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A pan full of creamy cheddar risotto and roasted broccoli florets with a wooden spoon tucked into the risotto.

Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Risotto for Two

Sara
A small batch recipe for creamy cheddar broccoli risotto with onions, garlic, arborio rice, chicken stock, cheddar cheese, and roasted broccoli.
5 from 13 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings
Calories 653 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the Roasted Broccoli:

  • 2 cups fresh Broccoli Florets
  • 2 tsp. Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
  • Salt + freshly cracked Black Pepper

For the Cheddar Risotto:

  • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped Onion any color
  • 1 clove Garlic minced
  • 3/4 cup Arborio Rice
  • 1/4 cup Dry White Wine
  • 3 cups low-sodium Chicken Stock warmed
  • 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese white or yellow
  • 1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Lemon Wedge
  • Salt + freshly cracked Black Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Warm the Stock. Pour the chicken stock into a small saucepan, and set it over medium-low heat on a burner near the one you’ll be using to cook the risotto. (This makes it easier to transfer ladles of stock into the risotto!) Keep the stock warm, stirring occasionally, until we’re ready to stir it into the rice in a couple of steps.
  • Prep the Broccoli for Roasting. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Toss the broccoli florets with avocado oil, a healthy pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Spread the broccoli out onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and set aside until your oven is ready. (I usually start the next step while the oven is preheating!) Once the oven is hot, roast the broccoli for 20 minutes, tossing the broccoli halfway through the roasting process so it cooks evenly.
    A rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper with broccoli florets scattered on top of it.
  • Cook the Onions. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and stir to coat the onions in the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the onions are softened and some are lightly browned.
    A large wooden spoon stirring chopped red onions in a silver nonstick pan.
  • Add Garlic and Arborio Rice. Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the arborio rice to the pan, and stir to coat the rice in the onions and garlic. Cook the rice (toasting it) for 2-3 minutes until a small white dot remains in the center of most of the grains.
    A hand holding a measuring cup full of rice, pouring the rice into a pan of cooked onions.
  • Stir White Wine into the Rice, and start Cooking the Risotto. Stir the white wine into the toasted rice (it will be dramatic and steam a lot). Once the wine is absorbed into the rice, add a ladle (about 1/3 cup) of the warm chicken stock to the rice, stirring slowly and constantly, until the stock is mostly absorbed. Repeat with another ladle of stock.
    A large wooden spoon stirring white wine into a pan of arborio rice.
  • Continue Cooking the Risotto. Keep adding one ladle of stock at a time to the risotto, being diligent and stirring constantly as the rice cooks in the stock. (This process will take about 25-35 minutes total, and is totally worth it.) The constant stirring slowly releases the starches of the rice, which eventually creates the signature creamy texture of risotto. Just be patient, pour a glass of wine if you’d like, and slowly stir until that creaminess is achieved.
    A large wooden spoon stirring a large pan of creamy risotto.
  • Stir in Cheddar Cheese and Butter. Once all of the stock has been stirred into the rice and the risotto has a beautiful creamy texture, take a small bite of the risotto to make sure the texture is how you like it. If you want it to be a little softer, just continue stirring it for another five minutes or so until it tastes and feels right (if you need more liquid, switch to warm water instead of stock, stirring about 1/4 cup in at a time until the risotto is the texture you like). Once the risotto is totally ready, stir in the cheddar cheese until fully combined.
    A hand sprinkling shredded cheddar cheese into a pan full of creamy risotto.
  • Add Broccoli and Lemon Juice. Stir in the roasted broccoli, butter, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Taste the risotto and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if it seems like it needs it.
    A pan full of creamy cheddar risotto and roasted broccoli florets with a wooden spoon tucked into the risotto.

Notes

Nutrition facts are for an entree sized serving, or half of the recipe. For a side dish serving, divide the provided numbers in half.
Once the broccoli is cooled a little, you can chop it into smaller pieces so it distributes more evenly throughout the risotto.
Chicken stock, chicken broth, vegetable stock, and vegetable broth will all work for this recipe.
Any color onion will work (red, yellow, or white). Or a shallot can be substituted for onion.
Pinot Grigio is a great dry white wine to use for cooking, and it does not need to be expensive by any means. I like to grab one of the small box wines from the grocery store and keep it on hand solely for cooking! Avoid sweet wine or wine that has flavors that may overwhelm your recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 653kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 29gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 487mgPotassium: 754mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 869IUVitamin C: 84mgCalcium: 307mgIron: 5mg
Keyword broccoli cheddar risotto
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