Ossobuco alla Milanese with Saffron Risotto is a Lombardy dish made with cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables, white wine, and broth. Gremolata, a combination of lemon zest, parsley, and garlic garnishes the braised meat. Traditionally the accompaniment to the dish is Risotto alla Milanese, a risotto made with saffron.
The Inspiration For Ossobuco Alla Milanese
An Italian sweepstake inspired our recipe. We wanted to make Ossobuco alla Milanese last year commemorating the win but we couldn’t find meaty veal shanks. Then out of the blue, we discovered them in Florida at a Costco. Talk about traveling far and wide to find the right ingredients!
If you’re wondering how a sweepstake connects to a braised meat dish it’s because of the bicycle I won. That bike was the first handmade bike of its type. And before you start shaking your head in confusion, the prize came from outside of Milan.
I wrote to Roberto, CEO of OMAST, a sponsor for the contest. I asked what’s his favorite dish. He said Ossobuco alla Milanese. I promised that I’d make the traditional Italian dish, and here we are.
The Birthplace Of The Famous Dish
Milan, in the Lombardia region of Italy, claims to be the city that gave birth to ossobuco. The word (“oss bus” in Milanese dialect) means “bone with a hole”, a reference to the marrow hole at the center of the veal shank.
Originally, Italians made this dish in the winter time on charcoal or wood stoves. The veal shanks cooked for hours warming the household. Can you imagine the wonderful aroma that filled the house?
The lengthy braise time reminded me of our ragù. It appears the Italians are masters at slow-cooking meats. Our Maiale al Latte (Pork Roast Braised In Milk) is fork tender.
Ossobuco Alla Milanese Ingredients
The best ossobuco comes from the meatier hind leg. The shanks should be no thicker than 1 1/2 inches. Although the thick pieces look good, they need to cook longer and they could end up chewy instead of fork tender.
Veal broth is ideal for this recipe, but if that’s not available (we didn’t have any) use chicken broth. From what I’ve read, using stock instead of broth does not give that optimum flavor. If you spend money on expensive veal shanks you want to use the best ingredients.
Next comes the vegetables. The onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and parsley cook in a pan until softened.
The Marsala deglazes the pan and then the stock and tomatoes go in along with the veal shanks for a long slow braise.
Serving the Ossobuco Alla Milanese
Our gremolata is a combination of grated lemon and orange, minced garlic, and fresh chopped Italian parsley. We added it to the finished ossobuco dish just before serving.
Risotto alla Milanese is a saffron risotto that’s the traditional side with the Ossobuco alla Milanese. The passion for this dish runs deep. Billy Collins, an American poet, wrote a poem called Osso Buco. I guess he really enjoyed the meal. 😋
Give this recipe a try. You won’t be disappointed! We promise.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
- 1/2 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 pieces veal shank with bone cut 1 1/2 inches thick
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
- 1 cup dry Marsala
- 2 cups veal or chicken broth
- 2 to matoes peeled, seeded and chopped
- Grated rind of 1 lemon
- Grated rind of 1 orange
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 3 pinches saffron threads
- 3 TablespoonsParmesan cheese grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
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In a large shallow platter, season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the veal shanks in the mixture and tap off any excess. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven, over medium flame, heat the oil and butter. Sear the shanks on all sides, turn bones on sides to hold in the marrow. Add more oil and butter if needed. Remove the browned veal shanks and set aside.
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Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and parsley to the pan and cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high, add the wine and deglaze the pan.
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Return the shanks to the pan, add the broth and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
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Baste the meat a few times during cooking. Remove the cover, continue to simmer for 10 minutes to reduce the sauce a little.
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Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stew the gremolata over the ossobuco before serving. Serve ossobuco with Saffron Risotto.
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In a saucepan, bring chicken broth to a simmer. Keep warm over low heat.
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In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add oil and rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to coat each grain. When rice begins to make a crackling sound, add saffron threads.
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Add 1 cup of the warm chicken broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more.
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Test the rice for doneness, it should be al dente but creamy. Remove risotto from heat, add grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Serve at once with Ossobuco alla Milanese.
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Adapted from Tyler Florence's "Osso Buco Milanese"
Note: Recipes and content from © 2017 All Our Way are copyright protected. Please do not use content or recipe without prior written permission. If you want to share the information, please link to this post. Grazie.
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This looks delicious!! I love all the extra veggies and the extra tips too! Thanks for sharing!
I get a kick out of the whole story with the bike! And my MIL always loved osso bucco, and would get it in some of the Italian restaurants back in New York, but I don’t think she’s had it since she came down here… so I guess I should look for veal shanks! (If I can make her that and cassoulet…)
Oh wow. This just *screams* “Perfect Sunday dinner!” This looks like it would be so aromatic, cooking throughout the afternoon. And that meat is just fall-off-the-bone tender. I’m all about this!
What a hearty and filling dish. This looks like such a good recipe to feed a huge family. I need to get some guests over so I can make this soon!
This looks absolutely amazing! Super hearty and great to feed a hungry family any night of the week.. very creative!
This dish has all the right flavors and textures that I love in a dish! I love trying new recipes for dinner and this is just that! I know that my family is going to devour this when I make it!
That risotto looks amazing! We don’t eat veal, but now I’m dreaming up all the ways we can incorporate saffron risotto with what we do eat.
What a beautiful meal! This would be perfect for a small holiday gathering or a special Sunday meal.
What a great story about you winning the bicycle and how this dish came to be! And oh my goodness, what richly, deeply flavorful comfort food! So many really helpful little tips and tricks, too, to ensure that the dish turns out just perfectly – thank you!
Oh this recipe takes me back to my childhood and mornings spent in the kitchen with my grandfather preparing this meal for after church. What a beautiful reminder!
I’m not sure who won, the CEO who now has your ossobucco recipe or you with bicycle. Maybe both? The pictures look so good and I love the risotto Milanese you paired with it. It’s getting chilly here now, so I think I need to try this!
Can you believe that I’ve never had Ossobuco alla Milanese before? This looks so good I’m going to have to eat it right away! The saffron risotto on the side sounds like such a great addition. All the flavour combinations here is right up my alley!
Ossobuco alla Milanese is one of my all time favorite dishes, Marisa! The tender veal shanks, the marrow, the bright gremolata! What’s not to absolutely love and savor? I can just taste it looking at your photos, with that luscious saffron risotto. What a perfect dish for a fall weekend. I might have to dash off to the store and get some veal shanks because your post has given me some serious cravings!
Your OssoBusco puts the ones I have had in the past to shame! It is delicious and topped with the gremolata, amazing! I love that you shared the origins of the dish!
This looks amazing. I’ve bookmarked it because it is so perfect for a special occasion treat. I’m going to make that saffron risotto this weekend though. My family will LOVE that. Thank you.
This Italian recipe is calling my name. I absolutely love saffron in risotto, and it works perfect here. I’m bookmarking this recipe because I need to try it! YUM
Kudos on your bicycle win! I don’t think I’ve ever won anything… I usually make osso buco once or twice a season, but I’ve never tried it with a saffron risotto before and to me, that’s the game changer. The gremolata is a must for a bright finish. This recipe would be perfect for my cousin’s birthday party next week. Thank you for the inspiration (and recipe). It looks luscious.
I have yet to make osso bucco at home. If I go out to dinner ( which does not happen often) and it is on the menu, I will order it for sure. I really need to give this a try. The last time I had it, it was in Montreal….and it was in a French restaurant….made with lamb. Sooooo good!!
I love ossobuco, but I’ve never been brave enough to make it at home. The instructions and photos are very helpful, and it’s inspiring me to give it a try. Thank you!
This looks amazing! And packed with veggies! I’m always short on ideas and recipes to use saffron with, but this seems like a perfect combo.
Hi, Amelie! It is very good and the meat is so tender!! The saffron risotto is the perfect accompaniment. xoxo
Such a perfect risotto recipe, Marisa! Excellent combination of ingredients. What kind of onion do you use?
Thank you, Agness! I hope you give it a try! xoxo
Ooh we had some lovely looking osso bucco at our local butchers this morning, but I was a bit intimated and walked on by. I might have to grab some next time as this sounds divine!
Hi, Donna! You’ll just have to go back to the butcher’s shop and get some veal shanks. You won’t regret it. 😋
I have some leftover saffron I’ve been meaning to use up and this looks like a great way to do it. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Jessica. I haven’t been using as much saffron as I should. It’s so good I’m going to start using it more.
Mmmm! Saffron risotto! I love saffron but I hardly ever cook with it. It looks so beautiful!
Thank you, Kate! It tastes good too.xoxo
I have some extra saffron to use up and I’ve been looking for a fresh recipe with plenty of vegetables and fresh flavor to use it in. I can’t wait to make this savory risotto for the family this week!
Hi, Jessica! Saffron is such a fantastic spice! I don’t know why I haven’t used it more often. I know you’ll enjoy the recipe.
Oh, you make me think… I’ll be cooking for my mother in law. She *loves* osso bucco, and I don’t think she’s eaten it since she left New York. I’ll have to make a note of your recipe – and keep an eye out down there for veal shanks!
Hello, Anne! Your MIL will really enjoy the dish but more so that you went through the trouble to make it for her. Meals and family go hand in hand. xoxo
I love this dish! Yours looks amazing! Pinned! I will be adding this to my next Costco trip!
Hi, Carrie!! I’m glad you’re going to make the recipe. You won’t regret it!!
I’ve never made my own ossobuco before, but I’ve always wanted to. This one looks absolutely perfect! And I’m always up for risotto 🙂
Ossobuco is really an easy dish and oh, so, delicious! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!!
Oh my goodness this is going to be made asap! Love it!
Thank you, Stacey! I’m sure it will be a favorite.
This looks so lovely and sounds like a perfect meal for a big dinner party! Anything with risotto is always a winner in my book!
I agree, Julie. Risotto always makes a meal special and the veal shanks just take it to the stratosphere!
I have a confession to make. For the longest time, I thought Ossobuco was made from beef cheeks. I don’t know where I got that idea. This looks amazingly delicious. I can’t wait to give it a try.
Well, Patti, I have a confession to make too. Until recently I didn’t know there was a cut of beef called beef cheeks. 😮 I hope you have a chance to make the ossobuco — it is so yummy!
I’m shocked, Marisa. Your site is so full of delicious recipes that I thought you knew everything. It’s OK. I will still visit your site even though I have seen your feet of clay. LOL
Ssssssh, Patti! That’s our secret. 😉
Thank you for this lovely idea. Definitely will try this version since you do really perfect posts. Thank you dear Marissa ans I wish you have happy holidays !
Thank you very much! That’s very sweet of you to say. I’m wishing you a best of holidays!! xoxo
Hello, Marisa.
Oh this dish looks so tasty! Is there any way I can replace the Pork Roast Braised with beef. I really want to try this recipe. I hope to try this soon.
Hi Eliza! What kind of beef cut are you planning on substituting?
That is just what I want this evening! Or rather tomorrow evening as there is no time to cook it now!
Perfect winter comfort food
Hi, Helen! Every bite is oh so comforting! 😉
I have never heard of or tried Ossobuco before. It looks like such a delicious dish, and since I am a huge fan of trying new dishes I will have to give this a shot. Luckily for me I have a butcher that I can get bone in veal shanks from so I am set!
Hello Lois! This is an excellent dish to try!! xoxo
Honestly , it must be one of the most delicious dishes I ever tried! Hard to explain , but when someone says OSSOBUCO my mouth instantly getting watered . Beautiful fall-themed photos too!
Ciao Tatiana! We’re the same way! There are certain foods that just get that response.!!
I love this! It looks like a gorgeous and delicious dish. My husband would love it, too! Perfect for our next date night!
Hi Christine! That’s a great idea. A perfect date night dish. Very special and one you can start ahead of time. xoxo
I’m loving all your Italian recipes! This is one of my dad’s favorites but I’ve never made it for him. Saving this recipe for next time I go visit!
Hi Kathryn! Won’t your dad be surprised when you make it for him?! I wish my dad were still with us so I could do the same. He’d love it too. 💕
This recipe looks amazing! Never got a chance to taste but definitely looks flavorful.
Thank you! It is a classic dish — and I understand why. Have a nice relaxing Sunday.
Wow! This dish is completely foreign to me, but it looks really nice! My kids love veal, so I might try it:)
Your kids and family will really enjoy this dish. The flavors blend together beautifully.
That was an interesting read Marisa. And this recipe looks delicious. I love risotto but unfortunately Ziv and the kids didn’t seem to warm up to it. Think I’ll give it a try with this recipe again. Love the flavors you have going there. I bet the home must smell awesome.
Hi, Veena! Husbands and kids can be picky can’t they? Sometimes they don’t know what’s good. 😀 Luckily Hubby and I agree on most foods. Hope your weekend is going well.
I love recipes that use bone in cuts of meats because it seems to have so much more flavor than boneless pieces. I also love slow cooked dishes. I can imagine the aroma coming from this as it cooks on a cold day. That gremolata with orange added to the lemon sounds ingenious. Most of the recipes I’ve seen only use lemon peel. I pinned this recipe and can’t wait to try it.
Hi, Patti! You’re right, meat with the bone does seem to have more flavor. And the aroma in the house made us super hungry by the dinner time. xoxo
Oh that sounds so delicious! The gremolata alone sounds like it would make any dish better. I’m also intrigued with your pork braised in milk…..I’ve never heard of that but am intrigued. Off to see what that is about. Nice post!
questa splendida ricetta fa venire un’acquolina pazzesca ! Italian lesson today….Un grande abbraccio
Grazie, Chiara! Have you ever made the recipe? We are anxious to make it again. Buon weekend. Un abbraccio forte.
It’s funny, I have studied Italian and definitely heard of Ossobuco so many times, yet never really knew it’s meaning or origin! Glad to have learned about it today! Plus this looks absolutely delicious – pinning to try when I can find the right ingredients!
Ciao, Monica! When you do make it I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. I really wonderful dish. Grazie, Italia for sharing it with us. 🤗
It just came through…thank-you very much! 🙂
This looks wonderful! I will also be making it with ethically sourced pork shanks as most calves raised for veal are not raised humanely. 🙁 Anyway, when I signed up for your newsletter I didn’t receive the vinaigrette recipe/wall art e-mail. Was that supposed to be sent separately?
Your recipes all look and sound so delicious…can’t wait to try a few of them for the holidays!
Thanks!
Hi, Chris! I hear that the pork shanks are also very good. I’m sorry you didn’t get your vinaigrette. Yes, it is sent separately, as a thank you for signing up. If you didn’t get it I’d be happy to send it directly to you — just let me know.🤗
One of my favorite dishes. Your recipe looks very authentic and delicious. I often substitute pork shanks because that is what I can purchase here. Don’t have Costco in this part of the woods. But pork is good also.
Hi, Jovina! The funny part about the veal is we got them at the Sarasota Costco. We can’t find them up here. In fact, the Sarasota Costco has a lot of goodies that we can’t find up here. Are you ready for Thanksgiving?