This shrimp risotto recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleasing dinner. With its creamy and comforting nature, risotto’s suitable for any weeknight dinner. We love this creamy dish’s versatility. You can serve it with your favorite side, make mini-portions for a tapas-inspired meal, or serve it as the main course.
At Dainty, we believe that the quality of simple ingredients is what sets great recipes apart. Dainty’s premium Risotto rice is gluten-free and sourced from the foothills of the Italian Alps. Let’s dive into what you’ll need to create this quintessential Italian risotto dish.
So What Is Risotto Exactly?
Risotto is an Italian dish created by cooking starchy short-grain rice, such as Dainty’s premium Risotto Arborio rice. To make the creamy texture of risotto, it’s necessary to cook the rice with hot stock until the consistency thickens. Beyond the fantastic taste, you’ll know you nailed the recipe if the risotto spreads into a plush pool once served on a plate.
What to Serve with Your Creamy Shrimp Risotto?
Many sides can be combined with your shrimp risotto recipe. Asparagus is always a great side option. Asparagus’s earthy bitterness balances out the creamy taste of the risotto. In addition, sautéed mushrooms can also be a great side option. You may choose to sauté the mushrooms in butter, garlic, or herbs and create a nice juxtaposition with your perfect risotto. Other side options include roasted carrots, scallops, or green onions. You may serve your shrimp risotto with reverse-seared steak for a more protein-heavy side.
How to Make a Delicious Shrimp Risotto?
Getting fresh and high-quality ingredients is the key to creating a delicious shrimp risotto. You’ll also need to ensure you don’t overcook the rice or leave the risotto to cook unsupervised for an extended period of time. While relatively fast, executing a perfect shrimp risotto recipe does take attention.
What is the trick to making good risotto?
- Always opt for high-quality ingredients. Great ingredients make great dishes
- For best results, use Dainty’s premium Arborio Risotto rice. It will be a game-changer due to its ability to absorb sophisticated flavour
- Never use cold broth. Always warm up your stock before mixing it with the rice
- It’s all about stirring consistently and gently and gradually adding cups of broth into the rice
- Don’t be shy about adding butter and Parmesan at the end
Total Time for Making the Recipe
Creating a delicious shrimp risotto requires attention once you start cooking, but it’s relatively easy to make and should take no more than 20 minutes. The longest segment of this recipe is sourcing local, high-quality ingredients, which can take a bit of patience.
Level of Difficulty
If you are a fan of shrimp, this risotto recipe is perfect for beginners and advanced cooks alike. By carefully following the instructions and having all the ingredients at hand, you’ll be a risotto master in no time! Without further ado, let’s learn how to prepare this restaurant-quality dish.
The recipe
Creamy Shrimp Risotto Recipe
Step 1
Use paper towels to dry the shrimp
Step 2
Once dry, season them with salt and pepper and any additional seasoning you like
Step 3
Cook the shrimp until they become pink on both sides, which should take about 3–4 minutes. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set aside
Step 4
In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock on medium-high heat until warm
Step 5
In another saucepan heat 2 tbsp of butter on medium heat, add shallots and garlic. Sauté until fragrant
Step 6
Add Dainty’s premium Risotto rice to the saucepan. Raise the heat and sautéd until the rice is faintly toasted
Step 7
Begin adding the heated chicken stock to your toasted rice pan one ladle at a time. Ensure you’re stirring continuously with a wooden spoon while adding the stock until it’s fully absorbed into the rice. Repeat until you get a creamy consistency and when most of the stock is absorbed. This cooking process should take about 15–18 minutes. Remember to add the heated chicken stock progressively
Step 8
Once the rice has almost completely absorbed the broth and on testing is the consistency desired then remove the saucepan from the heat, add 1 tbsp of butter and the parmesan cheese
Step 9
Add the cooked shrimp to the mix
Step 10
Your shrimp risotto is ready to serve! Serve in warm bowls and top with chopped fresh parsley and more shredded parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Serve this dish with your favorite white wine (Sauvignon blanc or Pinot are good options)
Store any leftover risotto in an airtight container. This Italian rice dish will be good for up to five days in the fridge. Many people enjoy serving this dish with lemon wedges. If you don’t like chicken broth, you can replace it with vegetable broth.
What Shrimp to Buy for This Creamy Risotto Recipe?
We always suggest choosing fresh raw shrimp. If purchased fresh, shrimp should have a slightly translucent flesh and a glossy finish. To ensure maximum quality, avoid shrimps that smell like ammonia, indicating they have gone bad. Avoid imported shrimp and opt for wild-caught MSC-certified pink shrimp if you can. Opt for frozen shrimp if you can’t find high-quality shrimp from your local fish market, but you’ll need to include extra time to let them thaw out.
The Dainty Difference
Great ingredients make incredible dishes. Dainty has been sourcing its rice from around the globe for 140 years. While our growth continues, our mission remains unchanged; we strive to offer a variety of rice grains to create simple and delicious meals at an affordable price. Beyond offering various products, we share tips, tricks, and delicious rice recipes with our community. If you want to buy rice, shop our favourite grains of rice now!