Classic Risotto Recipe (Creamy Parmesan)

Name: Classic Risotto Recipe (Creamy Parmesan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 3 tbsp High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 1 tbsp Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for finishing; 1 1/2 cups arborio rice; 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, warm; 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 tbsp unsalted butter; 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated; to taste kosher salt; to taste black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

This classic Parmesan risotto is creamy, comforting, and made the traditional way, one ladle of warm stock at a time. Arborio rice toasted in fruity extra virgin olive oil turns silky and rich, finished with a peppery drizzle that brightens every spoonful.

By Olivea Kitchen | Published July 13, 2026

Jump to Recipe

Prep 10 min

Cook 30 min

Total 40 min

Intermediate

Why We Love This Recipe

We love this risotto because the comfort comes from real, whole ingredients: short-grain rice, aromatic onion and garlic, a good stock, and a modest finish of Parmesan. It is naturally gluten-free, and because you build the creaminess from the rice's own starch rather than piling on cream, the dish stays satisfying without feeling heavy. It sits comfortably in a Mediterranean-diet pattern, where olive oil is the everyday cooking fat.

Olive oil is where flavor and nourishment meet in this bowl. Blooming the onion and toasting the rice in High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil carries the aromatics evenly into every grain, and it brings monounsaturated fats along with it. Our oil is rich in polyphenols, specifically hydroxytyrosol, the most studied olive polyphenol, with a lab-verified figure you can check on the bottle. It is developed with Harvard-trained cardiologists, USDA Certified Organic, single-origin from Messinia, Greece, early harvest, cold-pressed within hours, and qNMR-verified by the University of Athens. Polyphenols are highest in a fresh, high-phenolic oil and fade with time, light, and heat, so the raw Ultra High Phenolic drizzle at the finish is how the most of them reach the plate, along with a bright peppery lift. That peppery catch at the back of your throat is the polyphenols you can actually taste. If you like reading the details, here is the research on olive-oil polyphenols.

The supporting cast pulls its weight too. Onion and garlic add vitamin C and prebiotic fiber, Parmesan contributes calcium and protein, and a good stock keeps the sodium in your hands. It is a warm, generous dish that is easy to feel good about serving.

View Nutrition Facts

Recipe Success Tips

Use a high-starch short-grain rice.

Arborio is the easy-to-find choice, but Carnaroli and Vialone Nano hold their shape even better. Their high surface starch is what turns the dish creamy, so never rinse the rice before cooking or you will wash that creaminess down the drain.

Keep your stock warm the whole time.

Hold the stock at a bare simmer in a separate pot and ladle it in warm. Cold stock shocks the rice and stalls the cooking, which leads to unevenly cooked grains and a gluey texture instead of a silky one.

Toast the rice before any liquid goes in.

Stir the dry rice in the oil for a minute or two until the grains turn pearly and translucent at the edges and smell faintly nutty. This tostatura step sets up the risotto's structure so the grains stay separate and al dente.

Add stock one ladle at a time and stir often.

Wait until each addition is almost fully absorbed before adding the next, and stir frequently to coax the starch out. This is the whole technique, so pour yourself a glass of the wine and settle in for twenty attentive minutes.

Finish with a fresh, peppery olive oil.

A raw drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil just before serving adds a grassy, peppery brightness that cuts the richness. Reach for a freshly opened bottle, since a high-phenolic oil delivers the most flavor and polyphenols to the plate when it is fresh and used raw.

Rest it loose, not stiff.

Risotto should be all'onda, meaning it ripples like a wave when you shake the pan. Pull it off the heat while it still flows, because it firms up as it sits and a too-thick risotto turns stodgy on the plate.

Ingredients

servings

3 tbsp High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for finishing
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, warm
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
to taste kosher salt
to taste black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Kitchen Tools You'll Need

Heavy-bottomed saucepan or wide skillet

Separate pot for stock

Ladle

Wooden spoon

Microplane or fine grater

Chef's Knife

How to Cook Classic Risotto Recipe (Creamy Parmesan)

PREP

Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a separate pot and keep it warm over low heat the whole time you cook. Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the Parmesan so everything is ready before you start.

COOK

Warm the High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. The High Phenolic oil blooms the aromatics evenly and rounds out the base without ever fighting the other flavors. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the arborio rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the grains turn pearly and translucent at the edges and smell faintly nutty. This toasting step keeps the rice al dente in the finished dish.

Pour in the white wine and stir until it is almost fully absorbed and the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off, about 1 minute.

Add the warm stock one ladle at a time, roughly half a cup, stirring often and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. Continue for about 20 minutes until the rice is creamy and just tender with a slight bite at the center.

FINISH

Off the heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan until the risotto is glossy and loose enough to ripple in the pan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and loosen with a splash more stock if it has tightened.

Spoon into warm bowls and finish each with a drizzle of Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a bold, peppery lift, a little more Parmesan, and a scatter of parsley. Serve right away.

Recipe Notes

Serving Suggestions

Serve this risotto as a main with a crisp green salad and a glass of the same white wine you cooked with, or as a side alongside roasted chicken or fish. It is also the perfect canvas for add-ins: fold in sauteed mushrooms for a wild mushroom risotto, or shredded rotisserie meat to turn it into chicken risotto.

Variations

Once you have the base down, the flavor doors open. Stir in lemon zest and juice at the finish for a bright lemon risotto, add a pinch of saffron for the golden Milanese classic in our risotto Milanese, or add extra Parmesan and a knob more butter for a richer creamy Parmesan risotto. Stir in ripe tomatoes for a summery tomato risotto.

Which Olivea oil to use

For the cooking, reach for the smooth, balanced High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which handles the gentle heat and carries the aromatics into the rice. Save the bold, peppery Ultra High Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the raw drizzle at the table, where its fresh green-olive bite lands directly on the tongue.

Storage Tips

Risotto is best fresh, but leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of warm stock or water, stirring until it loosens back to a creamy texture. Store your olive oil in a cool, dark cupboard with the cap tight to protect its flavor and freshness.

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Nutrition Facts

Serving size about 1 1/2 cups

Calories 470

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g26%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Trans Fat 0g

Unsaturated Fat 12g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1.5g

Cholesterol 25mg8%

Sodium 480mg21%

Total Carbohydrate 58g21%

Dietary Fiber 2g7%

Total Sugars 2g

Includes 0g Added Sugars 0%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 90mcg10%

Vitamin C 4mg4%

Vitamin D 0mcg0%

Calcium 220mg17%

Iron 2mg11%

Potassium 260mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

The Best No-Cook Way to Get Olive Oil Benefits

This risotto puts fruity, peppery olive oil to work both in the pan and raw at the finish. If you want an easy way to get olive polyphenols every single day without cooking, the Olivea Hydroxytyrosol Supplement offers a convenient daily dose of the same hydroxytyrosol found in our extra virgin olive oil.

Olivea Hydroxytyrosol Supplement

$40.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of rice is best for risotto?

Use a high-starch, short-grain Italian rice such as arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano. Their starch is what makes risotto creamy, so avoid long-grain rice and never rinse the grains before cooking.

Do I have to stir risotto constantly?

You do not have to stir every second, but frequent stirring is what releases the starch and builds the signature creamy texture. Add the warm stock one ladle at a time and stir often over the roughly 20 minutes of cooking.

Can I make risotto without wine?

Yes. Replace the wine with an extra splash of warm stock plus a small squeeze of lemon juice or a teaspoon of white wine vinegar to bring back a little brightness and acidity.

What olive oil should I use for risotto?

Cook the base in a smooth, balanced extra virgin olive oil like Olivea's High Phenolic, which blooms the aromatics and toasts the rice. Finish each bowl with a raw drizzle of the bolder Ultra High Phenolic for a fresh, peppery lift.

Is risotto gluten-free?

Classic risotto made with rice, stock, olive oil, wine, and Parmesan is naturally gluten-free. Check that your stock and any add-ins are certified gluten-free if you are cooking for someone with celiac disease.

Why is my risotto gluey or mushy?

Gluey risotto usually comes from cold stock, over-stirring after the rice is done, or overcooking the grains. Keep the stock warm, pull the pan off the heat while the rice is still al dente, and serve it loose enough to ripple.

Can I make risotto ahead of time?

Restaurants par-cook risotto by stopping it about three-quarters through, spreading it on a tray to cool, then finishing with hot stock just before serving. This lets you get most of the cooking done in advance without sacrificing texture.

How do I reheat leftover risotto?

Reheat it gently in a pan with a splash of warm stock or water, stirring until it loosens back to a creamy consistency. Avoid the microwave on high, which can dry out the edges and make it rubbery.

What can I add to a basic risotto?

This base takes almost anything: sauteed mushrooms, roasted squash, peas and asparagus, shredded chicken, or shrimp and scallops. Stir tender add-ins in near the end so they keep their texture.

Is olive oil healthy to cook risotto with?

Extra virgin olive oil is the cornerstone fat of the Mediterranean-diet pattern and is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols. A fresh, high-phenolic oil used both in the pan and as a raw finish brings the most flavor and polyphenols to the plate.