Creamy Tomato Risotto

Why My Creamy Tomato Risotto Recipe Is SO Good

• Risotto is one of my favorite dishes to make and some great chefs taught me several techniques to make the best risotto. I’ve passed all those techniques in all my risotto recipes because I believe it’s a great dish to make at home.
• Making risotto is chill and not rushed, it wants to be tended to slowly and take it’s time cooking. Which is actually good for you, as the cook, because you just stir it from time to time and add some liquid. Very easy steps, just some of your time required.
• I make sure to add real tomato flavor from fresh tomatoes plus a spoonful of tomato paste to enhance the rich tomato flavor.
• Finishing the risotto with cream and parmesan is what balances the rich and acidic tomato flavor.
• Follow my techniques and remember patience, this is what will help you keep your risotto from turning gluey or being watery. That and making sure to taste the rice so you don’t overcook it or undercook it.
• Risotto is usually ready in under an hour and all you need is mostly pantry staples and a couple of fresh ingredients.

Key Ingredients and Notes

• Shallot – Shallots are milder and sweeter than regular onion, so they melt into the dish instead of standing out. If you only have yellow onion, it will still work, just expect a slightly sharper flavor.
• Tomatoes on the vine – Vine tomatoes are ripe and hold their shape as they cook down into the rice. The better and riper your tomatoes, the better this risotto will taste, so this is a good spot to splurge a little.
• Dry white wine – The wine adds acidity that balances the sweetness of the tomatoes and cream. Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay both work well. Pick a bottle you’d actually want to drink, since you’ll taste that wine in the final dish.
• Arborio rice – This is a short grain rice with a high starch content, and that starch is exactly what gives risotto its signature creamy texture. Other rice varieties won’t release starch the same way, so arborio (or another labeled “risotto rice”) is worth seeking out.
• Vegetable broth – Warm it with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper before you start cooking the rice, since seasoning the broth ahead of time means every ladleful you add is already flavored. You can use homemade chicken stock or homemade vegetable stock, or a low sodium store-bought broth so you control the salt level yourself.
• Tomato paste – A spoonful adds concentrated tomato flavor and deepens the color of the risotto without adding extra liquid the way canned tomato sauce would.
• Dried Italian seasoning and garlic powder – These round out the flavor throughout the whole pot, not just where the fresh garlic and tomatoes are, so every bite tastes seasoned instead of just the parts closest to the aromatics.
• Fresh basil – Use fresh basil, not dried, and mince it right before adding it to the pot. Adding it at the end keeps the flavor bright instead of letting it turn dull from prolonged cooking.
• Heavy whipping cream – This is what gives the risotto its velvety, rich finish. Half and half won’t thicken the same way, so it’s not a great substitute here.
• Parmesan cheese – Buy a block and grate it yourself if you can. Fresh grated parmesan melts smoother and tastes noticeably better than the pre-shredded kind.

Full recipe and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How To Make Creamy Tomato Risotto: Tips and Steps

1. Warm the broth with the seasoning. Combine the broth with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small pot over medium heat, then lower it to low once it’s warmed through so it stays hot without simmering away while you cook the risotto. You want to add hot broth to the risotto so it doesn’t cool it down while cooking.
2. Sauté the shallot. Preheat a large, deep pan over medium heat with the olive oil, then add the sliced shallot and cook until fragrant, softened, and just starting to turn golden.
3. Cook down the tomatoes, then add the garlic. Add the diced tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then make a well in the center of the pan for the garlic so it toasts directly in the oil instead of getting buried in the vegetables.
4. Toast the rice. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan and add the arborio rice to the empty center. Let it toast undisturbed for a minute before stirring everything together, then lower the heat to medium-low.
5. Deglaze with wine. Pour in half the wine and let it simmer until absorbed, about a couple of minutes. You want to separate the wine so it’s absorbed at different times, for enhanced flavor.
6. Stir in the tomato paste. Mix it in completely before adding any broth, so its flavor coats every grain of rice from the start.

7. Add the broth gradually. Ladle in the warm broth about a half cup at a time, stirring in the remaining wine partway through, and let the rice absorb most of the liquid before the next addition. This is the step that takes the most patience, and rushing it or raising the heat is the most common way risotto turns out gluey or undercooked.
8. Finish with cream, parmesan, and basil. Once the rice is just about done with a small bite left in the center, stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, and basil, then taste and adjust the salt.
9. Serve right away. Top with extra grated parmesan and serve immediately.

Ways to Serve Creamy Tomato Basil Risotto

• As a light dinner – pair it with grilled salmon with brown butter citrus sauce, braised short ribs, or spatchcock chicken for a full meal.
• With bread – serve with warm, crusty bread to catch every last bit of the creamy tomato sauce.
• Alongside other tomato dishes – round out a summer spread with heirloom tomato salad or tomato basil corn salad.
• As a starter – spoon smaller portions into shallow bowls and serve it as an elegant first course before the main course.

Storing Leftover Tomato Risotto

• Risotto is best eaten fresh, right after cooking, since the rice keeps absorbing liquid as it sits and the texture changes the longer it sits.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• To reheat, warm it in a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of extra broth to loosen it back up. If using a microwave, cover the dish with a lid or damp paper towel and add a little broth before heating.
• Risotto does not freeze well, since freezing breaks down the rice’s texture, so I don’t recommend storing it that way.

Creamy Tomato Risotto Recipe FAQs

More Risotto Recipes to Try

• Mushroom Risotto
• Parmesan Risotto
• Lobster Risotto
• Lemon Risotto with Lemon Pepper Shrimp

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