Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)
Local name: Risotto alla milanese
In short: Creamy risotto colored golden with saffron, built on onion, white wine, butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. Milan's classic, served with ossobuco. It takes about 40 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 450 kcal
Risotto alla milanese is the golden rice of Lombardy, perfumed with saffron and finished with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. It is often served beside ossobuco, but it also stands alone as a first course. The rice is toasted, cooked slowly with hot stock added a ladle at a time, and stirred until it turns creamy. Good risotto should flow gently when the plate is tilted, a texture Italians call all'onda, or wavelike.
Instructions
- Warm the stock in a saucepan and keep it at a bare simmer. Crumble the saffron into a few spoonfuls of it in a small cup and let it steep for 10 minutes.
- Melt half the butter in a wide heavy pan over medium-low heat. Cook the onion for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the grains look glassy at the edges and smell nutty. Pour in the wine and stir until it has been absorbed.
- Add a ladle of hot stock and stir gently until nearly absorbed. Keep adding stock a ladle at a time, stirring often, for 16 to 18 minutes.
- Stir in the saffron liquid halfway through. Taste for salt near the end, and cook until the rice is tender with a slight bite in the center and the risotto is loose and creamy.
- Take the pan off the heat. Beat in the remaining butter and the Parmigiano Reggiano vigorously for 30 seconds, then cover and rest for 2 minutes.
- Serve right away on warm plates. If the risotto has tightened, loosen it with a spoonful of hot stock.
Tips
- Use a proper risotto rice such as carnaroli, arborio or vialone nano. Do not rinse it, because the surface starch is what makes the dish creamy.
- Leftover risotto makes excellent crisp rice cakes. Shape it into patties, chill, then pan-fry in butter until golden on both sides.
Questions and answers
Can I make risotto without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with an extra ladle of stock and add a teaspoon of lemon juice at the end. The wine adds acidity, so a little lemon keeps the flavor balanced.
Why is my risotto sticky and gluey?
It was overcooked or stirred too hard, or the stock was cold. Keep the stock hot, stir gently and stop cooking while the rice still has a slight bite.
Can I make risotto ahead of time?
It is best fresh, but you can cook it until about two thirds done, spread it on a tray to cool, then finish it with hot stock when your guests arrive.
How long does it take to make Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)?
About 40 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)?
About 450 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 65 g of carbohydrates and 15 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 65 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
