A few weeks ago my mother challenged readers to stop searching for random recipes online and instead start cooking from the cookbooks gathering dust on their shelves. I don’t own a huge collection yet, but I realized I rarely use the beautiful cookbooks I have, so I decided to take her up on the challenge.
Last year, at my mom’s annual cookie exchange, I won the “Best Chocolate” category with my salted caramel brownie cookies and received The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011 as a prize. After reading my mom’s challenge, I pulled that cookbook from the shelf and began tagging recipes. Several appealed to me, but the one that stood out was “Almost Hands-Free Risotto with Parmesan and Herbs.”
I had read about risotto many times and heard about its luxurious creaminess, but I was intimidated. My cooking comfort zone leans toward meat dishes and desserts, not recipes that require standing at the stove stirring for 45 minutes. America’s Test Kitchen makes this version more approachable: you’re actively involved for only the first 15 minutes and the last 10, giving you time to prepare other parts of the meal.
Because the recipe does require attention at a few key moments, I prepared everything in advance—chopping vegetables and measuring ingredients so the process would be smooth.
Start by warming your liquid: bring the chicken broth or stock to a boil in a small saucepan, then lower the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer. Hot liquid is essential when making risotto so the rice cooks evenly and releases its starches.
In a heavy Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the minced onion and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens but does not brown. (Full disclosure: I accidentally mixed some chopped chives with the onions while prepping, so you might spot little green flecks in the photos.) The aroma of onions sizzling in butter is one of my favorite kitchen smells.
Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds—don’t let it brown. Then add the Arborio rice and cook, stirring, until the grains look translucent around the edges, roughly three minutes.
Pour in the dry white wine and cook, stirring, until it’s fully absorbed. I enjoy cooking with wine because it adds aroma and depth to the dish. After the wine is absorbed, stir in most of the hot broth, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Now comes the “almost hands-free” part: you can step away while the rice simmers. The recipe asks that you stir twice during the 16–19 minutes of covered simmering—just two brief stirs, then return the lid and let it continue cooking.
When most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, add about three-quarters of a cup of the remaining hot broth and stir constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, approximately three minutes. Stir in the grated Parmesan, remove the pot from the heat, and let it rest covered for five minutes.
Finish the risotto by stirring in the remaining butter, chopped parsley (or a garden-fresh Italian herb mix), chives, and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the texture seems too thick, you can add up to an additional half cup of broth to loosen it.
Stir everything together until the risotto is glossy and evenly combined, then serve immediately. The result is a creamy, comforting dish that feels elegant without demanding constant attention at the stove.
Save the entire Dutch oven for yourself if you must—this risotto deserves to be appreciated. My boyfriend, for example, complained about the lemon and compared it to boxed rice, which only proved how much he didn’t appreciate the texture and flavor of a properly finished risotto.
Keep this recipe to yourself if you want—it’s that satisfying when made well.
From The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011
Notes:
Any adjustments I made are noted below the ingredient list. I halved the original recipe and had enough for two dinners plus several lunches. Be sure to stir well when adding additional broth to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The original recipe includes variations like chicken with herbs or saffron with peas.
Ingredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
(I substituted chicken bouillon dissolved in water)
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
(I used salted butter)
1 large onion, minced
Salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or mixed Italian herbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
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1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
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2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened but not browned, 4 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are translucent around the edges, about 3 minutes.
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3. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the hot broth into the rice, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just al dente, 16 to 19 minutes, stirring only twice during this time.
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4. Add ¾ cup of the hot broth and stir gently and constantly until the risotto becomes creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, remove the pot from the heat, and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If needed, add up to ½ cup more broth to adjust the texture. Serve immediately.