Tomato Risotto – The Almond Eater

This easy Tomato Risotto recipe takes risotto to the next level. Made with fresh tomatoes, parmesan cheese and fresh basil, it’s flavorful, has the perfect creamy consistency and can be made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot! 

Oh how I adore all risotto, but now that I’ve made this Tomato Risotto, there’s no going back.

This recipe is made similarly to most risotto, but it utilizes fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and parmesan cheese as well, making it even more flavorful in my opinion. 

Besides this recipe, be sure to check out my garlic tomato pasta and vegan tomato soup, both of which utilize fresh tomatoes!

Recipe features

• An easy-to-prepare main dish or side dish that just so happens to be vegetarian and gluten free.
• Options to make this over the stove or in your pressure cooker, depending on your preference. 
• A great way to use up garden tomatoes!

Ingredients

Broth – To keep this dish vegetarian, opt for vegetable broth. Otherwise, chicken broth works just fine. 

Aromatics – A combination of shallot and garlic provides a ton of flavor, and while you can substitute an onion instead, shallot is preferred in risotto.

Tomatoes – Grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes work best! 

Rice – Arborio rice is what’s used in most risotto recipes, and what I used here as well. If you can’t find that, use regular short grain white rice. 

Wine – Opt for dry white wine, like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.

Cheese – Parmesan cheese is the way to go! I used pre-grated because it’s easier, but freshly grated works as well. 

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the broth. Pour the vegetable broth into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat, ensuring it stays warm the entire time. 

Step 2: Cook the veggies. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add in the tomatoes and cook until they start to soften.

Step 3: Add the rice and wine. Next, pour in the rice and stir until it’s translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the wine and stir, allowing the wine to cook down and be absorbed by the rice.

Step 4: Make the risotto. Ladle 1 cup of the warm broth into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid has mostly been absorbed, 5-6 minutes. Continue this process — adding 1 cup of broth at a time — two more times until the risotto is creamy. You should have 1 cup of broth leftover. 

Step 5: Add the final ingredients. Last, stir in the butter, parmesan cheese, and remaining broth, stirring until most of the broth is absorbed and the risotto has a creamy texture. Taste, and add salt and black pepper as needed, then garnish with additional cheese and fresh basil. 

Tips and FAQs

• Unlike recipes with other kinds of rice, there’s no need to rinse the rice beforehand.
• To make this without wine, simply substitute more vegetable broth instead.
• You’ll know it’s time to add more stock once you scrape the risotto back with a spatula and it holds; be careful not to wait too long to add the liquid or else the risotto may burn.
• Serve risotto by itself or alongside my baked caprese chicken, baked salmon fillet or chicken meatballs.

How much liquid is needed for risotto?

That depends on the consistency that you want your risotto to be. Generally, anywhere between 3-5 cups is enough, and for this recipe, I opted for 4 cups, or 32 ounces.

Can I make risotto in the Instant Pot? 

Yes! To do so: 

• Press the “sauté” button and set it for 14 minutes. Then, cook the shallot for 3 minutes, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, add the tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, then add the fresh tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. 
• Pour in the rice and continue sautéing for 2 minutes before lastly adding in the wine and simmering for 2-3 minutes, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. 
• Pour in the broth, then place the lid on your pressure cooker, ensuring the valve is in the “seal” position. Pressure cook for 6 minutes, then naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes before manually releasing the rest. Stir in the butter and cheese and that’s it! 

Storage

Risotto is best served fresh, but if you have leftovers, here’s how to store them. 

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Freezer: Wait for risotto to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. 

Reheating: To reheat, transfer cooked tomato risotto to a skillet, then add a splash or two of broth to thin in out (it’ll thicken as it sits in the refrigerator). Stir until it’s warmed to your liking!

More vegetarian dinner recipes

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

Tomato Risotto

This easy Tomato Risotto recipe takes risotto to the next level. Made with fresh tomatoes, parmesan cheese and fresh basil, it’s flavorful, has the perfect creamy consistency and can be made on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot! 

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Instructions

stovetop:

• Pour vegetable broth into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat; keep it warm but don’t let it boil.

• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, then add the shallot and sauté until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute, then add the tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes.

• Add in the tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes and stir until the tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in the rice and cook it until it becomes translucent, 2-3 minutes. Next, pour in the wine and gently simmer, stirring occasionally until the wine is absorbed.

• Ladle in 1 cup of the warm broth and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the broth has mostly been absorbed, about 5 minutes. Do this two more times, ladling in 1 cup of broth at a time.

• Last, stir in the butter, parmesan and remaining broth. Continue stirring until the risotto is nice and creamy. Remove from the heat, then stir in the basil, along with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

instant pot:

• Pour the olive oil to your Instant Pot, then press “sauté” and set it for 14 minutes.

• Add the shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for 1 minute before adding in the tomato paste and stirring for 2 minutes.

• Add in the tomatoes, salt and red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes. Next, stir in the rice until it’s translucent, about 2 minutes, then add in the wine and allow it to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add in all of the broth and give everything a good stir. Place a lid on your Instant Pot, ensuring the valve on top is in the “seal” position. Pressure cook for 6 minutes, then naturally release for 15 minutes before manually releasing the rest of the pressure.

• Remove the lid, then stir in the butter, parmesan and basil. NOTE: the risotto will be a little more liquid-y than it is on the stovetop and that’s ok! It’ll thicken as it cools/sits for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Notes

*Calories are per serving and are an estimation

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 1730mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1554IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 3mg

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