Easy Creamy Shrimp Risotto With Fresh Herbs
This easy creamy shrimp risotto with fresh parsley and basil herbs is a Northern Italian dish that combines simplicity with sophistication. Plump shrimp and creamy rice make you feel like you're dining in a top-notch Italian restaurant.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 526kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups seafood stock or chicken stock, chicken broth, vegetable stock, chicken broth
- 1 lb. raw shrimp large peeled deveined
- 1 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ¾ tsp. table salt divided
- ¾ tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 1 cup white onion about 4½ oz. finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves medium-size minced (2 Tbsp.)
- 7 oz. Arborio rice 1 cup uncooked
- ½ cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese grated with a Microplane grater (about 1 ¼ cups), plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Warm stock:
- Heat stock in a medium saucepan over medium-high until just boiling. Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.
Sauté Shrimp:
- Pat shrimp dry with a paper towel. Place shrimp in a medium bowl, and toss with paprika, garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper until well coated. Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
- Add half of shrimp to skillet in a single layer, and cook until browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining shrimp.
Cook risotto:
- Add butter to skillet; cook over medium until melted, about 1 minute.
- Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in rice to coat in onions and garlic. Add wine, and cook, stirring often, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Add enough warm stock (about 2 cups) to cover rice, and bring to a low simmer over medium-low.
- Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, reducing heat as needed to maintain a low simmer, and adding more stock as needed to keep rice covered, until rice is just tender and most of the liquid has absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. (You should use all the stock.)
Stir in cheese and shrimp:
- Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan, parsley, basil, and remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
- Add shrimp, and toss well to combine. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
TIPS:
- Measure and chop all your ingredients before you start cooking. Risotto requires continuous stirring, so having everything ready will help prevent any mishaps.
- Keep your stock or additional broth simmering but not boiling. Adding cold liquid to hot rice can slow down the cooking process.
- Stirring is crucial for releasing the starches from the rice, creating that creamy texture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula and stir gently but consistently.
- Risotto should be creamy and slightly al dente, not mushy. Be vigilant, and taste for the desired doneness as you near the end of cooking.
- You can save your shrimp shells to make the stock in this easy risotto recipe or for future use.
Nutrition
Calories: 526kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 2012mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1828IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 347mg | Iron: 4mg