Shrimp Risotto

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/4/21
Shrimp risotto on a white plate

The Spruce / Leah Maroney
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 pan
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
604 Calories
43g Fat
20g Carbs
25g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 604
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43g 55%
Saturated Fat 20g 102%
Cholesterol 239mg 80%
Sodium 1424mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 5mg 25%
Calcium 186mg 14%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 398mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This shrimp risotto is full of warm, creamy goodness. It's topped with a bright and zesty lemon sauce similar to scampi. There’s also plenty of Parmesan cheese, garlic, and butter, which we know makes everything better. It feels fancy enough to be something you can serve at a dinner party but comforting and simple enough to enjoy on a weeknight.

Risotto isn't a difficult dish to make—it just takes some patience. If you enjoy cooking, you may really enjoy the immersive quality of cooking risotto. Add the stock a little at a time and stir, stir, stir. As you stir the rice in the stock, the starch is released, and you'll be rewarded with a deliciously luxurious dish. Cooking the shrimp is quick and easy and can be done ahead of time. Just make sure to make the risotto right before you are ready to eat and serve it immediately.

This risotto is very good with a simple green salad or a Caesar salad.

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Ingredients

For the Shrimp:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 pound extra jumbo (16 to 20) shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/2 cups white wine

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

For the Risotto:

  • 3 cups chicken stock

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

  • 2 small shallots, minced

  • 3 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 cup Arborio rice

  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Cook the Shrimp

  1. Gather the ingredients for the shrimp.

    Shrimp risotto ingredients

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Heat the olive oil on high heat in a large skillet. Season the shrimp with the salt and pepper. 

    Raw shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper on a white plate

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Sear the shrimp to golden brown on both sides. Remove the shrimp from the heat. 

    Cooked shrimp in the pan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and add the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

    Sautéed garlic in a pan with butter

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Add the white wine and lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Allow the sauce to reduce by about a third. This will take about 5 minutes.

    Lemon and white wine sauce in pan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  6. Whisk in the remaining butter and the parsley. Set aside the sauce in a small saucepan.

    Butter and parsley sauce in a pan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Make the Risotto

  1. Wipe out the shrimp pan and gather your ingredients for the risotto.

    Heat the chicken stock in another small saucepan. 

    Shrimp risotto ingredients

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in the large skillet.

    Once the butter has melted, add the shallots and garlic. Sauté on medium-low heat until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. 

    Shallots and garlic cooking in a pan with butter

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Add the Arborio rice and toss to coat in the oil and butter. Sauté until the rice is very lightly browned. 

    Rice toasting in a pan

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Add a ladleful of the hot stock and stir until the stock is absorbed. Repeat, adding a ladle or two of stock at a time, until the rice is al dente, and you have used most of (or all of) the stock. This will take about 20 minutes. The rice will be creamy. 

    Risotto cooking in a pan

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Turn off the heat and top with another ladleful of stock, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and cover with a lid.

    Heat the shrimp sauce until simmering. Toss the shrimp into the sauce to warm them back up. 

    Risotto in a pan

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney 

  6. Ladle the risotto into warm bowls and top with an equal amount of shrimp and sauce. Top with more Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

    Serve immediately with a glass of white wine. 

    Shrimp risotto garnished with parsley on a white plate

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Variations

  • Instead of Parmesan, you can use other Italian cheeses such as pecorino Romano or Grana Padano.
  • You can also use herbs such as fresh basil or chives with this recipe, and it will be delicious.

How to Store Risotto

Risotto (without the shrimp) will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for three to five days. If you have leftover shrimp, it will keep for less time (about two days). Reheat carefully in the microwave (without the shrimp, which becomes rubbery in the microwave) with a little bit of stock or water, or over low heat in a saucepan with the shrimp.

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