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It’s pretty clear that risotto is like, my thing. I think it’s because risotto is like a blank canvas, and you can add any and every flavor imaginable to it. Bacon, cheddar, chicken risotto? Done. Spicy shrimp and parmesan risotto? Yes, always yes. Caprese risotto that is seriously bursting with flavor? Huge yes on that, too.
I teamed up with RiceSelect® to create another awesome risotto, and I’m pretty excited to share this one. I use RiceSelect Arborio Rice every time I make risotto, actually. It’s the best rice letting you focus on playing with flavors and ingredients, plus it’s Non-GMO, free from artificial ingredients, flavors, and preservatives and it comes in a plastic jar that is BPA-free. Lots of good reasons to use it!
Risotto may seem intimidating, but I promise you it’s not. Just have some time set aside to make it, and you’ll be seriously rewarded. It’s not just for special occasions, either! Weeknight risotto is a serious thing at our place, and it’s basically my favorite night of the week.
You can find RiceSelect Arborio Rice at your local Walmart, right in the rice aisle. You can also grab everything else you need for this recipe at Walmart, too! To make it even easier, click the photo above for a direct link to purchase your own arborio rice from Walmart.com!
I used basic caprese ingredients for this risotto: creamy mozzarella, basil, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Roast the tomatoes in the oven while you cook the risotto, and they’ll come out perfect and hot once the risotto is done! Drizzle some balsamic onto the risotto at the end, and top it with fresh basil. You can also spoon some basil pesto on top if you like!
This caprese risotto is an awesome blend of flavors, and is actually really easy to make. RiceSelect Arborio Rice is the foundation here, but the rest is just pure flavor. It’s awesome. And while supplies last, you can save $1 on any RiceSelect product through Ibotta! Happy eating!
Caprese Risotto with RiceSelect® Arborio Rice
Ingredients
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1 small shallot finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup RiceSelect® Arborio Rice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- fresh mozzarella torn into pieces
- fresh basil or basil pesto
- balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Pour vegetable stock into a saucepan, and heat over low heat. Keep warm as you cook the risotto.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Toss cherry tomatoes in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Pop the tomatoes onto a baking sheet, and bake for about 30 minutes as you make the risotto.
- Heat a large saute pan over medium. Add a tablespoon of olive oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers, then add the chopped shallots. Cook shallots for a few minutes until tender and fragrant.
- Add minced garlic, and cook for about a minute until tender and fragrant.
- Add dry arborio rice, and stir to coat in the shallots and garlic. Allow the rice to toast for 2-3 minutes, until a small white dot remains at the center of each grain.
- Pour white wine into the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes as the alcohol burns off and the rice absorbs it.
- Add the warm vegetable stock to the rice, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly with each addition. This is cooking the risotto, and will take about thirty minutes total. Keep adding the stock as the risotto cooks, until it develops a creamy texture. Once the risotto has the slightest bite to it, remove it from the heat.
- Taste the risotto, and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the butter. Top the hot risotto with torn pieces of mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and either fresh basil or basil pesto. Drizzle balsamic over the risotto, and finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
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