This easy pesto risotto turns out delicious every time! Creamy, salty, and full of flavor, you\u2019ll feel like you\u2019re out for a fancy dinner every time you make it.<\/p>\n
![\"Bowl](\"https:\/\/dontwastethecrumbs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Pesto-Risotto-1.jpg\")
\n<\/picture>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nI\u2019ve been trying to think of delicious and simple meals that I can prepare easily with what I ordinarily have on hand that give us new flavors but also fit in with our regular tried-and-true meals. So far, I\u2019ve had three successes and one failure. My favorite of the three successes is a pesto risotto!<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll admit, my risotto skills are lacking. Gordon Ramsey made risotto seem easy on Hell\u2019s Kitchen, and my stepmom makes a fantastic risotto too. Unfortunately, my personal experiences have been completely hit-and-miss. My thought process when I came up with pesto risotto went something like this:<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not that great at risotto, but pesto risotto is delicious. Maybe if I combine the two it\u2019ll taste kinda good.<\/em><\/p>\n Totally serious.<\/p>\n As it turns out, this dish was on par with the amazing pesto risotto my stepmom had created once. <\/strong>It makes a great Italian rice dish complement to any meat, and you can also tailor the recipe a bit depending on your family\u2019s tastes.<\/p>\n And even though I\u2019ve had problems with risotto in the past, I\u2019ve made this pesto risotto multiple times and it turned out great each time!<\/p>\n The great thing about this pesto risotto is that it\u2019s so easy to make. It\u2019s also:<\/p>\n Before you can make pesto risotto, you need pesto! Use a jar of your favorite pesto from the store or make this simple and delicious pesto recipe!<\/p>\n Step 1. Combine the first four ingredients <\/strong>in a food processor<\/a> into a rough paste.<\/p>\n Step 2. With the machine running, <\/strong>slowly add the oil<\/a>.<\/p>\n Step 3. Salt<\/a> and pepper <\/strong>to taste.<\/p>\n Step 4. If the sauce seems dry<\/strong> (it should be a thick paste), add a bit more oil.<\/p>\n Once you have your pesto, you\u2019re ready to make pesto risotto rice! You\u2019ll need:<\/p>\n Psst! Not all salts are made the same! I love Ava Jane\u2019s Kitchen because it doesn\u2019t have microplastics<\/a> (gross, right?) and it\u2019s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!).<\/em><\/p>\n Step 1. Make the homemade pesto, <\/strong>if necessary.<\/p>\n Step 2. In a large heavy saucepan,<\/strong> melt 2 Tablespoons of butter on low.<\/p>\n Step 3. Add the finely chopped onions <\/strong>and cook until soft and translucent.<\/p>\n Step 4. Raise the heat to medium and add the arborio rice, <\/strong>simmering and stirring until the rice looks chalky and you can see a white dot in the center of the grains of rice (3-5 minutes).<\/p>\n Step 5. Stir in one cup of Chicken Stock<\/a>.<\/strong> When the liquid is absorbed, stir in another cup. Repeat this for the third cup of stock as well.<\/p>\n Step 6. Begin adding the stock \u00bd cup at a time, <\/strong>along with 1 Tablespoon of pesto<\/a>. Stir continuously until the stock is absorbed. Keep repeating this process and start tasting the risotto. The rice should be tender yet slightly firm to the bite \u2013 taking care to not overcook the rice. Adjust the amount of pesto with each tasting to your preferences, adding up to \u00bd cup total (that\u2019s 8 Tablespoons).<\/p>\n Step 7. Remove the risotto from the heat when it is almost,<\/strong> but not quite done.<\/p>\n Step 8. Fold in 1 Tablespoon of butter,<\/strong> then gently fold in the Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.<\/p>\n Step 9. Add salt<\/a> and pepper to taste.<\/strong> Depending on how salty your chicken stock and pesto are, you may not need additional salt.<\/p>\n Enjoy this pesto risotto!<\/p>\n Most rissotto recipes say to stir using long strokes. I always stir making small circles all over the pan. I can\u2019t say for sure that either method works better than the other, but the key is to stir often, if not continuously, while waiting for the risotto to cook.<\/p>\n Risotto has the best texture right after it finishes cooking, but you can store leftover pesto risotto in an airtight container<\/a> for up to 3 days. Add a bit of chicken broth when reheating if it seems dry.<\/p>\n Pesto risotto rice makes a delicious side dish with a main entr\u00e9e and plenty of veggies to round out your plate. Try it with these pairings:<\/p>\n This risotto pesto recipe is a mixture of carbohydrates (from the rice) and fat (from the pesto). You\u2019ll likely want to fill the rest of your plate with lean protein and plenty of lower-carb produce.<\/p>\n When building your plate, aim for these general guidelines:<\/p>\n Yes! Risotto is a rice-based side dish, making it perfect for those who eat gluten-free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Pesto is perfect for risotto because it easily adds such a vibrant flavor that happens to go great with mains like Whole Roasted Chicken<\/a>! Other risotto recipes call for white wine, butter, and lemon juice, but I am biased toward this pesto risotto recipe! Try it, and I think you\u2019ll agree!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I have included an easy pesto recipe here, but if you\u2019re short on time, buying it pre-made is okay too. Most store-bought versions have pretty simple ingredients but always check your labels!<\/p>\nPESTO RISOTTO<\/h2>\n
\n
RISOTTO PESTO INGREDIENTS<\/h2>\n
\n
HOW TO MAKE PESTO<\/h2>\n
PESTO RISOTTO RICE INGREDIENTS<\/h2>\n
\n
HOW TO COOK RISOTTO RICE WITH PESTO<\/h2>\n
SERVE WITH ARBORIO RICE PESTO RISOTTO<\/h2>\n
INDULGING IN PESTO RISOTTO IN A BALANCED DAY<\/h2>\n
\n
RISOTTO AL PESTO FAQS<\/h2>\n
Is risotto gluten-free?<\/h3>\n
How do you add flavor to risotto?<\/h3>\n
Do I make homemade pesto or use pre-made pesto for pesto risotto?<\/h3>\n