Lemon Basil Risotto
Lemon Basil Risotto is fresh and flavorful! A nice and light dish is the perfect companion to warm crusty bread on any day!
The Facts
We have always been a fan of making a Lemon Basil Risotto, so we were surprised to find it isn’t a crowded space! Compared to many recipes we analyze, this one had very few to look at. But, within these limited recipes there was still a wide variance in ingredients.
The most important variance we examined was the rice to liquid to lemon juice ratios. Some having a 4:1 ratio of liquid cups to rice cups all the way down to 2:1 ratio. The importance here is the resulting texture of the risotto. More liquid means a softer and squishier rice; less liquid resulting in a possible underdone rice or firmer texture. This is exactly what we found when we went to the 2 extremes, one was too soggy and the other not quite done enough. This lands this Lemon Basil Risotto recipe right in the middle ground with a 3:1 ratio of liquid to rice.
Another important aspect is how much lemon juice is paired with the above liquid to rice ratios. More liquid, but not more lemon juice meant a greater chance the lemon flavoring gets lost mixed in with the broth. Most recipes had less than 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of liquid. Since lemon is supposed to be one of the top flavor profiles of this recipe, we upped this amount to a total of 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to truly let this flavor shine through.
The other major ingredient is Basil. It is worth noting that we highly recommend using fresh basil to really provide a nice compliment to the lemon flavors. Although, if your grocery store is anything like ours it usually is out of fresh Basil regardless of the time of day or week we go. Dried Basil will do the job just fine if this is the case! Just be sure to pay attention to the different quantity of Basil required based on whether it is fresh or dried.
This Lemon Basil Risotto is so tasty paired with some warm crusty bread. We would love to hear your feedback in the comments!
Lemon Basil Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups White Rice or Arborio Rice uncooked
- 2 tbsps Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Yellow Onion diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 cup Cooking White Wine
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
- 4 tbsps Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsps Fresh Basil or 2 tsps Dried Basil
- 2 tbsps Butter
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in pan. Add in onions and garlic to olive oil. Sauté until translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add in the 1 1/2 cups of rice, 3 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 cup wine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes over medium heat until the rice starts to absorb the liquid.
- After rice has simmered, remove the lid and stir with lid off for another 3-5 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid. Stir in 4 tbsps Lemon Juice, Basil, 2 tbsps Butter, 1/2 tsp Pepper, and 1 tsp Salt.
- Finally, stir in the 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese.
- Top with additional chopped fresh basil and parmesan if desired!