Easy Garlic Parmesan Risotto Recipe (VIDEO)
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Garlic Parmesan Risotto sounds fancy, but it’s one of the simplest ways to make dinner feel a little special. This creamy risotto comes together in about 30 minutes using basic pantry ingredients and a steady, gentle simmer.
If risotto has ever felt intimidating, here’s the truth – it’s not complicated. It just needs a little attention. Once you understand the rhythm of adding warm stock and letting it absorb, it becomes second nature. I’ll show you exactly what it should look like at each stage so you’re never guessing.
The result is a rich, garlicky, parmesan-packed side dish that works just as well on a busy weeknight as it does for a relaxed weekend lunch. Pair it with a green salad, and chicken and you’ve got dinner handled.
If you want another cozy option, Mushroom Risotto Recipe is a great next step. Or if you’d rather skip the stirring, try my Instant Pot Risotto for a hands-off version.
There’s a handy video in the recipe card, scoot on down to watch this made!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Creamy without cream. The starch from the rice does all the work, so you get that rich texture without needing heavy cream.
- Big flavor from simple ingredients. Garlic, good stock, butter, and freshly grated parmesan are doing the heavy lifting here.
- Done in about 30 minutes. It feels restaurant-level, but it’s weeknight realistic.
- Perfect base for add-ins. Add chicken, shrimp, peas, mushrooms, or keep it simple as a side. It plays well with everything.
- Different from the usual carb side. When you’re tired of pasta and potatoes, this feels special without being complicated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Risotto is a Northern Italian rice dish cooked slowly with stock, stirring regularly until the rice releases its starch and becomes creamy. It’s usually made with arborio rice, butter, onion, white wine, stock, and parmesan. The stock can be vegetarian, seafood or meat (typically chicken).
Absolutely not. It adds a wonderful flavor, but you can skip it and use chicken or vegetable stock instead.
Arborio rice is the best choice because it has a high starch content, which is what gives risotto that creamy texture. Carnaroli is another great option if you can find it. You can technically use other short-grain rice, but the texture won’t be quite as creamy. Long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati isn’t ideal here – it won’t release enough starch to give you that classic risotto consistency.
Risotto is best right off the stove when it’s creamy and loose. It does thicken as it sits, but you can make it a little ahead and gently reheat it with a splash of warm stock or water to loosen it back up. I wouldn’t make it hours in advance for a dinner party, but 20 to 30 minutes early is totally fine.
Either works. Stock is usually made with bones and has a slightly richer, deeper flavor. Broth is lighter and made more from meat and vegetables. In this risotto, both will give you great results, so use what you have. The most important thing is that it tastes good and is well seasoned, because the rice absorbs all of that flavor.
How to serve Risotto
We love this with some Blue Cheese Topped Pork Chops, grilled chicken, steak or any simple protein. Add roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus to round out the plate.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Onion. Finely dice. This builds the base flavor along with the garlic and stock.
- Garlic. Freshly mince your garlic! Garlic is a key flavor in this risotto recipe!
- Olive oil. Extra virgin is good, but light olive oils also work
- Butter. Salted. Don’t skip this! It adds flavor to the rice
- Vegetable stock. Make Your Own Vegetable Stock or buy it. I prefer cartons and jars over cans of stock. You can substitute chicken stock if you prefer. Keep it hot in a saucepan nearby so it’s ready to ladle in.
- Dry white wine. Choose a wine you enjoy drinking. I prefer a sauvignon blanc, but chardonnay also works well. You can just use extra vegetable or chicken stock if you prefer! Risotto takes on the flavor of the stock and wine, so use good quality of both.
- Arborio rice. This is important, arborio rice has a high starch content, making it perfect for risotto as it helps blend the flavors and get that creamy consistency. Carnaroli rice is what is traditionally used, but in America I have easier access to arborio, so that is the rice in this recipe. Other rice will work, but won’t be as creamy. Definitely worth seeking out!
- Parmesan. Shred your own!! Pre grated parmesan just doesn’t taste as good or melt the same way!
- Parsley. Totally optional, but I think it adds a great touch of color.
Recommended Equipment/Tools
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- Garlic press and knife for handling the onion and garlic.
- Skillet. You’ll need a large one that is able to handle lots of stirring while you cook risotto.
- Ladle or cup for adding stock.
- Grater or microplane for the parmesan cheese.
How to make Risotto
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
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Get prepped: Begin by heating your stock and keeping it warm. Dice your onions, mince your garlic, shred your cheese.
Cook the onions and garlic: Add butter and oil to a large skillet over medium heat (I actually use a wok for this!). Add the onions and cook until just tender, then add the garlic. Cook 1 minute longer.
Add the rice and wine: Add the rice and stir to coat, (making sure oil gets onto every grain of rice if you can). Add white wine and stir until it is absorbed.
Continue to cook the risotto:Add 1 cup at a time (or one ladleful at a time) of the stock and cook, stirring until it’s fully absorbed before adding more. Repeat this until you have used almost all of the stock- it should take about 25 minutes. When you add the last cup of stock, also add the parsley, but only let the stock absorb halfway and then add your cheese.
Let it absorb until it is creamy and thick, but not soupy or mushy. Risotto should be al dente, like pasta.
Serve: Add extra parmesan and salt and pepper if desired.
Troubleshooting Guide
- Rice is still crunchy in the center. It just needs more time. Keep adding warm stock a little at a time and let it gently simmer. Risotto is not fast food – you’re aiming for tender with a slight bite, not hard in the middle.
- Risotto is too thick. It probably sat for a few minutes and tightened up – risotto does that. Stir in a splash of warm stock or hot water off the heat until it loosens back up and looks creamy again.
- Risotto is too thin. It needs a few more minutes on the stove. Let it simmer and stir occasionally until the liquid reduces and it thickens to that slow, creamy flow when you drag a spoon through it.
- Risotto tastes bland. It needs seasoning. Add salt gradually and use freshly grated parmesan, not the shelf stuff. A small squeeze of lemon at the end can wake everything up.
- Parmesan clumped instead of melting smoothly. The pan was too hot. Take it off the heat before stirring in freshly grated parmesan so it melts into the rice instead of turning stringy.
Kylee’s Notes
Use a white wine you’d actually drink. Skip anything labeled cooking wine. The flavor reduces and concentrates, so starting with something decent really does matter. If you don’t want to use wine, that’s okay too. Just use a little extra stock.
Don’t obsess over exact measurements when adding stock. Each pour just needs to mostly cover the rice. Watch the pan, not the measuring cup.
Simmer gently. You want a soft bubble, not a full-on boil. A rapid boil cooks the outside too fast and throws off the texture.
Warm your stock before you start. Pour it into a small saucepan and keep it over low heat so it stays hot but not boiling. You can also microwave it in a large measuring cup in 1 to 2 minute bursts until hot. Cold stock cools the pan down every time you add it, and that messes with the texture.
Stir regularly, but don’t stand there stirring nonstop. You’re helping release starch, not making glue. Give it attention, then let it do its thing for a minute.
If it thickens up before serving, don’t panic. Stir in a splash of warm stock or hot water and it’ll loosen right back up.
How to store leftover risotto
Risotto is best served fresh, right out of of the pan. However, if you are lucky enough to find yourself with leftovers, store risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It reheats beautifully, so you can pack it to take to work for lunch, or heat it for a quick side with another meal later in the week.
We don’t recommend freezing risotto. The texture is affected and not in a good way.
Substitutions/Additions
I use vegetable stock or chicken stock, depending on what I have on hand.
Some of our favorite risotto recipes
- Mushroom Risotto. Creamy dreamy, herby and delicious, this mushroom risotto is perfect as a side, or even as a main dish!
- Instant Pot Risotto: Get this classic Italian side dish, a dreamy, creamy risotto super fast, and hands OFF!
- Lemon Spinach Risotto: packed with flavor and super easy to make.
- Butternut Squash Risotto. Finished with basil and parmesan, this is a hearty side dish or a delicious vegetarian main course. Either way, it’s delicious!
- Bacon Zucchini Risotto. A perfect way to use up summer squash, this Bacon Zucchini Risotto is creamy, bright and fresh – so yummy! This is a great one pan dinner, or a perfect side.
- Chicken Risotto. A yummy, protein and veggie packed dinner that is a one pot meal everyone loves!
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Update: This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2026 to improve user experience, but the recipe remains unchanged.
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto Recipe + VIDEO
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped
Instructions
Get prepped
- Begin by heating 4 cups vegetable stock and keeping it warm.
Sauté the onions and garlic
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the 1/2 medium onion (diced) and cook until just tender, then add the 4 cloves minced garlic. Cook 1 minute longer.
Add the rice and wine (if using)
- Add 1 cup arborio rice and toss to coat, (making sure oil gets onto every grain of rice if you can).
- Add 1/4 cup dry white wine and stir until it is absorbed. (If you are not using wine, just add a little extra stock here)
Continue cooking risotto
- Add 1 ladle full of the stock and stir until it absorbs.
- Repeat this until you have used almost all of the stock – it should take about 17-25 minutes.
- When you add the last ladle of stock, also add the parsley, but only let the stock absorb halfway and then add your 1 cup parmesan cheese.
- Let it absorb until it is creamy and thick, but not soupy.
Serve
- Serve, adding extra parmesan if desired.
- Garnish with 3 tablespoons parsley (optional)
Video
Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
Too much stock for 1 cup of rice and lacking in garlic taste
Great taste, easy to make.
Thank you.
Fantastic recipe – turned out amazing! I usually shy away from making risotto but our Arborio was on the older side so I found this recipe and am so glad that I did! No need to adjust anything in the recipe which is so rare. Thank you for sharing 🙂