Creamy Broccoli Parmesan Risotto
A rich and creamy risotto with broccoli and Parmigiano-Reggiano, perfect as a side or main dish.
- Prep10 min
- Cook35 min
- Total45 min
- DifficultyMedium
- Servings6
This risotto takes the classic Italian comfort food and gives it a veggie twist. The broccoli is pulsed into tiny pieces, almost like rice, and stirred into the creamy arborio rice for extra texture and nutrition.
It's a simple, one-pan dish that comes together in about 45 minutes. The key is to stir constantly and add the broth gradually, so the rice releases its starch and becomes wonderfully creamy. Serve it warm, with extra parmesan on top if you like.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Make the broccoli rice: Put the broccoli florets in a food processor and pulse a few times until they look like rice grains. Alternatively, chop the broccoli into very small pieces with a knife.
- Heat the broth in a medium saucepan over low heat until it simmers gently.
- In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the minced garlic and ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the arborio rice and stir for about 1 minute, until the grains are lightly toasted.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the hot broth and stir constantly until it's absorbed, about 3-4 minutes. Continue adding the broth one cup at a time, stirring constantly, and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. This will take about 15-20 minutes in total.
- When you add the last cup of broth, also add the broccoli rice and stir for 3-4 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still bright green.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated parmesan, chopped parsley, butter, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and a good amount of black pepper.
- Serve the risotto warm, garnished with extra parmesan and parsley if you like.
💡 Tips
- For a richer flavor, use homemade vegetable broth.
- Stir constantly to achieve the creamy texture; don't leave the risotto unattended.
- If you prefer a more pronounced broccoli taste, add the broccoli rice earlier, with the second-to-last cup of broth.
Inspired by a recipe from Downshiftology