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–+ servings

Zucchini Risotto

4.91 | 10 reviews
This beautiful light green risotto is rich, creamy, packed with vegetables and perfect for a late summer weeknight meal or side dish for a crowd. I like to serve it with slow roasted salmon to create a full meal, but it will be a happy side to any summer grilling recipe!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 large zucchini, 2 pounds / 900 grams
  • 1 large yellow onion , 8 ounces / 220 grams
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound Arborio rice , see Note
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup whole-milk ricotta , 8 ounces / 220 grams
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup packed basil leaves, 1 ounce/ 30 grams
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan , for serving, 2 ounces / 60 grams
  • Lemon zest , for serving
  • Calabrian chili oil, optional, for serving

Instructions 

  1. Begin your mise en place. Into a large bowl, use either a rasp-style grater or box grater to grate the zucchini as finely as possible. Do not drain it. Set it aside.
  2. Finely dice the yellow onion and set it aside.
  3. Fill a large pot (or Dutch oven) with 10 cups of water and place it over one burner. On the opposite burner, set a high-sided sauté pan. Make sure this pan has the capacity to hold up to ten cups of volume.
  4. Increase the heat under the pot of water to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Add 2 tablespoons of salt to the pot.
  5. Increase the heat under the sauté pan to medium. Add 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and let it heat up for a few minutes. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often so that it cooks but doesn't take on any color. Season with a pinch of salt.
  6. At the ten-minute mark, add 1/2 cup of water to the onion. Let it simmer, which will allow the onion to cook until nearly melty, while making sure it takes on no color. In about 5 minutes all the water will have simmered away, leaving the oil and cooked onion.
  7. When the water is gone, add the Arborio rice to the onion. Stir constantly, allowing the rice to be coated in the oil. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until the outside of the rice is clear and the inside is still opaque. When it hits the side of the pan as you stir, it should sound clattery like glass.
  8. Add the cup of white wine and let it simmer. In 2-3 minutes it will cook off, you'll know because the rice will be thick, absorbing the wine and leaving nearly no liquid.
  9. Now it is time to start the risotto cooking process. Every 3-4 minutes or so, you will want to add about 1/2 cup of grated zucchini and a 2/3 cup pour of water from the simmer pot. Stir this into the rice to agitate the starches (this is what makes risotto thick), and then when the rice has thickened and absorbed the liquid, repeat the step again. You'll do this for about 6-8 rounds, cooking for about 20-30 minutes, stirring nearly constantly. (Note that you will use up nearly almost all 10 cups of water in the pot.)
  10. When the rice looks fully opaque and the risotto starts to look thick and creamy, around the 20-minute mark, you can begin testing the rice. I recommend taking a bite (make sure it's cool!), if the rice is still tough, it will need a few more rounds. If the rice is a pleasant, slightly al dente texture, it's time to add your last splash of water and move onto the cheese.
  11. Turn off the heat under the pot of water and reduce the heat under the risotto to low. Add in 1 cup of ricotta cheese to the risotto and stir it in. Taste and season with salt and pepper as preferred.
  12. If you have any water left in the pot, feel free to add a few splashes to keep the risotto loose, you want it the texture of oatmeal.
  13. Add in the basil leaves and stir again.
  14. Serve warm, with a grating of fresh parmesan on top and some lemon zest. If you prefer a little kick with your food, drizzle it with Calabrian chili oil.

Notes

If you don't have Arborio rice, short-grain white sushi rice will also work. Unfortunately no other grains are suitable for this method.