Risotto isn’t just a fancy restaurant dish. With a few shortcuts, it can be as quick and easy as mac and cheese. First, heat your cooking liquid in the microwave instead of dirtying another pot or pan. Second, don’t rely on just wine and cheese for flavor. You can use tomato sauce, soup, even frozen vegetables to make hundreds of easy, pantry-friendly variations.
This is one of Meghan’s favorites.
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Meghan’s Jambalaya Risotto
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
1 cup broth
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon oil, unsalted butter or bacon fat
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups arborio rice
8 ounces hot sausage (we used bulk Italian Sausage, but andouille would awesome)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flake, optional
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Combine broth and tomato sauce in a microwave-safe dish. Heat the mixture until just hot throughout.
2. In a large Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and celery and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice smells toasty, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully add one cup of the broth mixture liquid (there may be some splattering). Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, occasionally stirring the rice, until it becomes thick and the bottom of the pan appears dry. Add another 1/2 cup of the broth mixture and repeat. You will continue this pattern of adding a 1/2 cup of broth mixture, stirring, and adding more broth once the previous addition has cooked off for approximately 20 minutes. Taste frequently for seasoning and add salt as needed.
3. In the meantime, after the second addition of broth to the risotto, heat a cast iron pan or non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and brown, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and add the peppers; cook until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the paprika, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir and cook until the flavors come together, another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste; Set aside until the risotto is finished.
4. Once the final addition of broth has cooked off, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the sausage mixture. Serve immediately.
Keywords: jambalaya, risotto
