With this first-rate gluten-free risotto rice recipe, you will have a taste of the rich and creamy flavors of Italy.
It is cooked to perfection along with succulent Arborio rice, tasty chicken broth, and a splash of dry white wine.
This dish is the best comfort food that you’ll ever crave. The simple ingredients and laid-out instructions that will be given in this guide will yield a restaurant-quality meal on your table in little or no time.
What Is Risotto?
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish that is made with Arborio rice that is then slow-cooked in broth until it becomes creamy and soft.
It is normally just flavored with parmesan cheese, wine, or butter, and it can be served as either a main or side dish.
Traditional risotto recipes can be rather labor intensive, given the fact that the broth is warmed separately and stirred little by little into the Arborio rice to absorb slowly.
This is a process that can take up to 30 minutes at the stove. However, lucky enough, this easy gluten-free risotto recipe will result in the same perfect creamy and tender results using a stress-free, hands-off method.
Recipe for Gluten-Free Risotto
This healthy recipe for gluten-free risotto rice is one of the most simple risotto recipes. It contains spring and summer veggies that you will love.
By the time you have a taste of this dish, it will instantly become your go-to delicious vegetable risotto recipe, and it is also dairy-free.
- Course: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- 1 heavy bottom pot
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Arborio rice
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
- ½ yellow onion (diced)
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- 2 ¼ cups of vegetable broth or water (plus bouillon)
- ¼ cup of fresh basil leaves (ribbon cut)
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- ¾ cup of dry white wine (or more vegetable broth)
- ¾ teaspoon of dried oregano
- 8 oz. of cherry tomatoes
Laid-Out Instructions
- First, prepare your vegetables. And, you can do that by mincing the garlic, slicing the zucchini in semi-circles (1/4 in thick), dicing the onion, stacking the basil leaves, halving the tomatoes, and slicing into thin ribbons.
- After that, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy bottom pot on medium heat.
- With that done, add the onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until they become soft.
- Also, add the rice and cook for an additional minute, stirring time and again, until the rice starts to be translucent on the edges.
- Add the white wine immediately and stir to make sure that no rice sticks. Then, cook for 1-2 minutes and add in 1 ¾ cups of the oregano, broth, salt, and pepper.
- I suggest you then reduce the heat a bit and cook for 12–14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Stirring often too.
- Just turn the heat to low and stir in the remaining broth. Cook for an extra 2–3 minutes. Also, stir time and again.
- Now, remove it from the burner and set it aside. After that, get a large pan and heat the remaining olive oil in it over high heat.
- That being done, add the sliced zucchini and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning it over and cooking for an extra minute until it becomes cooked.
- Afterward, remove the zucchini from the pan; however, I suggest you leave the oil.
- Add the sliced tomatoes, but make sure the pan is still on high heat. After that, cook for 30 seconds to a minute until it begins to soften.
- Also, remove from the pan and then stir the cooked tomatoes, zucchini, and ¾ of the basil gently into the risotto.
- When that is done, proceed to serve immediately and top with the remaining basil.
Serving Suggestions for Gluten-Free Risotto Rice
Risotto makes a mouth-watering gluten-free main dish or side dish. Just pair it with gluten-free breaded chicken cutlets or any chicken dinner recipe.
It is just delectable with shrimp. You can serve risotto well with asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, peas, or any of your favorite vegetables.
You can also serve gluten-free Caesar salad along with risotto, as it is quite mouth-watering.
Storage Tips for Gluten-Free Risotto Rice
Gluten-free risotto rice is creamy and savory when made fresh, so I strongly suggest that you eat your gluten-free risotto rice the night you make it.
Your risotto will become thick and dry when it sits in the fridge. But you can warm up risotto to its original state if you’ve got some leftovers or just want to make it ahead of time.
First, all you need to do is store the leftover risotto in tightly sealed glass containers and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
However, keep in mind that the longer the risotto sits, the thicker and stiffer it will become.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Risotto Gluten-Free?
Regular risotto is normally made with Arborio rice, which is naturally gluten-free.
Although some risotto recipes might have gluten-containing ingredients such as bread crumbs, soy sauce, or flour.
So, it is essential that you check the recipe and ingredients carefully.
In addition, some commercially prepared risotto mixes might have gluten, so remember to always check the label.
What Is A Gluten-Free Alternative To Risotto Rice?
You can try to use other types of gluten-free rice, such as short-grain brown rice, sushi rice, or medium-grain white rice if you are looking for a gluten-free alternative to Arborio rice for making risotto.
Also, remember that these types of rice might have a little bit different cooking times and might not have the same creamy texture as Arborio rice.
On the other hand, you can make risotto using other gluten-free grains such as millet, buckwheat, or quinoa.
Can You Make This Gluten-Free Risotto Ahead Of Time?
Well, the short answer to this question is yes; you can make this easy recipe ahead of time.
Even though you can make this ahead of time and reheat it when you are ready to serve it, it is still very advisable that you eat it fresh.
Conclusion on Gluten-Free Risotto Rice
When it comes to vegetables that can feature in risotto. Well, I will say that more or less any vegetable would taste good in risotto.
Traditionally, risotto might contain spinach, mushrooms, artichokes, peas, or tomatoes.
However, in this healthy gluten-free risotto rice recipe, tomatoes and zucchini are used to make a delectable combination of summer vegetables.
This concludes this guide, as you now have the best gluten-free risotto rice recipe.
Gluten-free Risotto Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Arborio rice
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil divided
- ½ yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- 2 ¼ cups of vegetable broth or water plus bouillon
- ¼ cup of fresh basil leaves ribbon cut
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ¾ cup of dry white wine or more vegetable broth
- ¾ teaspoon of dried oregano
- 8 oz. of cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- First, prepare your vegetables. And, you can do that by mincing the garlic, slicing the zucchini in semi-circles (1/4 in thick), dicing the onion, stacking the basil leaves, halving the tomatoes, and slicing into thin ribbons.
- After that, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy bottom pot on medium heat.
- With that done, add the onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until they become soft.
- Also, add the rice and cook for an additional minute, stirring time and again, until the rice starts to be translucent on the edges.
- Add the white wine immediately and stir to make sure that no rice sticks. Then, cook for 1-2 minutes and add in 1 ¾ cups of the oregano, broth, salt, and pepper.
- I suggest you then reduce the heat a bit and cook for 12–14 minutes until the liquid is absorbed. Stirring often too.
- Just turn the heat to low and stir in the remaining broth. Cook for an extra 2–3 minutes. Also, stir time and again.
- Now, remove it from the burner and set it aside. After that, get a large pan and heat the remaining olive oil in it over high heat.
- That being done, add the sliced zucchini and cook for 1-2 minutes before turning it over and cooking for an extra minute until it becomes cooked.
- Afterward, remove the zucchini from the pan; however, I suggest you leave the oil.
- Add the sliced tomatoes, but make sure the pan is still on high heat. After that, cook for 30 seconds to a minute until it begins to soften.
- Also, remove from the pan and then stir the cooked tomatoes, zucchini, and ¾ of the basil gently into the risotto.
- When that is done, proceed to serve immediately and top with the remaining basil.
