Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto is a delightful winter dish from Italy's Veneto region. This creamy risotto combines mild Italian pork sausage with vibrant red radicchio, creating a flavorful meal that's sure to impress your friends.
Risotto is a popular dish in northern Italy, known for its versatility and the variety of ingredients you can use. While it requires attention during cooking, once you master the technique, you can create wonderful risotto dishes.
For the best results, use Carnaroli rice, which has the ideal texture for risotto. It's preferred even in haute cuisine because it absorbs the flavors of spices and ingredients well, and its grains maintain perfect creaminess at the end of cooking.
Radicchio rosso di Treviso or radicchio tardivo, has elongated red leaves and a milder, less bitter taste compared to the more common round-shaped radicchio rosso di Chioggia. It's versatile and can be enjoyed raw in salads, grilled, or as a base for pasta dishes and fillings for white meats. It's also excellent in risotto recipes.
For this recipe, opt for mild Italian sausage. The hot or sweet varieties have stronger flavors that might overpower the delicate taste of radicchio.
Now, let's dive into the step-by-step recipe for Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto!
Ingredients
Prep Time: 5 Min | Cook Time: 25 Min | Servings: 4
- 360 g (13 oz) Carnaroli rice
- 250 g (9 oz) mild Italian sausage
- 1 small onion or 1 shallot
- 2 red radicchio
- ½ cup (80 ml) dry white wine
- 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable broth (prepared with your favorite recipe)
- 30 g (⅓ stick) unsulted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- salt to taste
Instructions
Step 1) - First, remove the casings from the sausage. Use a knife to cut the sausage into small bite-sized pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add the sausage pieces.
Let them brown evenly, stirring occasionally to make sure all sides are cooked. This should take about 3–4 minutes. When the sausage is nicely browned, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Set it aside for later.
Step 2) - Chop the onion (or shallot) finely and add to the pan with the remaining oil and sausage fat. Stir gently and let it cook over low heat for about 1 minute, until the onion becomes soft and translucent
While the onion is simmering, wash and chop the radicchio into thin strips. Add the radicchio to the pan with the onion. Stir everything together and let it cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the radicchio softens evenly and absorbs the flavors.
Step 3) - Now it’s time to add the Carnaroli rice. Pour the rice directly into the pan with the onion and radicchio salad. Stir continuously and let the rice toast for about 2 minutes.
Step 4) - Once the rice is toasted, pour in the dry white wine. Turn up the heat to high and let the wine cook off completely. This should take just a minute or two.
Once the wine has evaporated, add 3 or 4 ladles of hot vegetable broth to the pan, enough to fully cover the rice.
Lower the heat to medium and let the rice cook for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Keep the broth warm and add more, one ladle at a time, as the rice absorbs it.
TIP: Taste the rice as it cooks to check its doneness. The goal is to cook it al dente, meaning tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Add salt if needed, but remember that the sausage and Parmigiano cheese already add a lot of flavor.
Step 5) - Continue stirring and adding broth as needed, but avoid adding too much at once to keep the risotto creamy and not soupy. When the rice is perfectly cooked, turn off the heat.
With the heat off, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the butter. Stir well to combine everything until the risotto becomes creamy and rich.
Step 6) - Finally, return the browned sausage to the pan and mix it in. Give the risotto a final stir to distribute the sausage evenly.
Serve your Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto hot. Add extra grated Parmigiano on top if desired for even more flavor. Enjoy!
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- Risotto alla Monzese (Italian Saffron Risotto with Sausage)
Storage
To store any leftover Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto, allow it to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
Place it in the refrigerator and consume within 2–3 days.
When reheating, add a splash of broth or water to restore its creamy texture, as risotto tends to dry out when stored. Heat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until warmed through.
For best results, avoid freezing risotto, as it can affect the texture of the rice.
Tips
To enhance the flavor and texture of your Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto, consider the following tips:
- Choose the Right Rice: Opt for high-quality rice varieties like Carnaroli rice. These types are ideal for risotto due to their ability to absorb flavors and maintain a creamy consistency.
- Maintain a Gentle Simmer: Keep the vegetable broth at a low simmer throughout the cooking process. Adding cold broth can disrupt the cooking temperature and affect the rice's texture.
- Toast the Rice: Before adding any liquid, toast the rice in the pan for a couple of minutes until it's slightly translucent. This step helps the rice maintain its structure and enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Add Broth Gradually: Incorporate the hot broth one ladle at a time, allowing the rice to fully absorb the liquid before adding more. This technique ensures a creamy texture and prevents the risotto from becoming too soupy.
- Monitor Salt Levels: Be cautious with salt, especially since ingredients like sausage and Parmigiano Reggiano are already salty. Taste the risotto towards the end of cooking and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Rest Before Serving: After cooking, let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes off the heat. This allows the flavors to meld and the texture to set, resulting in a more cohesive dish.
Recipe Card
Italian Sausage and Radicchio Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
- 360 g rice 13 oz, Carnaroli
- 250 g sausage 9 oz, mild Italian
- 1 onion small or 1 shallot
- 2 radicchio red
- 80 ml dry white wine ½ cup
- 1 liter vegetable broth 4 cups
- 30 g butter ⅓ stick, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 3 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- salt to taste
Instructions
- First, remove the casings from the sausage. Use a knife to cut the sausage into small bite-sized pieces.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the oil is warm, add the sausage pieces.
- Let them brown evenly, stirring occasionally to make sure all sides are cooked. This should take about 3–4 minutes. When the sausage is nicely browned, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan and place it on a plate. Set it aside for later.
- Chop the onion (or shallot) finely and add to the pan with the remaining oil and sausage fat. Stir gently and let it cook over low heat for about 1 minute, until the onion becomes soft and translucent
- While the onion is simmering, wash and chop the radicchio into thin strips. Add the radicchio to the pan with the onion. Stir everything together and let it cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the radicchio softens evenly and absorbs the flavors.
- Step 3) - Now it’s time to add the Carnaroli rice. Pour the rice directly into the pan with the onion and radicchio salad. Stir continuously and let the rice toast for about 2 minutes.
- Once the rice is toasted, pour in the dry white wine. Turn up the heat to high and let the wine cook off completely. This should take just a minute or two.
- Once the wine has evaporated, add 3 or 4 ladles of hot vegetable broth to the pan, enough to fully cover the rice.
- Lower the heat to medium and let the rice cook for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Keep the broth warm and add more, one ladle at a time, as the rice absorbs it.
- Taste the rice as it cooks to check its doneness. The goal is to cook it al dente, meaning tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Add salt if needed, but remember that the sausage and Parmigiano cheese already add a lot of flavor.
- Continue stirring and adding broth as needed, but avoid adding too much at once to keep the risotto creamy and not soupy. When the rice is perfectly cooked, turn off the heat.
- With the heat off, add the grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the butter. Stir well to combine everything until the risotto becomes creamy and rich.
- Finally, return the browned sausage to the pan and mix it in. Give the risotto a final stir to distribute the sausage evenly.
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