This creamy Saffron Risotto is infused with the fragrant flavors of saffron, fresh herbs, and parmesan cheese.
Serve this beautiful yellow risotto as a main course or a side dish. It will surely impress everyone! The colors and flavors are so vibrant.
If you’ve always wanted to make a simple and impressive risotto, I’ve got you! I’m sharing an easy-to-follow recipe including plenty of tips for success.
Risotto is one of my favorite dishes ever. I love the creamy texture and subtle flavors, and how well it pairs with. This summer, I’ve probably made this Corn Risotto a dozen times. And today, I’m sharing my favorite variation ever: Saffron Risotto!
Also known as risotto alla Milanese, it gets its name from its origin in Milan, Italy. Saffron risotto is infused with the floral, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor of the saffron threads, which gives the rice that iconic beautiful yellow hue.
I love serving it on special occasions such as date night, as it’s truly something to be proud of. It goes well with red wine braised short ribs, as well as this Red Wine Braised Beef.
Also, saffron isn’t particularly cheap, but if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, try to get it there. It’s pretty affordable and the quality is really good. You don’t need much. It’s a good thing a little goes a long way!
By the way, my Spanish Chicken Stew and Chicken Chorizo Paella both use this spice, so if you need more recipes to use up any left over, try these.
If you want more budget-friendly risotto recipes, my Sweet Corn Risotto and Butternut Squash Risotto are also incredible!
Why I love making this creamy saffron risotto:
- Easier than it looks. All it takes is a little extra time and consistent stirring to achieve beautiful results.
- Tons of flavor. Saffron, chicken stock, white wine, fresh thyme, and other aromatics deliver an unforgettable depth of flavor.
- Simple and elegant. This saffron risotto is a step above a traditional rice dish, but also very simple to make.
- A one skillet dish. Everything comes together in a single pan, which makes for easy cleanup.
Jump to:
Pro Tips for Cooking Risotto
- Don’t rinse the rice before using. It contains a lot of starch that you need to make the final dish extra creamy.
- Toasting the rice with aromatics and wine before adding the broth is essential for building flavor.
- Stir, stir, stir! It can be a labor of love, but so worth it. Nothing beats a perfectly creamy risotto.
- Use warm broth to keep the heat consistent. This helps with texture.
- Season to taste as you go. The amount of added salt will depend on how seasoned your broth is, and how salty the cheese you’re using is.
Ingredient Notes
For this saffron risotto, I recommend using quality ingredients wherever possible. I have included notes from recipe testing, which I hope you find helpful. As always, ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
- Arborio rice: This is a short grain rice that contains a lot of starch, which gets released through the cooking process. It’s what makes this dish especially creamy.
- Saffron threads: Dissolve in a ¼ cup of warm broth to bring out a beautiful yellow hue and floral flavors. I buy mine from Trader Joe’s or online.
- Chicken broth: If you have some homemade stock you love the flavor of, go ahead and use that. Make sure to warm it up over the stovetop over low heat before using.
- Unsalted butter: Used to sauté the aromatics and toast the rice as the first layer of flavor the rest of the dish builds on.
- Shallot and garlic: Minced shallots and garlic sautéed in butter.
- Fresh thyme: Herbs always make any dish extra good, especially fresh!
- White wine: I use sauvignon blanc, but feel free to also use pinot grigio, chardonnay, or a riesling.
- Parmesan cheese: I highly suggest fresh grating the cheese from a block. It melts nicer and tastes better than a bag of pre-shredded cheese, which can make the risotto a bit gritty.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
People tend to shy away from making risotto because it takes a bit of extra time and patience to stir. But, I promise you, this is truly a simple recipe! Let me show you how I make it, along with a few pro tips.
Step 1 | Prep saffron and warm the broth
In a small bowl, add a large pinch of saffron threads into ¼ cup of broth. Let that sit and allow the saffron to infuse the broth and release its yellow color.
Warm the rest of the chicken broth in a pot on the stove. Using warm broth to cook the risotto helps speed up the cooking process and cooks it more evenly.
Step 2 | Sauté aromatics and toast the rice
In a medium saucepan or deep skillet, melt the butter and sauté the shallots and garlic for a few minutes. Then, add the rice and thyme and toast for a few seconds until it smells nutty. Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pan until half-reduced.
Step 3 | Stir in warm broth
Add 2-3 ladles of the warm stock into the pan while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed into the rice, add 2-3 more ladles, stirring constantly. Once the broth has been absorbed again, repeat the step once more with a final 2 ladles. This process should take about 25-30 minutes.
Step 4 | Add the saffron
Stir in the saffron-infused broth, along with more broth and cook until absorbed. At this point, the saffron risotto should be nice and creamy. If you notice it needs more time, simply continue cooking and stirring with more liquid.
Step 5 | Stir in parmesan cheese
Finish with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir until creamy. Serve immediately and enjoy while it’s warm and creamy!
Freezing Leftovers
This dish is best served right away so you can taste all its wonderful textures. Because of this, I don’t recommend making it ahead. You can prep a bit of it ahead, like mincing the onions and shallots, but that’s about it.
However, freezing is totally fine!
Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat it on the stove. Add a splash of warm broth to adjust the consistency.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Just like my corn risotto and butternut squash risotto, this beautiful saffron risotto pairs well with almost anything.
For an extra cozy and impressive dinner, serve it with my Red Wine Braised Beef or Dutch Oven Pot Roast.
I also like it with chicken. Try my Lemon Herb Roast Chicken or Chicken Parmesan. It also pairs nicely with seafood, like my Grilled Marinated Shrimp or seared scallops.
If you choose to serve it as the main dish, pair with a side of my light Lemon Arugula Salad or Italian Chopped Salad.
If you’re looking for more rice recipes, where as the main dish or a side, try these:
Recipe FAQs
From the saffron, that you need to dilute in broth first to release its yellow color. It may not look as yellow at first, but as it cooks, it will turn more yellow. If desired, add a few extra pinches of saffron for a more intense yellow color.
I like to use arborio rice. It’s starchy and perfect for risotto.
Sure, you can. You can leave it out or replace the amount with extra broth to deglaze.
Tips for Success
- Saffron can be found in most grocery stores or online. I always get mine from Trader Joe’s, it’s pretty affordable compared to other places.
- Add the saffron in towards the end. Otherwise, it’ll lose its flavor if it cooks too long. To deepen the yellow color, you can add a bit more than suggested. But remember, the yellow color will darken as it cooks.
- The key to making a creamy risotto is constant stirring. The starch released from stirring is what makes it so creamy without the need to add any dairy.
- Do not rinse the rice before using. We want to preserve all the starch in it to make an extra creamy risotto.
- Make sure the broth is warm before using. You can keep it over low heat on the stovetop.
- Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Store-bought pre-grated cheese contains extra starches that can make the final dish taste gritty.
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Saffron Risotto
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon saffron threads - semi-packed
- 8 cups chicken broth - plus more as needed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups arborio rice - do not rinse
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¾ cup white wine - I use Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more for garnish
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Combine a large pinch of saffron threads with ¼ cup of chicken broth to let it infuse and to release its yellow color. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, warm the broth over low heat. Using warm broth helps cook the risotto faster and more evenly.
- In a large saucepan or deep skillet, melt the butter and sauté shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Then, add arborio rice and thyme, and toast for a few seconds until fragrant. Deglaze with white wine until almost reduced.
- Add the warm stock into the rice, about 2-3 ladles at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Constant stirring releases starch, which is what makes risotto creamy. After the liquid has almost absorbed into the rice, repeat this process about 2 or 3 more times.
- Add the saffron-infused broth, and continue cooking and stirring with more broth as needed. At this point, it should be creamy, but if it needs more time, simply stir with more of the warm stock until cooked to your liking. Tip: As it cooks, the yellow will intensify, but if you’d prefer a more vibrant color, add an extra few pinches of saffron.
- Once the risotto is creamy and ready, stir in the freshly grated parmesan cheese until it’s extra creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Saffron is available at most grocery stores. Trader Joe’s often has affordable options. A little bit goes a long way.
- I’d recommend using arborio rice for this recipe.
- Add the saffron towards the end to keep its delicate flavors.
- For a deeper yellow, add a touch more saffron, but keep in mind the color deepens as it cooks.
- Make ahead: I would not recommend making ahead since it will lose its creaminess, but you can prep the garlic and shallots in advance.
- Freezing: Let cool completely. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat over the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen it up.
- White wine: Omit or use broth to deglaze.
- Shallots: Yellow onions.
- Fresh thyme: Use dried Italian seasoning, about 1/3 of the amount of fresh.
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