Need a one pan meal that has EVERYTHING + is done in 30 min or less? This creamy shrimp risotto is hearty, filling and so delicious. Made with jumbo shrimp, peas and parmesan it's packed with flavor and much easier than you may think. Creamy and delicious comfort food!
How to get the perfect risotto!
Risotto can be tricky to get right, but truly, unless you're like a Gordon Ramsey psycho-prodigy in the kitchen, this will be a party in your mouth no matter what.
The key is to constantly stir. Consider it your bicep's friend. The Arborio rice has a high starch content, so that when it's cooked (correctly), it results in a creamy dish without having to add much fat. But fat, we shall add. In the form of cheese. If you must, you may reduce the amount of parmesan cheese you add and it will still be fabulous.
How to Make Risotto
With risotto, you stir stir stir. Add broth about a cup at a time, and stir until it is absorbed. Then add the next cup. You'll do this for a total of 7 cups (ish). This is me just adding the cup....
then this is at the end of the cup being absorbed. On to the next cup until your rice is 'al-dente', or just with a little bite.
beginning stages
Add Parmesan Cheese
The final risotto should be 'soupier' than your normal rice dish. On a plate, it should spread significantly, yet still keep some shape. This (and the rice texture) is how you gauge how much liquid to add, keeping in mind you will be adding cheese (which will thin it out a bit and make it more 'spreadable'). After the rice is done, slowly add in a little of the freshly-grated parmesan cheese at a time and stir until incorporated. Continue until all of the cheese is mixed in.
What can I substitute shrimp with?
Now if you have an aversion to shrimp, you can sub chicken, or go protein-less. Sometimes I actually prefer a pure risotto. Something about mouthfuls of creamy, cheesy, soft rice without interruption screams bliss at me.
How to cook perfectly tender shrimp
For tender, non-rubberized shrimp, you must only cook it for the minimal amount of time. We're talking several minutes here, and that's it. This means that as soon as you start to see that those little suckers are opaque and pink, they are done. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
After the risotto is done, cheese stored in return the shrimp to the pan, and add in the peas. Season with salt to taste, then top with freshly-cracked black pepper and chives.
Tips For Making This Creamy Shrimp Risotto;
- You can substitute peas for asparagus or spinach
- Try adding some fresh herbs such as basil, parsley or thyme
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Creamy Shrimp Risotto
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 Tablespoon EVOO
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 pound jumbo deveined, uncooked, shell-off shrimp
- 1 pound Arborio rice
- 7-8 c chicken broth optional to replace ½-1 c liquid with white cooking wine
- 2 c parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ½ c sweet peas
- chives to top
Instructions
- Saute the garlic and onion in EVOO and butter over medium heat.
- Add in shrimp, and cook until just barely opaque and light pink.
- Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Add rice to sauted garlic and onions, stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer, and pour in 1 c broth while stirring. Continue to stir until all of the broth is absorbed.
- Add in remaining broth 1 c at a time, ensuring each cup is absorbed before adding the next.
- Rice should be 'al dente'. Slowly mix in cheese a little bit at a time, then peas, and finally shrimp. Heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring until all combined.
- Salt as needed, top with fresh-cracked black pepper and chives.
Carleen says
So yummy! Love the garlic and slow addition of chicken stock. We substituted asparagus and spinach for the peas. Also cooked up the shrimp a bit more and it was perfection!
Michelle says
What is EVOO???
Kadee says
Extra Virgin Olive Oil