Risotto made with Italian Arborio rice, sun dried tomatoes, herbs and spices that has been slowly cooked in a full-bodied red wine and broth; then finished with butter and grated cheese.
I first heard of a similar recipe for Red Wine Pasta (Martha Stewart) from one of my husband's colleagues, Anne. She loves to cook and experiment with new recipes as much as I do.
Since I do love red wine, she thought I would enjoy this recipe also. It did sound delicious; however, me being me had to put my own spin on it and try to recreate the recipe a little differently.
That's where this Red Wine Risotto came about instead and I have to say it was amazing. Thanks Anne for the recommendation!
This risotto was VERY rich with bold flavors, but the flavor combinations paired well. I'm not sure I could eat this dish as a meal, because it was a little heavy, but it would definitely make a nice accompaniment as a side dish to any Italian meal. ~Enjoy!
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients Needed
To make this risotto you're going to need the following ingredients:
Arborio Rice: Arborio is a short, gluten-free Italian rice.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic: You can use minced garlic or thinly sliced garlic cloves for a more aromatic flavor.
Fresh Basil
Crushed Red Pepper: Start with a little and add more for extra heat as desired.
Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes: Use fresh sun dried tomatoes, not those already in oil. If that is all you have, you can omit the olive oil and use the oil from the jar.
Red Wine: Use a full-bodied red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Montepulciano or Sangiovese. Make sure it's a wine that you would drink on it's own.
Chicken Stock: For a vegetarian option, you can also use vegetable stock.
Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Butter
Kosher Salt
How do you make Red Wine Risotto?
Start by heating the olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, basil and sun dried tomatoes and sauté 1-2 minutes; then add the arborio rice and ½ cup of the red wine.
Mix well; then add the remaining 1 cup of wine, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan loosely with a lid allowing some of the steam to escape and cook until the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.
Next, add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan, mix well, then reduce that until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Repeat for the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock and cook down, stirring the risotto. When the liquid has been absorbed into the rice, remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese, butter and salt.
Mix until the butter has melted and the risotto is creamy. Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle extra cheese and chopped basil on top; then serve.
Troubleshooting
If the rice isn't cooked enough after adding all of the liquid it could be that the heat was too high and it evaporated to quickly. If that's the case, add ¼ cup more stock at a time and repeat the process until the rice is cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
Since this red wine risotto is rich on it's own, pairing it together with mild flavored entrees like a simple Tuscan Rib Eye Steak, a whole roasted chicken, Pan Seared Balsamic Pork Chops or even top with some grilled shrimp would work nicely.
VISIT THE RECIPE INDEX TO SEARCH FOR MORE RECIPES BY CATEGORY.
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- Italian Sausage, Artichoke and Sun Dried Tomato Risotto
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Red Wine Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (plus more for optional garnish)
- ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (fresh, not in oil)
- dash crushed red pepper (adjust to your liking)
- ½ cup arborio rice
- 1 ½ cups red wine (divided)
- 2 cups chicken stock (divided)
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Start by heating the olive oil in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, basil, sun dried tomatoes and red pepper; then sauté 1-2 minutes.
- Add the arborio rice and ½ cup of the red wine, mix then allow the liquid to reduce.
- Next, add the remaining 1 cup of wine, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan loosely with a lid allowing some of the steam to escape and cook until the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.
- Next, add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan, mix well, then reduce that until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat for the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock and cook down, stirring the risotto.
- When the liquid has been absorbed into the rice, remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese, butter and salt.
- Mix until the butter has melted and the risotto is creamy. Place in a serving bowl, sprinkle extra cheese and chopped basil on top; then serve.
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