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Improve your risotto game by adding smoked salmon for a big and bold flavour. Creamy and cheesy goodness, that is so easy to make at home it’ll definitely end up on your weeknight meal rotation!
Serve this comfort food dish with our Roasted Asparagus for a beautiful and quick dinner.
Just like pasta dishes, I am quite certain there is no way to exhaust flavours, which could be added to a basic risotto, making it a very versatile, not to mention a delicious dinner option.
The recipe I am sharing today is also a quick one. Flavoured with smoked salmon, this risotto automatically gets promoted to an elegant dish category while being extremely simple.
Smoked salmon can do so much more than top a bagel! I love using it as an immediate flavour booster in dishes like this creamy pasta. And since it comes ready to eat, all you need to do is warm it through.
Seafood Risotto
Traditionally Italian risotto recipes are vegetarian with the exception of seafood risotto. This particular recipe is not an authentic one but my own creation. All I did was combine my favourite things to bring it into being.
It is also not customary to add cheese to fish and seafood in Italian cooking. I broke that rule as well and have no regrets. This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese adds such a beautiful savoury note to this luscious concoction.
I also threw in some green peas, which literally burst with freshness in your mouth. They provide a nice balance to the creamy texture as does a touch of lemon zest.
I know that risotto can get a reputation for being hard work to make, needing constant stirring and way too much attention. I don’t think this is quite fair, and hope it doesn’t convince anyone not to try.
Some stirring with a wooden spoon is needed to release the starch that makes risotto creamy from the grains. But it really isn’t that difficult and is well worth the effort!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- To achieve the famous creamy texture, you will need to use starchy rice like This is an affiliate link.Arborio or This is an affiliate link.Carnaroli. Sometimes, it will be simply labeled as risotto rice. You can watch me making a risotto here for more detailed tips and instructions.
- I love using a bit of dry white wine to bring acidity to this rice dish. Avoid sweet wines as they will dramatically alter the dish. Varieties like chardonnay, pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc are good options. If I don’t have a bottle of white wine open, I often go for Vermouth, which keeps much longer than regular wine.
- The best vessel for cooking a risotto is a large saucepan. It keeps the moisture in, which makes it easier to achieve that desirable creamy texture.
- Stir in the smoked salmon at the very end as it only needs a couple of minutes to warm through. This way there is less risk of tearing it from too much stirring.
- The peas can be added when still frozen. They’ll have plenty of time to cook.
- For more detailed tips on how to make a perfect risotto, take a look at this article.
Serving suggestions
I’m a fan of serving this salmon risotto recipe with chopped parsley and a sprinkling of lemon zest, although a small amount of lemon juice can also be used.
I’ll also add a bit more Parmesan cheese and pepper, but that’s optional. Chopped fresh dill can also be a nice add if you prefer it to parsley.
Risotto is a hefty meal that can stand on its own. If you want sides, I would reach for garlic bread and a fresh salad like insalata caprese!
Storage and leftovers
Risotto will lose it’s consistency when it is stored, going from tender to soggy if left too long. Still, it’ll keep for 3-4 days when stored in a refrigerator in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container.
Reheating can happen in a microwave, if you are willing to put in a little more effort, the stovetop can give better results. Use a This is an affiliate link.saucepan and bring it gently to temperature, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen it if needed.
More risotto recipes to try
- Chicken Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme
- Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto
- Truffled Lentil and Kale Risotto
- Roasted Vegetable Risotto
Salmon Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1/2 onion, or 1 shallot
- 300g/1 1/2 cups This is an affiliate link.Arborio rice, or other risotto rice
- 125ml/1/2 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
- 1 litre/4 cups fish or chicken stock
- 100g/1/2 cup green peas, could be frozen
- 70g/1/4 cup creme fraiche, or sour cream
- 50g/1/2 cup This is an affiliate link.Parmesan cheese
- 150g/5 oz smoked salmon
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp lemon zest , for garnish
- 1 tbsp parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large and deep pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion or shallot for 5-7 minutes over low heat until translucent. Add the Arborio rice and stir fry for 1 minute until the rice is fully coated in oil, add the dry white wine and let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes until the wine is reduced in volume.
- Then add ¼ of the stock, stir and let it simmer for a few minutes over medium heat. The stock should be just above the rice when you first add it. Once you see the stock going down, add a bit more and stir. Repeat until all stock is gone and the rice is cooked but still slightly chewy. Just before you add the last ladle of the stock, add the green peas (could be frozen) and let them cook with the rice for about 5-7 minutes. Give everything a quick stir every time you add more stock.
- Once the rice is cooked and the risotto is nice and creamy, stir in crème fraiche and grated Parmesan cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted, then taste it and season with salt. Finally stir in bite-sized slices of salmon and let them go opaque. Then cover with a lid and let it stand for 5 minutes, then sprinkle the zest of ½ lemon over. Serve with more grated Parmesan, chopped parsley and black pepper.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
