This zucchini risotto recipe features a melt-in-your-mouth jammy zucchini “butter” swirled into creamy, tender risotto with a hint of lemon zest and fresh herbs. It’s a clever way to showcase the naturally sweet, grassy flavors of the squash and a great no-waste recipe for using up all that summer zucchini!
Summer here in the US means an abundance of squash, usually zucchini and yellow squash. I’m always searching for creative yet elevated ways to use a lot of zucchini. I’ve shaved them for salads and even baked them involtini style, similar to my eggplant involtini!
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 flavorful, spreadable paste that melds into the risotto.
👩🏽🍳 Recipe Lowdown
In developing this recipe, I tested several “classic” variations of zucchini risotto, but found the result somewhat bland. This is where Deb’s wonderful technique came in, helping to coax out zucchini’s natural, sweet, grassy notes.
Here’s why you’ll love the final recipe:
- Grating and squeezing all of the liquid from the squash speeds up caramelization and produces a no-waste, zucchini-infused broth to cook the rice in.
- Sautéing fresh zucchini, garlic, and onion in butter until jammy and caramelized yields a delicious aromatic base for the risotto.
- Step-by-step tricks: 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 step-by-step photos and tips!
Serve with a good green salad, slow-cooked white beans, or a lemony shrimp scampi.
Ingredient Notes
- Zucchini: You can use fresh zucchini or yellow squash. For even more zucchini flavor, stir in some chopped zucchini blossoms with the stamens removed.
- 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 and less sensitive to overcooking, so I recommend it if you can find it!
- Parmesan: For the best flavor, I recommend freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; however, it does contain rennet, so if you’re strictly vegetarian, opt for a vegetarian Parmesan.
- 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 soft herbs, like fresh basil, parsley, or mint, for garnish.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card.
Testing Notes
I set out to make the best zucchini risotto, and I tested it every which way. Ultimately, I was looking for a perfectly cooked, creamy risotto where you could 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. |
Ever wanted to develop your own recipe? Check out my post on how to build flavors in cooking!
How to Make This Recipe
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 (Image 1).
Step 2 – Form a pouch with the cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess liquid into the bowl (I had about 1 cup) (Image 2). 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).
Make the Zucchini Butter & Start the Risotto
Step 3 – Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, minced garlic cloves, onion, and a pinch of salt and black pepper (Image 3).
Step 4 – Saute for 15 – 20 minutes or until the mixture has formed a dark green, buttery, jammy, paste-like texture (Image 4). 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.
TIP: 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.
Step 5 – Over medium-low heat, stir the risotto into the skillet, and let it toast for a minute (Image 5). Once it smells fragrant, add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once the wine has almost fully evaporated, add a ladleful of zucchini water. Stir frequently until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid (Image 6).
Finish & Serve
Step 6 – Continue the process of ladling water into the rice and stirring frequently until most of the liquid has been absorbed (Image 7). 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 (Image 8).
Step 7 – Stir in the reserved zucchini paste, cheese, lemon zest, and most of the herbs (you can save a little for garnish) (Image 9). Season and garnish with more cheese, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired (Image 10). Serve hot and enjoy!
For extra creaminess, serve the risotto with a dollop of whipped ricotta or whipped feta!
Expert Tips
For faster prep, grate the zucchini with a food processor using the coarse grating disc.
Don’t over-stir. 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.
Recipe FAQs
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).
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.
Did you try this recipe?
I would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below.
Want to see more of my content? Add me as a trusted google source.
Zucchini Risotto (with Zucchini Butter)
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, plus more if desired
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 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.
- Prep the aromatics: Finely chop 1 medium white onion and finely mince 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). Keep at a simmer while you prepare the vegetables.
- Saute the vegetables: Set a medium skillet over medium heat and melt ¼ cup unsalted butter. Add the zucchini, onion, garlic, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes.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 the pan and set aside (you'll add it at the end).
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. For the creamiest risotto, stir once every 30 seconds to a minute or so. Make sure the broth is simmering, 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.
- Add the finishing touches: Stir in the reserved half of the zucchini butter you previously set aside, 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.
- Serve: Divide risotto amongst serving bowls and top with more cheese, the remaining herbs, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Hi, I have a quick question: I see the notes about setting aside half of the zucchini butter and then later in the instructions to add the reserved zucchini butter to the risotto. Does that mean that this recipe produces leftover zucchini butter that you can store for future use? If so, how long does it tend to last? Or is there a step where you add in the remaining zucchini butter that I’m missing?
Hi! Apologies for any confusion here. You set aside half of the butter and leave the remaining half in the pan before adding the risotto, wine, etc. To finish, you add that reserved half back in, so all of it ends up in the risotto itself. Hope that helps!
This was so delicious. The zucchini flavor was so earthy and vegetal. I loved it. I added some chili oil/crisp to mine for a little extra spice and it was 10/10
Hi Lee, so glad you loved it! Sounds like it’d be delicious with chili oil – thanks for the suggestion! 🙂
Super yummy – I hadn’t ever thought of doing zucchini risotto, just mushroom, so this was a fun recipe and the zucchini was delicious! I grated the zucchini with a kitchen aid attachment, which made it easier!
So glad you loved it! I agree that an attachment makes things way easier 🙂