Cheddar Cheese Risotto (2024)

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Introduction

This might seem odd to Italians but it works beautifully: the starchy rice, the sharp Cheddar, both are the perfect counterpoint for each other.

I make this on days when I need to escape to the kitchen and have a good, quiet, relaxing and mindless 20 minutes staring into the middle distance and stirring. I heartily recommend it.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

This might seem odd to Italians but it works beautifully: the starchy rice, the sharp Cheddar, both are the perfect counterpoint for each other.

I make this on days when I need to escape to the kitchen and have a good, quiet, relaxing and mindless 20 minutes staring into the middle distance and stirring. I heartily recommend it.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

  • Cheddar Cheese Risotto (1)
    NIGELLA EXPRESS

    2007

Cheddar Cheese Risotto (2)

As featured in

  • Cheddar Cheese Risotto (3)
    NIGELLA EXPRESS

    2007

Ingredients

Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

MetricCups

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 finely sliced baby leeks (or fat spring onions)
  • 300 grams risotto rice
  • 125 millilitres white wine
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 litre hot vegetable stock
  • 125 grams chopped Cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 finely sliced baby leeks (or fat spring onions)
  • 1½ cups risotto rice
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 4 cups hot vegetable broth
  • 1 cup chopped Cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method

  1. Melt the butter and oil in a medium-sized pan and cook the sliced baby leeks until they have softened.
  2. Add the risotto rice and keep stirring for a minute or so, then turn up the heat and add the wine and mustard, stirring until the wine is absorbed.
  3. Start ladling in the hot stock, letting each ladleful become absorbed as you stir, before adding the next one.
  4. Stir and ladle until the rice is al dente, about 18 minutes, then add the cheese, stirring it into the rice until it melts.
  5. Take the pan straight off the heat, still stirring as you do so, and spoon the risotto into warmed dishes, sprinkling with some of the chopped chives.
  1. Melt the butter and oil in a medium-sized pan and cook the sliced baby leeks until they have softened.
  2. Add the risotto rice and keep stirring for a minute or so, then turn up the heat and add the wine and mustard, stirring until the wine is absorbed.
  3. Start ladling in the hot stock, letting each ladleful become absorbed as you stir, before adding the next one.
  4. Stir and ladle until the rice is al dente, about 18 minutes, then add the cheese, stirring it into the rice until it melts.
  5. Take the pan straight off the heat, still stirring as you do so, and spoon the risotto into warmed dishes, sprinkling with some of the chopped chives.

Additional Information

For vegetarians make sure that the cheese is a brand that doesn't contain animal rennet.

For vegetarians make sure that the cheese is a brand that doesn't contain animal rennet.

Try This Tip

Chopping Small Amounts Of Herbs

From Krakra58
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Asked and Answered

Wine In Cheddar Cheese Risotto

From arshiya
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Tell us what you think

What 14 Others have said

  • This dish is tasty but heavy on the starch, so you can brighten it up with some fresh rosemary and a squeeze of lemon.

    Posted by happyandpositive on 3rd March 2020
  • A new favorite! I used half an onion instead of leek because that's what I had and I garnished with bacon bits. This was my first time making risotto and it was so tasty! I thought it had come out overcooked because it got a little gloopy after I added the cheese, but that was just the top part. It was perfectly al dente and very tasty.

    Posted by happyandpositive on 5th January 2015
  • First time I made this, my hubby & kids turned their noses up, but now they all love it! I make this regularly and sometimes make it with a mix of cheddar and blue cheese. I roll cold leftovers into walnut sized balls and fry them off to get nice and crisp. Yummy!

    Posted by novicecook on 11th September 2014
  • A lovely, comforting recipe, in which cheddar works really well. I added some pancetta (which I had in the fridge) and also stirred in some peas which added some additional texture. Leftovers were excellent a second time round and the perfect accompaniment to a chicken breast wrapped in streaky bacon (shop bought, of course). Will definitely use this recipe again!

    Posted by cwaters on 14th February 2014
  • Made this for my boyfriend, since he loves risotto. I never really enjoyed it, but I do love cheese! So when I found this recipe, I had to give it a go. And I have to say, this is the first risotto I will make more than once! It was amazing!

    Posted by Biekje90 on 18th December 2013
  • Whenever i'm feeling particularly vulnerable, i tend to make a "Nigella" recipe, as it's always comfort food, tasty and personally, i've been a fan for years! Now with toddler twins, the food i make has to also double as their food too. They loved this meal! As did my usually fussy fiance. Cheese and carbs? I was in Heaven! A recipe i'm sure i will be turning to for years to come!

    Posted by LilianaB on 18th November 2013
  • I look forward to trying this tonight!

    Posted by paigecrisp96 on 23rd September 2013
  • Made this for me and my hubby. I added some chopped bacon as he won't eat anything without some sort of meat in it. I then stuffed this into red peppers and roasted in the oven for 45 minutes. Absolutely delicious.

    Posted by donna_lou on 30th August 2013
  • It is a fantastic recipe. If you want to see how it looks like made by an amateur you can do it on http://twentysevendays.blog.com/. Congrats.

    Posted by Twenty Seven Days on 2nd August 2013
  • I made this for my children last night and they LOVED it. Highly recommended!

    Posted by AliTol on 8th July 2013
  • I am all set to cook this recipe. I have got all the ingredients & excited to try it out. Cross-finger, hoping it comes out well. Nigella, i am very much addicted to your programme. It's not been a week I have missed out your show. Awesome. Keep rockin!! :)

    Posted by hepyun on 10th April 2013
  • This is really nice, and relatively easy to prepare. Very tasty! I used wholegrain mustard instead of dijon and it still worked.

    Posted by sihunt1234 on 1st December 2012

Show more comments

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Cheddar Cheese Risotto (2024)

FAQs

Can you use cheddar instead of parmesan in risotto? ›

Either white or yellow cheddar will work — just know the latter will lend a yellow hue to the dish to make it reminiscent of classic mac and cheese (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

How to make cheese risotto totk? ›

Tears of the Kingdom

Cheesy Risotto can be made in a lit Cooking Pot using any fish and/or mushroom with no net effects, Hateno Cheese, Hylian Rice, and Rock Salt. Adding matching ingredients with effects may create variants with those effects.

What is the trick to risotto? ›

Never wash your rice beforehand as this removes the starch, which is what helps give risotto its smooth texture. Cook your risotto on a low, simmering heat and add the stock gradually, one ladle at a time. This gives the rice time to fully absorb the liquid and flavours. Rushing your risotto will only ruin its texture.

What is Gordon Ramsay's recipe for risotto? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 large shallot, chopped finely.
  2. 4 tablespoons olive oil.
  3. 8 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced.
  4. 10 ounces arborio rice.
  5. 12 cup dry white wine.
  6. 4 cups low sodium chicken broth.
  7. 8 ounces plum tomatoes, skinned, seeded and finely chopped.
  8. 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped.

Can I add cheddar instead of Parmesan? ›

Cheddar isn't as hard or flavour packed as parmesan – but finely grated it will still give a pleasanty cheesy flavour. And it will melt well for cooked dishes.

Is Cheddar cheese as good as Parmesan cheese? ›

Cheddar and Parmesan cheese vary slightly in nutritional values. Both are a good surce of Calcium and iron, have no added sugar, but are very high in saturated fat and sodium. Calories vary based on the type of the milk used (fat/non-fat) for making the cheese.

What is the secret ingredient in risotto? ›

Use Salted Water Instead of Broth in Risotto

It's an ingenious tip on many levels.

Does risotto need cheese? ›

Our answer. In many risottos cheese, usually Parmesan cheese, is added at the end for flavour rather than as a thickening agent and it is the rice that thickens the risotto. Risotto rice varieties are short grain varieties, which have higher levels of starch.

Why is my risotto always hard? ›

Why is my risotto rice still hard? If your risotto is still hard, it hasn't finished cooking. Keep adding more stock until it becomes al dente or your preferred texture.

How do chefs make risotto so fast? ›

According to Salvatore, the trick is in the timing. The chef spends 16 minutes exactly focusing just on feeding risotto with stock or water, eyeing the rice while it simmers to ensure that the liquid is slowly plumping the grains rather than quickly drying them out.

What is the secret to creamy risotto? ›

Yes, the foundational creaminess of well-made risotto should come from the starches that the grains release slowly over the cooking process—but a bit of actual cream doesn't hurt, either. Make sure to season the risotto with salt after you've added the whipped cream.

Is it better to make risotto with butter or olive oil? ›

Many people mistakenly think that butter, and lots of it, is required as the finish, to make risotto creamy. Olive oil at the end adds a nice complexity that does not alter the essential flavor of the risotto: it is, in my opinion, a cleaner finish.

Should you stir risotto as it cooks? ›

When cooking risotto on a stovetop, you're required to periodically stir it to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Some people, however, stir it too frequently. This adds air into the risotto, cooling it down and making it gluey.

How do Italians serve risotto? ›

Risotto in Italy is often a first course (primo), served before a second course (secondo), but risotto alla milanese is often served with ossobuco alla milanese as a one-course meal.

What are the 4 stages of cooking risotto? ›

This classic Italian recipe is characterized by four main steps—tostatura, sfumatura, cottura and mantecatura—in which the rice is toasted, the wine is added, the rice is patiently stirred, and finally, the dish is finished with butter and cheese.

What cheese is a substitute for Parmesan? ›

Asiago cheese, especially aged Asiago, is a great melting cheese and makes a good Parmesan substitute for classic Italian-American dishes. It's got a nice bite and toasty woodsiness, and those flavors get sharper the longer Asiago ages.

What is a tasty substitute for Parmesan cheese? ›

Parmesan is a hard cheese made from cow's milk. Two great substitutes are Grana Padano and pecorino. Like Parmesan, Grana Padano is made from cow's milk, but is sweeter and creamier, and has a slightly nutty flavor to it. Pecorino is made from sheep's milk.

Is cheddar or Parmesan better for pasta? ›

#1.

Parmesan is a hard cheese, and it's perfect for grating and melting. Tomato-based pasta dishes such as spaghetti bolognese become much more authentic when topped with parmesan, while this type of cheese is called for in a traditional alfredo recipe, as well as carbonara, lasagna, and a four-cheese sauce recipe.

Can you substitute cheddar for Parmesan in carbonara? ›

You can but it won't taste the same or have the right consistency. Carbonate sauce should be made from Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano and have pieces of bacon for right taste. What are some substitutes for pecorino cheese in spaghetti Carbonara?

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