ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Zucchini risotto is simple, comforting dish made with rice, fresh vegetables, cheese & savory herbs. Perfect zucchini side dish or main dish that both hearty & healthy, with tons of flavor!

Fresh zucchini is in abundance this time of year, so go raid your garden {or your neighbors garden… or get some on sale at the grocery store!} and make this delicious risotto. I serve mine as a side dish, but personally, I could eat it as a main dish. It’s flavorful and creamy, courtesy of the Arborio rice that’s used to make risotto. It’s easy too and can be customized to fit your tastes.

What is zucchini risotto?

Risotto is a creamy rice dish made by cooking rice a little differently than normal. Thanks to the high starch content in Arborio rice is really makes the creamy, soft, and delicious. Adding in the zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, and other ingredients we get a zucchini rice dish that is bursting with flavor and packed with an incredible texture.

Zucchini Risotto Ingredients

-Vegetable Stock: You can also use chicken stock if you prefer, both will add a great amount of flavor to this dish but water and bullion is always a good substitute if you want to avoid a trip to the store.

-Butter: Butter is going to be our fat for this rice and let us cook down some of the other ingredients so that they’re bringing out full rounded flavors.

-White cooking wine: This is different from normal cooking wine and can be found in the cooking aisles most often found near the vinegar.

-Onion: A chopped onion adds both aromas as well as sweetness and texture to the dish, which we can definitely appreciate when we’re eating!

-Arborio rice: This is the most commonly used rice for making risotto, but you may be able to use another starchy short grain rice in a pinch if needed.

-Zucchini: We definitely need this for making our zucchini risotto recipe so don’t leave it out!

-Sun Dried Tomatoes: You can buy these in a jar or in an airtight pouch depending on where you look in the store but they help to add color and acidity to the dish.

-Dried Thyme: Thyme will help to add an earthy flavor to the dish that makes it feel better rounded and delicious. If you choose to use fresh thyme, you may need to use less since the flavor will be stronger.

-Parmesan Cheese: You can use freshly grated parmesan cheese or even mozzarella cheese if you want to!

-Basil: Just a little freshly chopped basil will help to add green color and a nice flavor to the rice but its an optional ingredient that you can leave out if you choose to.

-Salt and Pepper: Added to taste.

How to Make Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Melt your butter in a large heavy bottomed stockpot over medium heat.

Stir in the onions and then cook for 2 minutes until the onions have softened.

Add in the spices, white wine, and sun dried tomatoes.

Add in the rice and then cook for another 2 minutes stirring constantly until they appear lightly toasted.

Add in 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil.

Set your timer for 25 minutes.

When there are 10 minutes left, adjust the heat by setting it to a low simmer.

Add in the zucchini and 1/2 cup of broth. Continuing to stir in more broth in 1/2 cup increments until the rice soaks it up.

After the time is up, add in the cheese and fresh basil and stir.

    Enjoy!

How long is zucchini risotto good for?

Leftover rice is good for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Any longer than that and the zucchini may not hold a good texture upon being reheated.

What can I use instead of white cooking wine?

If you’d like to keep this recipe non-alcoholic and find an alternative then you’re in luck. Many times people can simply switch white cooking wine with apple cider vinegar for a similar tasting dish without the alcohol content. You could try this at your own risk, or simply omit it from the ingredients entirely as the dish tastes great without it too.

Can I use regular tomatoes instead of sun dried?

While you definitely could, the flavors will be different. Because sun dried has had the water content removed it also helps to not make the dish too liquidy as we all know that fresh tomatoes are pretty juicy. That said, if you wanted to use fresh tomatoes I recommend dicing them and then adding them in at the end when you add in the zucchini.

It’s no secret that I love zucchini, so here are more easy zucchini recipes that will keep you busy this summer!

• Zucchini Banana Bread
• Cheesy Zucchini Fritters
• Pudding Zucchini Bread
• Zucchini Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars
• Zucchini Sausage Soup
• Easy Zucchini Cake
• Easy Stuffed Zucchini
• Grilled Lemon Curry Zucchini
• Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Garden Zucchini Chowder
• Oven Fried Zucchini
• Easy Zucchini Pasta
• Healthy Zucchini Carrot Muffins
• Low Fat Zucchini Cookies

With this easy zucchini rice you’re going to have a great meal! So go out to that garden or grocery store so you can pick up some fresh zucchini and get started with your tasty zucchini risotto soon!