Best 10 Zucchini Risotto Recipes

ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring vegetable or chicken stock to a boil in a medium stock pot, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
• Melt butter in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted. Gradually ladle in simmering vegetable stock, stirring continuously. Risotto will become "creamy" and slightly sticky, yet still firm in the center, or al dente.
• When almost finished, stir in the zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, and thyme, adding stock as needed and stirring continuously. Stir in basil and 3 tablespoons cheese just before serving. Divide risotto among 6 bowls, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and season with pepper to taste.

SPRING RISOTTO WITH PEAS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Heat broth and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Cook, adding 1 cup hot broth at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
• Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and Parmesan. Serve, topped with more cheese.

RISOTTO WITH ZUCCHINI AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Melt 1 T. butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, and cook until beginning to soften, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl; reserve saucepan (do not clean).
• Bring 3 cups broth to simmer in small saucepan. Reduce heat to lwo and keep warm.
• Melt remaining 2 T. butter in reserved medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth. Adjust heat so liquid simmers slowly and cook rice until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is just tender and creamy, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and stir until heated through. Mix in cheese.

RISOTTO STUFFED PEPPERS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Combine the chicken stock, 2 cups water, the orange and lemon zests and the saffron in a pot, and bring to a low simmer.
• Halve the zucchini lengthwise and gently scrape out the center flesh and seeds. Chop the center flesh and seeds and reserve. Halve each zucchini again crosswise. Arrange the zucchini and bell peppers cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with EVOO and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO in a round-bottomed risotto pot or pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 more minutes. Stir in the rice, then add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the stock mixture a few ladles at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition and allowing the liquid to mostly evaporate before adding more. The rice will take about 18 minutes to cook to al dente. In the last minute or so of cooking, stir in 1/2 cup cheese, the butter and the lemon and orange juices.
• Scoop the risotto into the vegetables.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO and 1/2 cup cheese with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the tops of the risotto filling. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until the tops are browned, 10 to 15 more minutes. Garnish with the parsley.
• Cook's Note: If you are not serving the dish immediately, fill the vegetables with the risotto and let cool (do not bake). Cover and store in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, bake as directed.

LEMON-BASIL RISOTTO WITH ZUCCHINI AND FAVA BEANS

Steps:

• Remove fava beans from pods. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and submerge beans for 1 minute, then drain and chill in cold water. Slit translucent skin of each bean and discard. Test a bean for tenderness: if hard, simmer for 2 to 8 minutes, until tender. Cover and refrigerate until needed, up to 2 days.
• Pour broth into a saucepan, bring to a simmer and keep warm. Place a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and a large skillet on stove. Divide butter or oil, garlic and shallots between the two pans.
• Place Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté garlic and shallots until translucent. Add rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add wine and lemon zest and continue stirring until all the wine is absorbed. Begin stirring in the broth, one ladleful at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Meanwhile (after about the second ladleful of broth), place skillet over medium-high heat. Stir until garlic is light gold. Add zucchini and sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• When most of the broth is incorporated, taste rice; it should be creamy with a slightly firm center. Remove from heat and mix in cheese. Cover and allow to rest for 1 minute. Meanwhile, return zucchini mixture to medium heat. Add favas and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir just until mixture is warm, then remove from heat.
• Add half the basil to zucchini and mix gently. Stir remaining basil and lemon balm or lemon juice into risotto. Place a portion of each on plates and serve immediately.

BAKED TUNA AND ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 C or about 375 F.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat.
• Lightly fry the onion for about 5 minutes until translucent.
• Add the rice and stir for another minute.
• Add the stock to the rice with the tomatoes.
• Bring to a simmering point and then stir in the tuna and zucchini.
• Season with black pepper and salt and then put in an ovenproof dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
• Scatter shredded basil leaves over the top and the freshly grated parmesan just before serving.

ITALIAN BLACK BEAN & ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• In large deep skillet over medium heat, heat oil.
• Add rice; stir to coat with oil.
• Stir in 4 cups water and salt; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat; cover and simmer about 15 to 18 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
• Stir black beans, zucchini, salsa, 1 cup cheese and cilantro into rice mixture.
• Cover; cook about 8 minutes, until zucchini is tender.
• Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
• Remove from heat, cover and let stand 4 minutes, until cheese is melted.
• Serve with sour cream and green onions.

RISOTTO WITH ZUCCHINI, CARROTS AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring broth to boil and keep it at a bare simmer.
• In a kettle, cook zucchini and carrots in ½ cup of butter over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Add rice and cook over moderately-high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of stock and cook at a vigorous simmer, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until stock is absorbed.
• Add more stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring and simmering, until absorbed and rice begins to soften (about 6 cups of broth will have been absorbed).
• Add more stock, ½ cup at a time, in same manner, until rice is al dente.
• Stir in cream and remaining ¼ cup butter.
• Remove from heat and add Parmesan, parsley and basil and season to taste.
• Transfer to a heated serving bowl and serve immediately.

SPRING RISOTTO WITH PEAS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Heat broth and 2 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan over low heat; keep warm. Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until zucchini is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer zucchini to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Raise heat to medium. Add rice; cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Cook, adding 1 cup hot broth at a time (stir until almost all liquid is absorbed before adding more), until rice is tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
• Add zucchini and peas; cook until peas are bright green, 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and Parmesan. Serve, topped with more cheese.

SWEET CORN & ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Make the basil oil (preferably a day ahead of time). Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prepare a medium bowl of ice water. Wash the basil and remove leaves from the stem. Add the basil leaves to boiling water. Remove leaves after 10 seconds and plunge into the ice water to stop it from cooking. Shake off the basil and place between paper towels. Squeeze to get as much water out as possible.
• Add basil to the pitcher of a blender along with the olive oil and grapeseed oil. Puree. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate overnight for deepest flavor. Or, if short on time, continue to the next step.
• Place a cheesecloth over a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the oil over the top (bring to room temperature first if it was refrigerated). Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to get as much oil out as possible. Discard the solids. Pour the oil into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for up to four weeks in the refrigerator.
• Make the vegetable broth. Cut kernels off of two ears of the corn. Reserve the corn kernels for the risotto. Add cobs to the a large dutch oven or stock pot. Add carrots, celery, onions, parsley, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring very gently only occasionally, until the vegetables are soft - about 35 minutes. Place a colander over a large bowl and strain broth through the colander. Rinse out the pot, then place a fine mesh sieve over the pot. Strain the broth through the sieve back into the pot. Discard solids. Add 1 teaspoon salt and stir to dissolve.
• Prep the risotto. First, grill one cob of corn to use as a garnish later on. To do this, remove the husk, rub with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Heat an outdoor grill or an indoor grill pan on medium high. Cook the corn, turning occasionally, until tender and some of the corn kernels are blackened. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Have the rest of your ingredients ready before starting - the kernels removed from the two remaining ears of corn, garlic minced, wine and rice measured out.
• Bring the broth to simmer, because it's time to ...
• Make the risotto. Place a medium saute pan over low heat. Add olive oil, onion, and a pinch of kosher salt to help draw out the flavor and moisture. Gently sweat the onion (it should just barely sizzle), stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 15 minutes. If your onion starts to brown, turn down the heat.
• Add 1/4 cup warm broth to further soften the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates.
• Next, "toast" the rice. Increase heat to medium. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 4 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the onions or rice; if they start to brown, reduce the heat.
• Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Pour in the wine and cook, stirring, until it has absorbed.
• Add one cup of the broth and cook, stirring frequently but not constantly, until the liquid has absorbed/evaporated completely. The rice should bubble gently consistently - adjust the heat if needed. Add one more cup of broth and cook, stirring frequently, until evaporated. Add the next cup of broth, then stir in the corn. Continue cooking until evaporated and add the fourth cup of broth. This whole process should take about 15 minutes. After the fourth cup is added and/or the 15-minute mark is reached, taste the rice. If it's al dente ("to the tooth"), it's done! If not, add a bit more broth and continue to cook until the rice is tender and the risotto is loose. Note: If you run out of broth, you can always add some warm water in a pinch to finish cooking.
• Stir in the zucchini. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
• Spoon into serving dishes. Garnish with charred corn kernels, a generous drizzle of basil oil, and fresh basil. Serve immediately.