Balsamic Risotto

Risotto is a wonderful side dish, when you want to do something a little different . It’s really not that hard to make, but it is totally worth the extra attention to get a creamy silky sauce on the Arborio rice. This simple risotto recipe goes well with so many different meals. Balsamic Risotto has a bold flavor that pairs well with other bold flavors.

I know I say this every time I use Balsamic in a recipe but I really don’t want someone to make the mistake of using vinaigrette instead of vinegar. They really are not the same thing at all. Vinaigrette will have other things added to it, namely some sort of oil. This will change the consistency of the dish, in addition to the flavor depending on whatever type of other seasonings were added. It is very important that you use Balsamic Vinegar for this recipe.

Be sure that you get the correct type of rice as well. Risotto has to be made with a high starch rice like Arborio rice. If you use a regular long or short grain rice it will turn to mush pretty quickly. The miracle of risotto is the combining of the starch that the rice releases with the broth to make the creamy sauce. Speaking of the broth, my recipe calls for chicken broth. If you wanted to make it vegetarian, you could use vegetable broth. Just don’t use plain water, as it really doesn’t get the same depth of flavor that the broth gives it.

As I mentioned, you could pair this risotto with all sorts of proteins. I went with an Apricot Pork Tenderloin and it was a match made in heaven. Risotto is also great for a nice grilled steak or a baked chicken. Since the risotto will take a little extra attention to cook it, you will want to pair it with something that doesn’t require quite as much tending to during the cooking process. Ideally something that is roasted for the duration of the cook time would be best.

Now Let’s Get Cookin’!

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Balsamic Risotto

A delicious, creamy risotto with the tang of balsamic vinegar.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword balsamic, risotto

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Butter
• 4 Garlic Cloves minced
• 2 tbsp Dried Minced Onions
• 3 cups Arborio Rice
• 1½ qt Chicken Broth
• 2 tsp Parsely
• ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar
• ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated

Instructions

• In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add butter. Once melted add garlic and onions and cook for 3 minutes.
• Add rice and toast for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in 1 cup of broth. Stir occasional while broth is absorbed. Once broth is absorbed, add another cup of broth. Repeat until all broth is added and absorbed. Stir in parsley.
• Stir in balsamic vinegar and let cook for 3 minutes. Then stir in parmesan cheese and let cook another 3 minutes.