Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)

Creamy, rich, and extremely hearty, this classic saffron-infused risotto is by far one of the most luxurious takes on risotto—but is easy to replicate at home.


Ingredients for Saffron Risotto:

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into dices
• salt
• 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 2 large pinches saffron
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock, kept HOT
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan

How to make Saffron Risotto?

1. Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and sweat them until translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, letting the rice slightly stick to the bottom of the pan and scraping it off. It should also sound crackly.

2. Add the saffron to the hot chicken stock; the stock should turn bright yellow.

3. Add the wine to the pan until it covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the wine has absorbed into the rice. Add the saffron chicken stock to the pan until it covers the rice. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the stock has absorbed into the rice.

4. Repeat this process two more times with the hot saffron chicken stock. When the third addition of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is very creamy, bite a couple grains of rice to be sure it is cooked perfectly. If it is still a little crunchy, add a little more stock and cook the rice for another couple of minutes. When the rice is cooked perfectly, remove it from the heat.

5. Toss in the butter and Parmesan and “whip it very well.” The rice should be creamy but still flow and hold its own shape.

Enjoy!