This zucchini risotto recipe (or courgette risotto) is comforting and delicious, featuring melt-in-your-mouth jammy zucchini and creamy, tender risotto. A hint of lemon zest and fresh herbs brighten up the whole dish!
Summer here in the US means an abundance of squash, usually zucchini (courgettes), but sometimes summer squash. I'm always searching for creative ways to use a lot of zucchini. I've shaved them for salads, sauteed them with pasta, and even baked them involtini style.
But my favorite method, by far, is a technique called zucchini butter. I first learned it when trying Deb Perelman's zucchini butter spaghetti. You start by sauteeing grated zucchini with lots of butter and garlic. Slowly, the whole thing turns into a buttery, spreadable mash over time.
Zucchini is 94% water, so it doesn't have that much flavor on its own and often requires some coaxing to pull out its sweet, grassy notes. That's why I love the technique of cooking it down, caramelizing and concentrating its essential flavors. Deb serves it with spaghetti, but I love it in a risotto, clinging to the starchy, creamy rice grains.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
After several rounds of testing, I'm excited to share this delicious and creamy zucchini risotto! It's a great way to use up lots of zucchini during this time of year, and it makes a wonderful main dish or side dish at a dinner party.
- Sautéing fresh zucchini, garlic, and onion in butter until jammy and caramelized yields a delicious aromatic base for the risotto.
- Grating and squeezing out all of the liquid from the squash speeds up caramelization and produces a zucchini-flavored broth to cook the rice in.
- Fresh lemon zest and chopped fresh basil and parsley help brighten the final dish.
The perfect risotto doesn't have to be unnecessarily labor-intensive or frustrating. If you're feeling intimidated by the thought of making risotto, I've got you covered with tons of tips and tricks.
Looking for more details on testing? I've got the full details on all of the different variations of the recipe I tried and their corresponding results.
Ingredient Notes
Ready to get started? Let's talk through key ingredient details!
- Zucchini: You can use fresh zucchini (courgettes) or yellow squash here.
- Aromatics: Garlic cloves and white onion add a sweet, caramelized flavor to the dish.
- Risotto rice: Risotto get its creaminess from cooking short-grain rice with a high starch content. Both arborio rice and Carnaroli rice work well in this recipe, but Carnaroli is starchier, so I recommend it if you can find it!
- Parmesan cheese: Parmesan, or parmigiano-reggiano, adds a cheesy, savory flavor to the risotto. Make sure it's freshly grated!
- Optional ingredients: I find that white wine and a touch of lemon zest add enough acidity on their own, but if you'd like more lemon flavor, you can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Want it spicy? Add some red pepper flakes.
- Herbs: You can use any fresh, soft herbs, like basil, parsley, or mint, for garnish.
Variations
Vegan: You can omit the cheese for a vegan risotto, but I recommend substituting it with 1 tablespoon white miso paste because the umami flavor is necessary here. Off the heat, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of cold vegan butter so that the risotto is still creamy.
Zucchini Blossoms: For even more zucchini flavor, stir in some chopped zucchini blossoms with the stamens removed.
Whipped Feta: Serve the risotto with a dollop of whipped feta for extra creaminess.
How to Make Zucchini Risotto
Prep the Zucchini
Step 1 - Set a cheesecloth or a thin dish towel over a medium-sized bowl. Use a large box grater to grate the zucchini into the bowl, and season with salt.
Step 2 - Form a pouch with the cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess liquid into the bowl (I had about 1 cup). Transfer the liquid to a medium pot and add enough water until you have 4 cups total. Taste and season the liquid (it should be seasoned like a soup).
TIP: Grate the zucchini with a food processor using the coarse grating disc for faster prep.
Make the Zucchini Butter & Start the Risotto
Step 3 - To a medium skillet or French oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, garlic, onion, and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Step 4 - Saute for 15 - 20 minutes or until the mixture has formed a dark green, buttery, jammy, paste-like texture. Scrape any golden brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan every few minutes. Remove half of the zucchini butter from the pan and set aside.
Note: As the rice cooks, the grains rub against one another, releasing starch to produce a creamy texture. Removing half of the paste ensures there is enough space for the grains to bump each other.
Meanwhile, bring the zucchini water to a generous simmer.
Step 5 - Over medium-low heat, stir the risotto into the skillet, and let it toast for a minute. Once it smells fragrant, add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Step 6 - Once the wine has almost fully evaporated, add a ladleful of zucchini water. Stir frequently until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid.
Finish the Risotto
Step 7 - Continue the process of ladling water into the rice and stirring frequently until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Step 8 - The risotto is done when the rice is very creamy and al dente, meaning it's fully cooked, but still has a slight bite to it without a gritty center.
Step 9 - Stir in the reserved zucchini paste, cheese, lemon zest, and most of the herbs (you can save a little for garnish).
Step 10 - Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot. Garnish with more cheese, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
Tips
For the creamiest risotto, make sure to try these tips:
- Keep the broth warm. You don't need the broth to be boiling, but it should be at least as hot as the pot of risotto so that the rice cooks evenly. I often lower the heat of the broth in between additions, and increase the heat again to a simmer just before adding a ladle.
- Don't overstir. Make sure to stir frequently (every 30 seconds or so), but there's no need to constantly be stirring. Over-stirring can actually lead to a gluey texture.
- Don't use too wide of a pot. Instead of using a wide frying pan, I like to use a french oven or a curved skillet. That way, there are plenty of layers of rice cooking and bumping each other to create a nice, creamy consistency.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. You can reheat it on the stovetop with a bit of water to loosen it up.
- Since day-old risotto can often taste dry, I like to make arancini with it!
- Risotto can be a little tricky to make ahead of time, but you can very easily make the zucchini butter 1-2 days in advance! I sometimes make a double batch to use for other applications, such as pasta, dips, or sandwich spreads.
Recipe FAQ
For creamy risotto, make sure to stir frequently (but not constantly; once every 30 seconds is sufficient) and keep the broth warm. A touch of butter and cheese stirred in off the heat adds a luxurious creamy finish to the dish.
No, risotto cooks uncovered through evaporation, not steaming.
Cooking risotto slowly allows it to gradually absorb the liquid and release a creamy starch. If you add the broth all at once, you risk undercooking the rice (or overcooking it and producing a gummy texture).
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaZucchini Risotto
Equipment
- Large box grater, or a food processor with a coarse grating disc
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, 1 ½ pounds total
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 medium white onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional | for a spicier risotto
- 1 cup risotto rice, such as Carnaroli rice or arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio
- ½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, or pecorino-romano cheese | plus more for serving
- 1 lemon, zested | plus an optional squeeze of juice
- ½ cup fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, or mint | finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, optional | for drizzling
Instructions
Make the Zucchini Butter:
- Grate the zucchini: Set a cheesecloth or a thin dish towel over a medium-sized bowl. Use a large box grater to grate 3 medium zucchini into the bowl (mine yielded about 4 cups), and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside while you prep the aromatics (see instruction below).Note: For speedier prep, you can also use a food processor with a coarse grating disc to grate the zucchini!
- Prep the aromatics: Finely chop 1 medium white onion and finely minced 4 cloves garlic.
- Squeeze the zucchini: Form the cheesecloth into a pouch, and squeeze as much liquid as possible from the zucchini into the medium bowl (I produced 1 cup zucchini juice).
- Make the zucchini broth: Transfer the zucchini juice to a medium pot and add enough water until you have 4 cups total. Taste and season the liquid (it should be seasoned like a soup).
- Saute the vegetables: Set a medium skillet over medium heat and melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Add the zucchini, garlic, onion, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and optionally ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes if you want a spicier risotto.Saute for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the mixture has formed a dark green, jammy, paste-like texture. Note: As you saute the vegetables, you will notice some brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan every few minutes. Make sure to scrape these bits every few minutes or so. If they start sticking too much, or browning too much, add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan. Remove half of the zucchini butter from skillet pan and set aside.
Cook the Risotto:
- Toast the risotto: Over medium-low heat, stir in 1 cup risotto rice and allow it to toast for 1 minute.
- Add the wine: Once the rice smells fragrant, deglaze the pan with ½ cup dry white wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the alcohol smell has dissipated and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the broth: Add a ladleful (about ½ cup) of zucchini broth. Stir frequently until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Note: For the creamiest risotto, stir every 30 seconds or so (you do not need to stir constantly)! Make sure the broth is hot, so that the rice cooks evenly and quickly.
- Cook the rice: Continue the process of ladling broth into the rice and stirring frequently until most of the liquid has been absorbed. The risotto is done when the rice is very creamy and al dente, meaning it's fully cooked, but still has a slight bite to it without a gritty center. You may not need the full amount of broth. Once cooked, remove the skillet from the heat. Note: Personally, I like to take it off the heat when there's a bit more liquid than I'd prefer, as it will continue to thicken as it cools down.
- Add the finishing touches: Stir in ½ cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, the zest from 1 lemon, and most of the fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper as needed.Note: The finished dish should taste creamy, savory, and vegetal, with a hint of acidity. If the risotto seems a touch dry, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of cold butter to give it a creamier, more luxurious finish. If you'd like, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice for a bit more acidity. Also, salt can *really* elevate the flavors, so make sure it's well-seasoned!
- Serve: Divide risotto amongst serving bowls and top with more cheese, the remaining herbs, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
Notes
Tips:
- Both arborio and Carnaroli rice work well in this recipe, but Carnaroli is starchier (therefore creamier), so I recommend it if you can find it!
- I sometimes make a double batch of the zucchini butter use for other applications, such as pasta, dips, or sandwich spreads.
- Don't use too wide of a pot. This tip made the biggest difference for me! Instead of using a wide frying pan, I like to use a french oven or a curved skillet. That way, there are plenty of layers of rice cooking and bumping each other to create a nice, creamy consistency.
- Keep the broth warm. You don't need the broth to be boiling, but it should be at least as hot as the pot of risotto. This way, the rice cooks evenly and quickly. I often lower the heat of the broth in between additions, and increase the heat again to a simmer just before adding a ladle.
- Don't overstir. Make sure to stir frequently (every 30 seconds or so), but there's no need to constantly be stirring. Over-stirring can actually lead to a gluey texture.
Nutrition
Appendix
Testing Notes
I set out to make the best zucchini risotto, and I tested it every which way. Ultimately, I was looking for (a) a perfectly cooked, creamy risotto where you could (b) really taste the squash. In my research, I noticed some commenters in other recipes mention a lack of zucchini flavor.
| Tests | Results |
|---|---|
| Test #1: I sauteed the grated squash with the risotto (along with onion and garlic). I added ladlefuls of vegetable stock to cook the rice. I then topped the dish with crispy pan-fried zucchini. | Results #1: The crispy zucchini was delicious, but the rice itself didn't have much zucchini flavor, and it was overpowered by the stock. |
| Test #2: I tried a version "alla nerano"-style, where I sauteed some of the grated zucchini, then blended half of it with fresh herbs. I cooked the risotto with the grated zucchini, then stirred in the puree at the end. | Results #2: The light green puree turned the risotto a gorgeous color! But I was hoping that the "less-cooked" puree would evoke more raw, vegetal flavor, and the opposite was true. It was bland. |
| Test #3: On a suggestion from my friend Deepti at VegBuffet, I grated the zucchini, salted it, then squeezed out all of the liquid. I reserved the liquid for stock, then sauteed the zucchini with garlic and onion until super jammy, mashed, and slightly caramelized. Then, I took out half of the caramelized vegetables, and cooked the risotto with the remaining amount. I used a mix of the reserved zucchini juice and salted water for the broth. | Result #3: Success! The risotto had sweet, caramelized notes of zucchini. The use of "seasoned zucchini water" instead of broth helped bring out even more vegetal notes. And turns out, that's a well-known secret to better risotto. |
