The fennel risotto I propose today really surprised me. Surprised because when I decided to prepare it, I wasn’t at all sure about the final result. In short…fennel, which I still like so much, don’t have that much flavor. Yet I must admit that it turned out to be a really good, creamy, and extremely delicate vegetarian dish. It’s easy to prepare and is suitable even for beginners. I often make it since these vegetables are always in my fridge, and I recommend you do the same.
Other risotto recipes that might interest you:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients for Fennel Risotto
When cleaning the fennel, don’t throw away the outer leaves, but wash them well and use them to make vegetable broth along with other vegetables you usually use. They will give your broth a more intense flavor.
Don’t throw away the green fronds either, as they will be used to decorate the final dish.
For those following a vegetarian diet, it’s enough to replace Grana/Parmigiano with a similar cheese made with vegetable rennet.
- 1 3/4 cups Carnaroli rice
- 3 cups fennel (net weight after waste)
- 1 shallot
- vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup Grana Padano, grated (or Parmesan)
- butter
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Tools
- 1 Pan
Preparation of Fennel Risotto
Clean the fennel by removing the tougher outer leaves, stems, and green fronds.
Thinly slice the more tender inner part.
Peel the shallot and chop it finely. I used a manual pull chopper, which I find very handy. If you wish to purchase it, you can find it by clicking HERE.
In a large pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil and sauté the shallot over low heat. Then add the fennel, season with salt and pepper to taste, and continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the rice, slightly increase the heat, and let it toast for a couple of minutes.
Then start adding the hot broth, one ladle at a time as the previous one is absorbed, and cook the risotto, stirring it occasionally.
Once cooked, cream the risotto with a knob of butter (more if you like), the grated cheese, and adjust the salt, if necessary.
Serve the fennel risotto on individual plates, sprinkle with the washed and dried green fronds, and dust with freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy! Paola
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