Lemon Risotto (Risotto al Limone)

5 from 2 votes

Lemon Risotto (Risotto al Limone)

Bring a taste of Italy to your table with this lemon risotto (risotto al limone). Bright, creamy, and full of flavor, it’s the perfect dish for spring dinners, date nights, or when you want something comforting yet fresh. ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Prep Time5

Cook Time18

Total Time22

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: gluten-free, risotto

Servings: servings

Calories: 521kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

1 deep skillet

Ingredients

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped (I used sweet onion)
1½ cups risotto rice Arborio or Carnaroli
¼ cup dry white wine make sure it's a wine you would actually drink (not cooking wine_
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or stock hot
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or to taste
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano more to taste (omit if you're vegan/dairy-free)
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lemon juice and zest (I use organic)

Instructions

Sauté aromatics:

In a wide skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil and add onion. Cook until translucent. It may take 10 minutes. You do not want the onion to brown.

Toast the rice:

Stir in the Arborio rice and cook 1–2 minutes until lightly translucent on the edges.

Deglaze:

Pour in the white wine and stir until mostly absorbed.

Start adding broth:

Ladle in the heated broth ½ cup at a time, stirring gently. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding more. This part of recipe will take about a full 20 minutes until the rice is al dente. Check toward the last minutes how the salt is (depends on what type of broth you add). You will need to season with salt.

Add butter + cheese:

Once the risotto is tender but al dente (about 18–20 minutes), remove pan from the heat and add in the butter and the Parmigiano cheese. Add a tablespoon or two of some more broth to loosen it up, as the cheese and butter do thicken up the risotto.

Check seasoning:

Taste and check the salt. If it needs a bit more, add some in and stir to combine.

Finish with lemon:

Stir in lemon juice and zest. You could start with half of lemon, and taste. If you like more lemon flavor, add in the other half. Depends on how large and juicy your lemon is

Plate up + Serve:

Serve hot. Ladle out onto plates and grate on some more Parmigiano-Reggiano (if you like). When you plate up the risotto, it should be flat on the plate. Serve immediately with extra Parmiggiano (if you like). ENJOY!

Notes

Be sure to use risotto rice – you can't replace the risotto rice with a regular rice. No other rice will cook up like a risotto rice does with a creamy and al dente texture.
White wine - Don't even bother buying or using cooking wine. Be sure to use a wine you would actually drink. 1/4 cup is all you need.
Low sodium broth – I always like to use my own homemade broth, but if I don't have it on hand, I recommend using low sodium broth (chicken or vegetable). Add salt at the beginning at cooking then adjust it at the end.
Lemon juice – Depending on how large your lemon is, you could start with the juice of 1/2 of a lemon, and add more, if it needs a bit more lemon flavor.
Parmesan - Please do not use Parmesan cheese. Use Parmigiano Reggiano, or Grana Padano.
Storage and leftovers – Risotto is always best served HOT, fresh and creamy—but if you have leftovers, they’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just store it in an airtight container once it has cooled completely.

Nutrition