Looking for an easy, healthy meal that uses any assortment of vegetables? This easy risotto recipe contains 6 of them! It’s fast enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for company. Plus it’s so delicious, you’ll have nothing but clean plates!
What do you think when you hear “risotto”?
I think creamy, delicious, stick-to-your-ribs flavor… and too much time spent over the hot stove!
If you’re anything like me and want tasty AND easy recipes for dinner, this risotto recipe will fit the bill. It’s not nearly as complicated as its reputation implies.
I like to make this risotto recipe without wine and with whatever vegetables I have on hand. I use vegetable or chicken stock, substitute different types of rice, and even deviate from only using Parmesan cheese.
My picky eaters approve and I know they’re eating a variety of vegetables inside this simple risotto recipe.
What Goes in Easy Parmesan Risotto?
Traditional Parmesan risotto is an Italian side dish made by slowly cooking Arborio rice in broth. The small additions of broth into the rice allow the starch of the rice to slowly release giving you a creamy risotto that is tender but not mushy.
The traditional ingredients for mushroom risotto include Arborio rice, vegetable broth or chicken broth, dry white wine, shallots, garlic, and mushrooms.
Easy Risotto Recipe Ingredients
- homemade chicken stock or vegetable stock
- unsalted butter
- extra virgin olive oil
- onions
- mushrooms
- yellow squash
- zucchini
- carrots
- Arborio rice or short-grain white rice
- freshly grated Parmesan or creamy cauliflower sauce
- fresh ground pepper + kosher salt to taste
How to Make This Easy Risotto Recipe
Step 1. Measure stock into a medium pot and warm over medium heat.
Step 2. Prepare onion, mushroom, squash, zucchini, and carrot. Set aside.
Step 3. In a large skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. When the butter begins to bubble, add onion and stir to combine. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are soft and translucent about 5 minutes.
Step 4. Add all the rice at once and stir thoroughly, completely coating each grain in butter and giving them a chance to be toasted for about 1 minute.
Step 5. Ladle 1-2 cups of chicken stock into the hot rice and stir well. Keep heat on medium and continue to cook, adding stock slowly when the previous stock is absorbed, and mixing thoroughly after each addition. Cook stirring occasionally, for about 15 – 20 minutes. If you need more liquid, add hot stock or water.
Step 6. When the grains are just tender, but not completely done, add the remaining vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
Step 7. Add the creamy sauce (cauliflower sauce), Parmesan, pepper, and remaining butter. Stir to just combine. Do not overstir. The rice should be al dente and vegetable tender.
Step 8. Taste the risotto and salt as needed.
Easy Risotto Recipe Notes
- Do not rinse the rice before, that will remove the starch and not give it that creamy texture.
- If you’re slow at prep work, you’ll want to have all of your ingredients ready before you begin. Otherwise, chop and slice as you progress through cooking.
- This will make a nice main dish for a family of four when served with a side salad. You can double, or halve the recipe, as needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Variations of this Vegetable Squash Risotto Recipe
Making risotto is simple and versatile! Be sure that the vegetables are complimentary in flavor, about the same size (so they cook evenly), and aim for about ¾ cup of each.
Here are some suggestions of ways to make this risotto using the vegetables you have on hand:
- Mushrooms + artichokes + zucchini
- Carrots + broccoli + corn
- Leeks + spinach + red bell pepper
- Butternut squash + kale + mushrooms
FAQs for How to Cook Risotto
What is the trick to risotto?
The trick to this easy risotto recipe is cooking on a low simmer and adding the stock slowly.
Is risotto just rice and cheese?
This risotto contains cheese, veggies, and a special kind of rice. Arborio rice is a short grain that absorbs liquid quickly without it turning mushy.
Can I substitute other kinds of rice?
Yes, and no. You need high-starch rice to make classic risotto. Arborio is most commonly used. You can use Carnaroli and Vialone Nano rice as substitutes. I’ve tested this dish using up to half short-grain white rice and it comes out just as creamy and delicious.
Can I make risotto without wine?
Traditional risotto calls for dry white wine. However, I’ve made this risotto using only hot broth instead and it still tastes delicious.
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Easy Risotto with Summer Vegetables
Looking for an easy, healthy meal that uses any assortment of vegetables? This easy risotto recipe contains 6 of them! It’s fast enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for company. Plus it’s so delicious, you’ll have nothing but clean plates!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 cups homemade chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup diced onion
- 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 small yellow squash, sliced thinly
- 1 small zucchini, sliced thinly
- 1 medium carrot, grated
- ½ cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup white rice (short grain preferred)
- ¼ cup creamy cauliflower sauce
- ¾ cup fresh Parmesan, shredded
- ¼ tsp pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Measure stock into a medium pot and warm over medium heat.
- Prepare onion, mushroom, squash, zucchini, and carrot. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil. When the butter begins to bubble, add onion and stir to combine. Add mushroom and cook until onions are soft and translucent about 5 minutes.
- Add all the rice at once and stir thoroughly, completely coating each grain in butter and giving them a chance to be toasted for about 1 minute.
- Ladle 1-2 cups of chicken stock into the hot rice and stir well. Keep heat on medium and continue to cook, adding stock slowly when the previous stock is absorbed, and stirring thoroughly after each addition. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. If you need more liquid, add hot water or chicken stock if available.
- When the grains are just tender, but not completely done, add the remaining vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the creamy cauliflower sauce, Parmesan, pepper, and remaining butter. Stir to just combine. Do not overstir.
- Taste the risotto and salt as needed.
Notes
- Do not rinse the rice before, that will remove the starch and not give it that creamy texture.
- If you’re slow at prep work, you’ll want to have all of your ingredients ready before you begin. Otherwise, chop and slice as you progress through cooking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Inspired by Simple Bites.
Nutrition
- Calories: 365
Where are you getting squash for 25 cents!? The cheapest I’m finding right now is local in season for 99 cents a pound.
It’s been awhile since I wrote that recipe Alicia, but I think it was at a local farm? Or in my CSA box? When the farmers have zucchini and squash coming out of their ears, it gets REAL cheap. 🙂
What is Italian squash ? It was mentioned as variations of veggies you’ve tried in risotto.
Italian squash is a broad term to describe summer squash Cheryle. I’ve tried yellow crooked neck, zucchini and a few different patty pan squashes and they all pretty much work the same in this recipe. 🙂
Can you sub brown rice for the white and jasmine? Any changes you would make with it?
Yes you can Stacey, but you’ll likely have to add more liquid and additional cooking time. One idea might be to cook the brown rice partially in a separate pot, so that the rest of the dish doesn’t get mushy in the mean time.
I’ve never tried brown rice, it takes at least twice as long to cook, but Calrose rice is a substitute I use often. I grew up in an Italian household and imported rice was not an option. My grandmother used what she had: long grain rice.
My son is also a mushroom hater,but maybe he’ll love this too! I have lots of zucchini on hand so will have to try this soon if I can get mushrooms on sale.
You can omit the mushrooms if you’d like Gina, but they do add a really neat depth of flavor to the dish… kinda like the ‘adult’ version. 🙂
I don’t like the texture of the mushroom but I used them chopped up pretty fine and put them in stew. They were acceptable in this.
I will be trying this recipe!
My family isn’t a big fan of mushrooms either, unless they’re teeny tiny. Although brown mushroom (like cremini) tend to be heartier, so that’s an option too if you tend to buy the white ones!