Nothing can top the silky rich flavor of a creamy risotto, except maybe adding cheese into the mix! Risotto is usually made fresh and eaten right away or else the rice will dry out when you try to reheat it, but recently Daniel Gritzer over at Serious Eats discovered that by incorporating mozzarella into his dish, he could preserve the moisture so that the risotto can be pre-made and saved for later.
Risotto and cheese belong together, but not only in a deep fried in a scrumptious Arancini. It’s easy to incorporate cheese into your risottos and thanks to Daniel, now we know that it can help preserve freshness too. So try out one or all of these recipes!
1. Spring Onion Risotto with Safron and Asparagus
Use whey in place of broth for a bright flavor that complements spring vegetables.
The critical part of this recipe is the grated cheese. It will tie together the Safron and Asparagus, as well as complimenting the creaminess of the risotto. Most cheeses will work, but we recommend Pecorino.
2. Potato “Risotto” with Svecia Cheese and Truffles
For this earthy dish you can Order Svecia cheese online or substitute Parmigiano Reggiano.
Okay so this recipe is far from traditional not only because you’re using Svecia cheese, but also because your replacing rice with potatoes! Though it is very different, the starchiness of the potatoes will combine well with the cheese flavors just like a risotto would.
3. Taleggio Risotto with Earthy Flavors
Each step of this three-part recipe serves to enhance and intensify the deep, sweet flavors of the final dish.
This recipe is the perfect way to bring together the buttery flavor of Taleggio with the natural creaminess of risotto.
4. Beet Risotto with Gjetost and Basil
Dark, salty-sweet gjetost cheese brings richness and complexity to this showy risotto.
This beet risotto has bright colors and even brighter flavors once you add salty and sweet Gjetost.
5. Robiola and Crispy Speck Risotto
Photo Credit: Image courtesy of Maria Teresa Jorge via Food52.
The Robiola in this recipe really brings together the flavors of the cured pork to make the perfect cheesy risotto.
Jamie Ditaranto
Jamie Ditaranto is a senior at Emerson College and an online editorial intern for culture, who enjoys writing, photography, and travel. She finds a way to sneak cheese into just about every meal and is a sucker for free samples.
