Why you'll love this recipe

Easy: Yes, cooking risotto takes a little hands-on time, but it is very easy to make this delicious one-pan meal.

Fancy: Seafood risotto is elegant enough for a date night or dinner party, and simple enough for a weeknight dinner.

Customizable: You can use any find of seafood for this easy risotto recipe.

Ingredient Notes

Olive oil /Butter: You can use olive oil alone, but I like the extra touch of richness that butter adds to risotto recipes.

Onion: A yellow or white onion is fine. You can substitute red onion or shallots for a milder flavor.

Garlic

White wine: Use a wine that you enjoy drinking because it will be reflected in the flavors of this risotto marinara. I like to use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pino grigio. If you prefer not to use wine, just increase the stock or broth accordingly.

Arborio rice: Arborio is a starchy, short-grained rice that's easily available in grocery stores. Other rice varieties that work for risotto are Carnaroli or Vialone nano. Avoid long grain rice varieties. They are less starchy and you won't achieve the creamy texture that we're looking for. Sushi rice can be used but you won't have the signature al dente bite in the finished dish.

Lemon Juice: You'll need half a lemon.

Tomato paste

Vegetable stock: (Or vegetable broth) You can also use chicken broth or fish stock.

How to make risotto marinara

Bring the vegetable stock to a simmer and keep it simmering over low heat.

Heat the butter and oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.

Cook the onion and garlic until softened.

Add the wine and lemon juice.

Steps one through four of the recipe process.

Helpful Tips

Don't rinse the rice: For most rice dishes, like my Mexican fried rice, or Jamaican rice and peas, you will rinse the rice to remove any extra starch. However, for this seafood risotto, and for all risotto recipes, we want to keep the starch so we end up with a rich and creamy risotto.

Keep stirring: Some recipes will tell you that it isn't necessary to stir constantly. And technically it isn't. Your risotto will probably still taste good if you only stir it occasionally. However, if you want your risotto to be more than just good, stir constantly. Why? "The rice expands as it absorbs the hot broth and the friction of the constant stirring softens the outer layer of the grain, resulting in a creamy consistency." ---The Joy of Cooking. That creamy consistency is exactly what risotto is all about. So grab a glass of wine, settle in, and stir! You'll be glad you did.

Keep the stock or broth hot: The secret to a good risotto is to keep the broth hot while you are adding it during the cooking process. Warm broth brings out the starches in the rice and also prevents it from overcooking.

Seafood: Other delicious seafood ingredients for risotto alla marinara are mussels, clams, crab, or calamari (baby squid). White fish like cod or halibut are also great.

Add Parmesan: Add half a cup of grated parmesan cheese before serving if you prefer.

Storage: Risotto is best enjoyed right away. However you can keep it in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To reheat, add the risotto to a small amount of simmering stock, broth, or water.

Serving Suggestions

Although seafood risotto marinara is almost a meal in itself, I like to serve it with a simple vegetable side dish to round out the meal. Some favorites are sautéed green beans, mixed roasted vegetables, or air fryer zucchini. Or, try something a little different, like asparagus fries or roasted radishes.

Close up of seafood risotto marinara garnished with parsley.

Recipe

Comments

5 from 16 votes (1 rating without comment)

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