Textual Chef Textual Chef

Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese

A classic Milanese saffron risotto with creamy Arborio rice, dry white wine, and a generous finish of Parmesan and butter. Rich and golden, this is the definitive side dish of northern Italy.

40 minMediumServes 4420 cal/serving

ItalianSideStovetopVegetarianLow CarbLow-SodiumCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth), warmed
  • 1/4 tsp saffron threads
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 shallots, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

  1. 1

    Warm 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth) in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1/4 tsp saffron threads and keep warm throughout cooking.

  2. 2

    In a wide, heavy saucepan melt half the 4 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 2 finely diced shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.

  3. 3

    Add 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Toast for 2 minutes until the edges look translucent.

  4. 4

    Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until fully absorbed.

  5. 5

    Add the warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue until the rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy, about 18 to 22 minutes total.

  6. 6

    Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 4 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Italian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese?

A classic Milanese saffron risotto with creamy Arborio rice, dry white wine, and a generous finish of Parmesan and butter. Rich and golden, this is the definitive side dish of northern Italy. This reference files it under Italian side: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 40 minutes start to finish.

How much time should I plan for Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese?

As written, 40 minutes: 10 of prep and 30 of cooking. The longest single stretch is step 5 (22 minutes): "Continue until the rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy, about 18 to 22 minutes total."

How do I know when Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 3: cook until the edges look translucent. Step 5: cook until the rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy.

What can I use instead of arborio rice in Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese?

The entry for Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese calls for 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice. In its place: Any short-grain rice, such as sushi rice, still releases enough starch. Long-grain rice will not give a creamy result.

Can I make Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese is 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese low-carb?

A serving of Parmesan Risotto alla Milanese carries 12 g of carbohydrate, 1 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 60 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 12 percent.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.

More Italian entries

All Italian recipes · All Side recipes · All Arborio Rice recipes