Shrimp Risotto

Total: 50 mins
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 pan

20 ratings

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’s 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. Add the stock a little at a time and stir, stir, stir. 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 immediately.

How and Whether to Devein Shrimp

For the Shrimp:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound 16/20 shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 tablespoons butter (divided)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
For the Risotto:
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter (divided)
2 shallots (minced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)

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

Gather the ingredients for the shrimp.

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

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

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

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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.

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

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Make the Risotto

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

Heat the chicken stock in another small saucepan.

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

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

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Add the Arborio rice and toss to coat in the oils. Saute until the rice is very lightly browned.

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Add a ladle full 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.

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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.

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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.

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