Serves 6
60 min
Risotto ai Gamberi (Shrimp Risotto)
Recipe GLPR6dce4f8135bb1a
A classic Italian shrimp risotto with aromatic broth made from shrimp heads, tomato, white wine, and fresh parsley. Creamy, flavorful, and ready in under an hour.
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Ingredients
1 pound medium to large head-on shrimp
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion (about 8 ounces), half cut into large dice, half finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh parsley plus 1 packed cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, finely chopped, divided
3/4 cup dry white wine, divided
7 cups water
Kosher salt to taste
2 cups short grain risotto rice, such as carnaroli or arborio
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup tomato passata
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
Directions
Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the heads and shells. Refrigerate the shrimp meat until needed. In a large pot, combine the reserved shrimp heads and shells with the water, 2 parsley sprigs, crushed garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes to create a flavorful broth. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding solids, and return the strained broth to the pot. Keep warm over low heat.
While the broth simmers, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or wide saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat the onion and toast the paste slightly.
Add the arborio or carnaroli rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to coat each grain with oil. The rice should smell lightly nutty.
Pour in half of the white wine (about 6 tablespoons) and stir frequently until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Begin adding the warm shrimp broth one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. This process will take approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Continue until the rice is creamy, tender, and just al dente.
Stir in the tomato passata and red pepper flakes (if using). Continue stirring and add more broth if needed to maintain a loose, creamy consistency. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
While the risotto finishes cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the reserved shrimp meat with kosher salt and cook until opaque and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Remove the risotto from heat. Stir in the remaining white wine, lemon juice, and the finely chopped fresh parsley leaves. Fold in the cooked shrimp gently to combine.
Divide the risotto among six warm bowls and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
