Apart from pizza and pasta, if you want to enjoy some other flavors from the cuisine of Italy, countless options will be available. However, attaining perfection in cooking all of them is not possible until you are a professional chef. Still, there are some easy to cook options on our menu that you will surely love to try. Risotto is among the easiest Italian dishes one can cook with various customization options according to the taste. It is basically an Italian rice dish cooked with broth to attain a creamy texture. Adding spices, different types of cheese, veggies or meat will take it to the next level. We are mentioning two savory recipes for vegetarians and non-vegetarians in the article below. Scroll down to check which one suitable for your taste buds.
Creamy risotto with crispy bacon
Never miss this recipe if you are a bacon lover because the combination of creamy texture with crisp is a great fusion. Here is a list of ingredients to arrange:-
- Diced bacon ( ½ pound)
- Chicken stock (5 cups)
- Arborio rice (1 ½ cups)
- Grated parmesan cheese (¼ cup)
- Butter (½ cup)
- Onion (½ cup)
- Garlic (4 cloves)
- Salt and back Pepper for taste
Directions to cook
Total time:- 44
Total servings:- 4
Calories:- 550 approx
- Take a large skillet and cook your diced bacon for around 10 minutes on medium flame.
- Take a medium saucepan and boil chicken stock in it at high flame. Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to low temperature but do not turn off the burner.
- Use another saucepan of a heavy bottom to heat up two tablespoons of butter. When it melts, add onion and garlic and cook them until the texture turns golden brown.
- Add rice in the saucepan and toss them thoroughly for the next 3 minutes. Pour ⅓ of hot chicken stock and stir along with rice until it turns creamy. If it is getting thick, add the remaining chicken stock and stir constantly to keep it creamy.
- Turn off your gas burner and add the remaining ingredients including butter, parmesan cheese, bacon, salt and pepper.
Tangy lemon asparagus risotto
If you are looking for something healthy and tasty with fewer calories than bacon, try this recipe. Here is a list of ingredients to arrange before you start cooking:-
- Trimmed asparagus spears (20)
- Chicken broth (4 cups)
- Arborio rice (1 cup)
- Dry white wine (½ cup)
- Grated parmesan cheese (¼ cup)
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
- Small diced onion (1)
- Diced celery (1)
- Lemon juice (2 tablespoons)
- Lemon zest (½ tablespoon)
- Salt for taste
- Garlic (1 clove)
Directions to cook
Total time:- 1 Hour
Total servings:- 4
Calories:- 350 approx
- Take a steamer, add water to it and boil. Once it starts boiling, add asparagus spears and cook them for the next 5 minutes. Take them out and cut into pieces of around 1 inch.
- Use a saucepan and heat up the chicken broth on medium flame.
- Take a large skillet, pour olive oil, add onion and celery. Cook them for the next 5 minutes.
- Add arborio or carnaroli risotto rice, salt, pepper and garlic. Toss them for a few minutes until the rice becomes lightly toasted.
- Pour white wine and cook ingredients in it until the water completely evaporates. Add chicken broth in the rice and stir the mixture for around 20 minutes constantly on medium flame.
- Finally, remove the pan, add asparagus, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, zest and mix thoroughly. Your yummy risotto is ready.
You can buy arborio rice online from authentic Italian food stores. Both of these recipes are easy to prepare with just a handful of ingredients that are already available in your kitchen.
