Introduction

Oh, friends, do you ever get those cravings for something truly special? Something that feels like a warm hug on a plate, but also a little bit fancy? That’s exactly how I feel about a good risotto. And when you add the ocean’s bounty to it? Pure magic! Today, we’re diving headfirst into a Seafood Risotto recipe that’s going to make you feel like a gourmet chef in your own kitchen, without any of the fuss. Seriously, this is the kind of dish that brings people together and makes them swoon. Get ready to impress yourself and everyone you cook for!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Fast: Even though risotto can sometimes feel intimidating, this version comes together surprisingly quickly. Perfect for a weeknight treat!
Super Easy: With clear steps and simple techniques, you’ll be stirring your way to deliciousness in no time.
Perfect for Gifting: Imagine packaging up a portion of this creamy risotto for a friend who needs a little pick-me-up. They’ll think you’re the best!
A Guaranteed Crowd-Pleaser: Who can resist creamy rice packed with flavorful seafood and topped with fresh herbs? It’s a winner, every time.

Ingredients

Let’s gather our treasures from the sea and pantry. Don’t worry, it’s all straightforward!

2 tablespoons olive oil: Our trusty base for sautéing, giving everything a lovely richness.
1 medium white onion, diced: The sweet foundation of our flavor.
6 garlic cloves, 4 minced: Because everything is better with garlic, right? We’ll use 4 for the risotto and save 2 for the mussels.
1 1/4 cups white wine: Adds a wonderful depth of flavor and a touch of acidity. Feel free to use a dry white like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
2 cups Arborio rice: The star of the risotto show! Its high starch content is what gives us that signature creamy texture.
4 tablespoons lemon juice: A bright, zesty lift that cuts through the richness beautifully.
4 tablespoons tomato paste: For a subtle sweetness and a gorgeous color boost.
4 tablespoons water: To help create that lovely, emulsified sauce with the tomato paste and lemon juice.
6 cups fish stock or vegetable broth: Warm and ready to transform our rice. Fish stock will give the ultimate seafood flavor, but veggie broth is a great alternative.
7 ounces live mussels: These little beauties will open up and add so much oceanic goodness.
7 ounces prawns or shrimp: Quick-cooking and so satisfying.
7 ounces baby scallops: Delicate and sweet, they cook in a flash.
7 ounces baby squid (calamari rings): For a delightful chew and extra seafood flavor.
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese: The magical finishing touch that makes everything creamy and luxurious.
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley: For a pop of fresh, green color and flavor.
Salt and pepper to taste: To season everything just right.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get cooking! Put on some good music, maybe pour yourself a little glass of that white wine, and let’s make some deliciousness happen.

Start with the Aromatics: Grab a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven. Heat your olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion and let it soften and become translucent, about 5-7 minutes. This is where the flavor really begins!
Garlic Time: Add 4 of your minced garlic cloves. Give them a stir for just about 1 minute until they smell amazing. Don’t let them burn!
Toast the Rice: Now, add your Arborio rice to the pot. Stir it around constantly for about 2 minutes. You want to toast those grains a little bit; you’ll see the edges start to look a tiny bit see-through. This step is key for texture!
Wine Deglaze: Pour in 1/4 cup of your white wine. Stir, stir, stir until all that lovely wine is soaked up by the rice. Mmm, smells good already!
The Flavor Boost: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, tomato paste, and water until they’re well combined. Add this vibrant mixture to the pot and give it a good stir.
The Risotto Magic: Now comes the patient part, but it’s so worth it! Start adding your hot fish stock (or broth) a ladleful at a time. Keep stirring gently, almost constantly. Wait until each ladleful is almost completely absorbed before you add the next. This is what creates that signature creamy texture. Keep this up for about 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite (that’s al dente!).
Prep Your Mussels: While your risotto is doing its thing, let’s get the mussels ready. Grab a separate pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, and add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant.
Steam Those Mussels: Pour 1 cup of white wine into the pot with the garlic. Bring it to a simmer, then carefully add your live mussels. Cover the pot and let them cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they’ve popped open. Any mussels that stay shut? Just toss ’em, they’re no good.
Add the Seafood: Once your risotto is looking wonderfully creamy and almost done, it’s time for the stars of the show! Gently add your prawns or shrimp, baby scallops, and baby squid rings to the risotto pot. Stir them in and let them cook for just 3-5 minutes. You want them to turn opaque and be cooked through, not rubbery!
The Grand Finale: Stir in your beautiful, opened mussels (again, discarding any duds!), the grated Parmesan cheese, and the fresh chopped parsley. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Serve with Love: Ladle this glorious Seafood Risotto into bowls immediately. It’s best enjoyed piping hot!

Substitutions & Additions

This recipe is wonderfully forgiving, and you can totally make it your own!

Vegetarian Option: Skip the seafood and load up on extra veggies like mushrooms, peas, asparagus, or zucchini. Use vegetable broth for an equally delicious vegetarian risotto.
Other Seafood: Feel free to swap out or add other favorite seafood like clams, chunks of firm white fish (added towards the end), or even lobster meat.
Herbs: If you don’t have parsley, fresh chives or a little dill would also be lovely.
Spice: For a little kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when you sauté the garlic.
A Touch of Creaminess: For an extra decadent finish, stir in a tablespoon or two of heavy cream at the very end with the Parmesan.

Tips for Success

A few little secrets to risotto perfection:

Warm Your Broth: Always use warm or hot broth. Adding cold broth will shock the rice and slow down the cooking process, affecting the creamy texture.
Stir, Stir, Stir: While you don’t need to stir non-stop, frequent stirring is crucial for releasing the starches from the Arborio rice, which is what makes risotto so creamy.
Don’t Overcook the Seafood: Seafood cooks very quickly! Add it towards the end so it stays tender and doesn’t become tough.
Prep Ahead: You can dice your onion and mince your garlic ahead of time, storing them in airtight containers in the fridge. However, the risotto itself is best made and served fresh.
Discard Unopened Mussels: This is for safety! If a mussel doesn’t open after cooking, it wasn’t alive and shouldn’t be eaten.

How to Store It

Risotto is a dish that truly shines when enjoyed immediately. However, if you find yourself with leftovers (which is rare in my house!), here’s what to do:

Let the risotto cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When reheating, add a splash of broth or water and gently warm it over low heat on the stovetop, stirring until heated through and creamy again. Microwave reheating is also an option, but be sure to stir halfway through.

FAQs

Got questions? I’ve got answers!

Is it really hard to make risotto?

Not at all! The main thing is patience with the broth addition and gentle stirring. This recipe breaks it down into easy steps, so you’ll be a risotto pro in no time!

Can I use a different type of rice?

For the best creamy texture, Arborio rice is highly recommended. Other short-grain, high-starch Italian rices like Carnaroli or Vialone Nano will also work well. Avoid long-grain rice like Basmati or Jasmine, as they won’t produce the same creamy result.

What kind of white wine should I use?

A dry white wine is best. Think Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or a dry unoaked Chardonnay. You want something that will add flavor without being too sweet.

How do I know when the rice is cooked?

The rice should be tender with a slight bite to it (al dente). It should be creamy and flowing, not stiff or mushy. When you tilt the pot, it should gently spread outwards.

Seafood Risotto

An incredibly fast, super easy, and delicious seafood risotto recipe that's perfect for a weeknight treat or a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Servings 4 people

Equipment

Large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
Small bowl
Separate pot For steaming mussels

Ingredients

Main ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion diced
6 cloves garlic 4 minced, 2 for mussels
1.25 cups white wine divided (1/4 cup for risotto, 1 cup for mussels)
2 cups Arborio rice
4 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4 tablespoons water
6 cups fish stock or vegetable broth warmed
7 ounces live mussels
7 ounces prawns or shrimp
7 ounces baby scallops
7 ounces baby squid (calamari rings)
0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Grab a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven. Heat your olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion and let it soften and become translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add 4 of your minced garlic cloves. Give them a stir for just about 1 minute until they smell amazing. Don't let them burn!
Now, add your Arborio rice to the pot. Stir it around constantly for about 2 minutes. You want to toast those grains a little bit; you'll see the edges start to look a tiny bit see-through. This step is key for texture!
Pour in 1/4 cup of your white wine. Stir, stir, stir until all that lovely wine is soaked up by the rice.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, tomato paste, and water until they're well combined. Add this vibrant mixture to the pot and give it a good stir.
Start adding your hot fish stock (or broth) a ladleful at a time. Keep stirring gently, almost constantly. Wait until each ladleful is almost completely absorbed before you add the next. This is what creates that signature creamy texture. Keep this up for about 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite (that's al dente!).
While your risotto is doing its thing, let's get the mussels ready. Grab a separate pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, and add the remaining 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour 1 cup of white wine into the pot with the garlic. Bring it to a simmer, then carefully add your live mussels. Cover the pot and let them cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they've popped open. Any mussels that stay shut? Just toss 'em, they're no good.
Once your risotto is looking wonderfully creamy and almost done, it's time for the stars of the show! Gently add your prawns or shrimp, baby scallops, and baby squid rings to the risotto pot. Stir them in and let them cook for just 3-5 minutes. You want them to turn opaque and be cooked through, not rubbery!
Stir in your beautiful, opened mussels (again, discarding any duds!), the grated Parmesan cheese, and the fresh chopped parsley. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Ladle this glorious Seafood Risotto into bowls immediately. It's best enjoyed piping hot!

Notes

Risotto is best enjoyed fresh. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water.