.
Add the Garlic: Toss in your minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute more until it’s wonderfully fragrant. Keep an eye on it – garlic can burn quickly!
Toast the Rice: Stir in the Arborio rice. Let it cook, stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes. You want the grains to look a little toasted and smell slightly nutty. This step helps the rice absorb liquid evenly.
Deglaze with Wine: Pour in your dry white wine. Keep stirring until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice. This little bit of acidity adds a lovely complexity.
The Risotto Ritual (Adding Stock): This is the heart of making risotto! Start adding your warm stock, one ladleful at a time. Stir frequently, allowing each addition of stock to be almost completely absorbed before you add the next. This process takes patience – typically around 18-20 minutes – but it’s what creates that signature creamy texture. You’ll know it’s ready when the rice is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente) and the risotto is wonderfully creamy.
Finish and Season: Once your rice is perfectly cooked, stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and your chopped parsley. This is where it gets wonderfully cheesy and vibrant! Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Give it a good taste and adjust as needed.
Serve with Love: Ladle your glorious risotto into bowls immediately. Garnish with a little extra Parmesan cheese – you can never have too much!

Substitutions & Additions

Risotto is wonderfully versatile! Feel free to play around and make it your own.

Broth: If you don’t have vegetable or chicken stock, mushroom broth works great too for an earthy flavor.
Wine: If you prefer not to use wine, you can skip it and just add an extra 1/4 cup of stock.
Veggies: Want to add some greens? Stir in a handful of fresh spinach at the very end until it wilts, or sauté some mushrooms or asparagus with the onions.
Herbs: Experiment with other fresh herbs like chives or basil.
Protein: Grilled chicken or shrimp make fantastic additions. Add them in at the very end.

Tips for Success

A few little tricks can make your risotto journey even smoother:

Keep Your Stock Warm: This is super important! Adding cold stock to hot rice can shock the rice and prevent it from cooking evenly, leading to a less creamy result.
Stir, Stir, Stir: While you don’t need to stir constantly, frequent stirring is what releases the starch from the Arborio rice, creating that dreamy, creamy texture.
Don’t Overcook the Rice: You want the rice to be al dente – tender but with a slight bite. Mushy risotto is a no-go!
Prep Ahead: You can dice your onion and mince your garlic ahead of time to save a few minutes when you’re ready to cook.
Taste as You Go: Especially when adding salt. Parmesan cheese is salty, so you might not need as much as you think!

How to Store It

Risotto is best enjoyed fresh, right after it’s made. However, if you have leftovers, here’s how to handle them:

Let the risotto cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for about 2-3 days. When reheating, you’ll likely need to add a splash of stock or water and stir well to bring back its creamy consistency. It might not be quite as perfect as the first time, but it will still be delicious!

FAQs

Can I use regular long-grain rice instead of Arborio?: Unfortunately, no. Arborio rice is specifically chosen for its high starch content, which is what makes risotto creamy. Other types of rice won’t give you the same texture.
My risotto looks a bit dry. What can I do?: No worries! If it seems too thick, just stir in another ladleful of warm stock or even a splash of hot water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Can I make this recipe vegan?: Absolutely! You can swap the butter for more olive oil and use nutritional yeast or a vegan Parmesan substitute for the cheese. Ensure your vegetable stock is also vegan.

Garlic Parmesan Risotto

This is a creamy, easy, and restaurant-worthy garlic parmesan risotto recipe that's perfect for a weeknight meal or impressing guests. It's made with simple ingredients and comes together in about 30 minutes.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

Large saucepan or Dutch oven
Airtight container For storing leftovers

Ingredients

Main ingredients

0.5 medium onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock) warm
0.25 cup dry white wine
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics: Grab a large saucepan or a Dutch oven. Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add your finely diced onion and let it soften and become translucent, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. You’re just looking for a nice, gentle cook here, not browning.
0.5 medium onion
Add the Garlic: Toss in your minced garlic and cook for just 1 minute more until it’s wonderfully fragrant. Keep an eye on it – garlic can burn quickly!
0.5 medium onion
Toast the Rice: Stir in the Arborio rice. Let it cook, stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes. You want the grains to look a little toasted and smell slightly nutty. This step helps the rice absorb liquid evenly.
0.5 medium onion
Deglaze with Wine: Pour in your dry white wine. Keep stirring until the wine is completely absorbed by the rice. This little bit of acidity adds a lovely complexity.
0.5 medium onion
The Risotto Ritual (Adding Stock): This is the heart of making risotto! Start adding your warm stock, one ladleful at a time. Stir frequently, allowing each addition of stock to be almost completely absorbed before you add the next. This process takes patience – typically around 18-20 minutes – but it’s what creates that signature creamy texture. You’ll know it’s ready when the rice is tender but still has a slight bite (al dente) and the risotto is wonderfully creamy.
0.5 medium onion
Finish and Season: Once your rice is perfectly cooked, stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and your chopped parsley. This is where it gets wonderfully cheesy and vibrant! Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking. Give it a good taste and adjust as needed.
0.5 medium onion
Serve with Love: Ladle your glorious risotto into bowls immediately. Garnish with a little extra Parmesan cheese – you can never have too much!
0.5 medium onion

Notes

Risotto is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat with a splash of stock or water to restore creaminess. It may not be as perfect as the first time but will still be delicious.