Saffron risotto is a classic Italian dish. It’s simple, elegant, and doesn’t need to try hard if at all to please- it just is. It’s the recipe you reach out for on cold winter nights, though some, like myself, still find ourselves enjoying forkfuls during summer or spring.

It’s one of the simplest risotto recipes to make and is also fuss-free with no ingredients needing prior cooking or addition. So if you are a beginner, then THIS is a great place to start, allow me to show you how, with a simple step-by-step guide to making a creamy delicious risotto.

Master how to make this simple risotto then slowly start adding in your favorite veggies, or better yet-make arancini.

And for the rest of my food lovers/enthusiasts, saffron risotto is a good addition to a lunch/dinner with more than one course. Because it is not loaded with intense flavors but mild enough to make room for any other meat/fish courses. Alternatively, you can opt for this recipe for its simplicity and how filling it is without making you feel like you detoured too far down the ‘unclean eating path’.

Saffron risotto made to perfection, in my opinion, is first off not overcooked. It’s not a lumpy mass, but grains of rice held together by a simple rich, and very creamy stock.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Saffron Risotto

Step 1. Finely dice the onion- you do not need much, no more than 1 1/2 tbsp. Dissolve the saffron into the wine and bring the vegetable stock to a boil before getting it to simmer. It needs to remain hot so as not to lower the temperature of the rice when you add to it.

Step 2: Heat a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan, add in the oil, then toss in the onions to sauté until soft and translucent. What is important to remember, is that the onions should sauté long enough to lose their pungent smell but not long enough for them to start turning brown.

Why? Because one of the things that can destroy a dish is being able to taste and smell onions that have not properly cooked through before other ingredients were added.

The other reason is that when the onions have been sautéed, the next step is to add in the rice to ‘toast’. And since this needs time, it may happen that the onions start to slightly brown.

So the last thing you need is to already have them browning before the toasting begins. I stop toasting the rice when I can smell the scent of the toasted rice. However, if the rice and onions are starting to brown then I quickly move on to the next step.

Step 3: Pour in the saffron-wine and swirl the pan to ensure all the grains are coated in it. After it has dissolved, increase the heat to high and proceed to add a ladleful of stock at a time as you patiently stir. I add salt and the Parmesan/Parmigiano rind to simmer with the rice. Taste the rice after it has been cooking for at least 20 minutes. Thereafter, reduce how much stock you add to the rice. When it is ready, take it off the stove and proceed to ‘cream it up’ with the following steps.

How to Make Saffron Risotto Creamy – Tips and Tricks

Here are some techniques and ingredients for a creamier risotto.

1. Add a little more stock right before you take the risotto off the fire. You need it to mix with the following ingredients. How much stock you add will depend on how much is left in the rice. If the rice has soaked in all the stock, I suggest adding 3/4 ladleful. Then see if you would like to add a little more.

2. Grated Parmesan/Parmigiano Reggiano & rind: The rice can only do so much even with a high amount of starch. And that’s where the ‘bucketload’ of cheese and the rind comes into play. I cook the rice with a few blocks of Parmigiano rind. Then I take them out right before I finish. And with enough water still leftover, I toss in the grated cheese and watch as it starts to transform. It’s important to add in the cheese when the risotto is off the fire.

3. The last part is the butter, for that smooth finish. You don’t need much, just about 25g unsalted butter for 210g of rice. And that’s it, simple.

Tips and Troubleshooting Ideas

Pick a pan? A heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan is the absolute way to go. Just to be safe 😉

To veggie stock or stockpot? If using vegetable stock cube instead of vegetable stock, add less salt. Because the stock cube is salty and so is the Parmigiano. If you choose to use a vegetable stockpot, add it in after the wine has dissolved with some hot water.

I’m stuck! Should it happen that you forget to check on the rice as it cooks and it slightly sticks to the pan. Here’s what to do, take the pan off the fire, add a ladleful of stock, and let that sit for about 2 minutes as it makes its way to the bottom of the pan to loosen the rice. Give the pan a little wiggle and if it still doesn’t come off, go in with a spatula. But, make sure the spatula is in direct contact with the pan as you turn the rice so as not to break or mash it up.

No way, you have leftovers?: But if you miraculously managed to have leftovers, keep them in the fridge to solidify. And when completely cold, use it to make arancini. Either keep it simple and only tuck some mozzarella inside. Or, make a saffron risotto spinach arancini by mixing the rice with a small portion of steamed, water squeezed out, and finely chopped spinach.

Wine pairing? Crisp white wine

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Other Lipsmacking Risotto Recipes

Risotto with Asparagus

If asparagus is your thing, or you just want to toss in more veg into your diet then this is a filling recipe that you will love.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Peas

Sweet and nutty butternut squash risotto with peas is a wonderful alternative when making meals for the whole family because even kids will love it!

Print Recipe

Saffron Risotto

(+7 rating, 2 votes)

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Lunch or Dinner – Italian

By Angela – Serves: 2-3

Prep Time: 1 minute – Cooking Time: 27 minutes – Total Time: 28 minutes

A simple creamy risotto with saffron and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Ingredients

• 1 sachet of saffron (0.1g)
• 80ml dry white wine
• Olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp finely diced brown onion
• 210g carnaroli rice
• 1.2 Litres vegetable stock (alternatively: 1 vegetable stockpot and 1.2 liters of hot water)
• Salt to taste
• Parmesan/Parmigiano rind
• 100g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 25g unsalted butter

Instructions

1

Dissolve the saffron to the wine, bring the vegetable stock to a boil and leave to simmer

2

Heat a heavy-bottomed, non-stick pan that has quite a bit of depth over medium heat, pour in 5 tablespoons of olive oil then toss in the onions

3

Sauté the onions over medium-high heat until translucent and soft but not browned. Add in the rice to toast for at least 1 1/2 minutes, or until you can smell the scent of toasted rice. However, if the rice and onions start to brown before then- quickly move on to the next step

4

Pour in the saffron-wine and swirl the pan to coat all the grains with the wine and wait until dissolved. Increase the heat to high, then add in the rind and a ladleful of vegetable stock as you stir, adding in ladleful after ladleful of vegetable stock each time it runs out.

5

Add salt to taste and cook the rice for 25 minutes. Taste the rice occasionally (after it has cooked for at least 20 minutes) before adding in stock/water to check if has cooked through- to avoid having excess water.

6

When the rice is ready, take it off the fire and see if it needs a little more liquid- add if need be. Then sprinkle in the Parmigiano and butter, stir and serve hot.