Best Creamy Beef Risotto Recipe
Creamy Italian beef risotto with seared steak folded into Parmesan arborio rice, finished with a peppery drizzle of high-phenolic olive oil. Built on olive oil instead of a heavy butter base, it is comfort food that still fits the Mediterranean table.
Recipe Success Tips
Sear the beef in stages
Pat the steak dry and give it room in the pan. Crowding steams the meat and you lose the browned crust that flavors the whole pot. Work in two batches if you need to.
Keep the broth hot
Add warm broth to warm rice so the pot never stops simmering. Cold broth shocks the rice and stretches your cooking time by ten minutes.
Stir, then rest
Add one ladle of broth at a time and stir until it is nearly absorbed before the next. The steady friction is what pulls the starch out of the arborio and gives you that creamy body.
Taste your finishing oil
Spoon a little Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil on its own before you drizzle. That peppery catch at the back of the throat is the sign of a fresh, high-polyphenol oil, and it is exactly the note you want against the rich beef and cheese.
Loosen it right before serving
Risotto firms up fast. Stir in a splash of hot broth just before it goes to the table so it spreads across the plate in a soft wave rather than a mound.
Ingredients
4
servings
- 3 tbsp High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 12 oz Beef sirloin steak, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 5 cups Beef broth, kept hot
- 1/2 cup Dry white wine
- 1 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 4 sprigs Fresh thyme sprigs
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
- to taste Kosher salt and black pepper
Kitchen Tools You'll Need
Wide, heavy-bottomed saute pan or Dutch oven
Small saucepan for the broth
Wooden spoon
Ladle
Box grater or microplane
Tongs
How to Cook Best Creamy Beef Risotto Recipe
Sear the beef
1
Pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper.
2
Warm 2 tablespoons of the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. The oil is smooth and balanced, so it carries the beef flavor without competing with it.
3
Sear the beef in a single layer until deeply browned on the outside and just short of cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Work in two batches if the pan is crowded, then move the beef to a plate and leave the browned bits in the pan.
Build the base
4
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil along with the onion. Sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes, scraping up the browned bits as it cooks.
5
Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until the paste darkens and turns fragrant.
6
Add the arborio rice and stir for about 2 minutes, until the grains look glossy and the edges turn slightly translucent.
Cook the risotto
7
Pour in the white wine and stir until it is almost fully absorbed.
8
Add the hot broth one ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. Keep the pot at a steady low simmer.
9
Continue for 18 to 22 minutes, until the rice is creamy and al dente with a little bite at the center.
10
Return the seared beef and any resting juices to the pan for the last few minutes so it warms through and the flavors settle together.
Finish
11
Remove the pan from the heat and pull out the thyme stems. Stir in the butter and Parmesan until the risotto turns glossy and loose. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
12
Spoon into warm bowls and finish each serving with a raw drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Off the heat, its peppery, grassy edge stays bright and cuts cleanly through the rich beef and cheese.
13
Serve right away, with an extra shower of Parmesan if you like.
Recipe Notes
Sirloin keeps this weeknight-friendly, but the method takes well to other cuts. Leftover braised short rib, folded in at the end, turns it richer, and if you prefer a lighter hand you can follow our basic risotto method and add the beef of your choice.
For an earthier bowl, brown a handful of cremini alongside the onion the way we do in this wild mushroom risotto. For a special-occasion version, borrow the finishing touch from our truffle risotto and shave a little over the top.
The smooth High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil does the cooking, and the bolder Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil goes in raw at the finish. If you only keep one bottle, the High Phenolic works for both, though the peppery lift of a raw drizzle is worth the second bottle.
Risotto is best fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth to bring back the creamy texture, and add a fresh drizzle of finishing oil once it is warm.
Nutrition Facts per Serving
Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 bowl (about 1 1/2 cups)
Calories
570
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g35%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 690mg30%
Total Carbohydrate 56g20%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 29g58%
Iron 3.5mg19%
Calcium 220mg17%
Potassium 560mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Arborio is the classic choice. It is a short-grain rice with a high starch content, and that starch is what gives beef risotto its creamy body once you stir in the broth a little at a time. Carnaroli works beautifully too if you can find it.
Sirloin is a great everyday pick because it sears quickly and stays tender. Ribeye or strip steak add more richness, and slow-braised short rib is excellent stirred in at the end. Ground beef also works for a faster, more casual bowl.
Not constantly, but often. Frequent stirring pulls the starch out of the rice and keeps the grains cooking evenly. Add the broth one ladle at a time and stir until it is nearly absorbed before the next addition.
Yes. The wine adds brightness, but you can leave it out and use an equal splash of extra broth with a small squeeze of lemon at the end to keep that lift.
A raw drizzle of high-phenolic olive oil at the end adds a fresh, peppery note that cuts through the rich beef and cheese. Because the oil goes in off the heat, its bright, grassy character stays vivid right up to the first bite.
Use a smooth, balanced extra virgin olive oil for searing the beef and building the base, then save a bolder, more peppery oil for the finishing drizzle. The cooking oil should support the dish, while the finishing oil is meant to stand out.
It can be a satisfying part of a balanced meal. It gives you protein and iron from the beef and slow energy from the rice, and building it on extra virgin olive oil rather than a heavy butter base fits the Mediterranean way of eating. Serve it with a green salad to round out the plate.
Made as written it is, since arborio rice contains no gluten. Just check that your beef broth is labeled gluten-free, as some brands use wheat-based additives.
Risotto is best served fresh, but you can get ahead by searing the beef and prepping the aromatics in advance. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days and reheat well with a splash of broth to loosen them.
A crisp green salad or a plate of roasted greens balances the richness, and a glass of red wine is a natural match. Keep the sides simple so the risotto stays the center of the plate.
