This zucchini risotto dish is a creamy one-pot dish that is comforting and delicious. I used a zucchini from the farmer’s market that I had leftover after making zucchini bread. This zucchini was massive and ended up being used in three different dishes! You can use any type of squash that you have laying around, but the color will obviously be different depending on which squash that you use. You can also mix and match with different types of cheese. Risotto is one of those dishes that I was always scared to make because it is known to be “temperamental”. The thing is though, I don’t actually think it is. I feel like all it needs is a few extra stirs and it always ends up turning delicious. Here is a video of my Zucchini Risotto!

Zucchini Risotto with Pecorino Cheese and Fresh Basil

The only thing that may be “extra” about risotto is that you need to buy a specific type of rice. Risotto uses Arborio Rice. Most people don’t keep Arborio rice in their pantry, so you may have to plan this recipe in advanced. This recipe may not be considered a “quick” weeknight meal, but I do believe it is easy to make. Especially on a night when you have a bit more time or on a Sunday afternoon.

What is Risotto?

Risotto is an Italian rice dish combining a short grain rice with liquids and slowly cooking it until creamy. The type of rice that is used is “Arborio”. Also, because it is a type of rice, it is naturally gluten free.

Is Risotto difficult to make?

Risotto definitely needs more stirring than making regular rice, but the stirring is not constant and it is cooked in under 30 minutes. I think Risotto is pretty easy to make, it just requires a bit of attention.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Arborio Rice
1 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
1/2 Large Vidalia Onion
1 tbsp Minced Garlic or 3-4 garlic cloves
1 Cup Shredded Zucchini
1/4 cup White Wine optional
4 – 5 Cups Chicken Broth
1 Cup Pecorino Cheese
5 leaves Fresh Basil
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Add butter to a large saute pan. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onion and garlic. Stir until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to mix it with the onions and garlic. Add the wine and two cups of the broth and cook on medium heat until liquid is almost evaporated. Give this a good stir every couple of minutes.
Once the liquid is almost gone, continuing adding the broth one cup at a time. After you add the fourth cup of broth add the zucchini at the same time. You should see that the dish is becoming very creamy.
Once the fourth cup of broth has evaporated, the risotto should be fully cooked. The risotto should be soft and creamy, but not watery. If you think the risotto is hard, add a little bit more broth, stir, and cook it for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese and fresh basil. Then, taste it and add a little salt or pepper to taste.

NOTES

I use a microplane to finely shred my pecorino into little cheese mountains. 🙂

If you like this recipe for Zucchini Risotto, you may also like:

Garlic Shrimp Risotto

Zucchini Risotto

A deliciously creamy one-pot dish that includes zucchini, risotto, and cheese

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 Cup Arborio Rice
1 tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
1 tbsp Minced Garlic or 3-4 garlic cloves finely minced
1/2 Large Vidalia Onion finely diced
1 Cup Shredded Zucchini I use a cheese grater to shred it
1/4 cup White Wine optional
4 Cups Chicken Broth plus a little extra
1 Cup Pecorino Cheese
5 leaves Fresh Basil sliced or diced
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
black pepper a couple of shakes

Instructions

Add butter to a large saute pan. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onion and garlic. Stir until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to mix it with the onions and garlic. Add the wine and two cups of the broth and cook on medium heat until liquid is almost evaporated. Give this a good stir every couple of minutes.
Once the liquid is almost gone, continuing adding the broth one cup at a time. After you add the fourth cup of broth, add the zucchini at the same time. You should see that the dish is becoming very creamy.
Once the fourth cup of broth has evaporated, the risotto should be fully cooked. The risotto should be soft and creamy, but not watery. If you think the risotto is hard, add a little bit more broth, stir, and cook it for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese and fresh basil. Then, taste it and add a little salt or pepper to taste. I like to save some of the cheese to use it as a topping when I plate the recipe.