risotto

American  

[ri-saw-toh, -soh-toh, -sot-oh, ree-zawt-taw] / rɪˈsɔ toʊ, -ˈsoʊ toʊ, -ˈsɒt oʊ, riˈzɔt tɔ /

noun

Italian Cooking.

• risottos
  plural

1. a dish of rice cooked with broth and flavored with grated cheese and other ingredients.

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risotto British  

/ rɪˈzɒtəʊ /

noun

1. a dish of rice cooked in stock and served variously with tomatoes, cheese, chicken, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• risottos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of risotto

First recorded in 1850–55; from Italian, derivative of riso “rice”; see rice

Explanation

Risotto is a tasty dish made of short-grained rice that's cooked very slowly while hot broth is gradually added. You might see risotto on the menu at your favorite Italian restaurant. Risotto is starchy, rich, and flavorful, usually served warm with grated Parmesan cheese and a swirl of olive oil on top. Making risotto isn't difficult, but it does involve a lot of stirring over a relatively long period of time. A basic risotto recipe includes butter, onion or shallot, a little white wine, the short rice that's also called risotto (from the Italian riso, or "rice"), and savory broth. Buon appetito!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

risotto risottos

I’ve served it with skirt steak, pork tenderloin, salmon, eggplant-driven pasta alla Norma and risotto made with fresh, ripe Jersey tomatoes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

Its gentle tannins bring out the flavor of dishes like mushroom risotto and suggest a more serious wine than the price.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026

The dish — essentially Italian rice and peas — sits somewhere between risotto and stew, using both puréed and whole peas for texture and depth.

From Salon ● May 12, 2026

A plate of risotto was among the first images shown on the video board in the countdown video as the ceremony approached, followed by the picturesque snowy peaks of the Dolomites.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026

Well, that gives us two possibilities, Victor thought before reheating yesterday's risotto; Then he took the sniveling tortoise to the vet again.

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

An incredible assortment of seafood-studded pastas or risottos are typically part of the rotation.

From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2022

This is especially curious as Ms. Ramirez favors vialone nano rice — a highly absorbent grain capable of taking on twice its weight in liquid — instead of arborio for her risottos.

From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2016

You can also use Arborio, an Italian variety typically used in risottos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2015

Pumpkin’s spread to consumer pantries has also been fueled by its growing foothold in American restaurants, where gourmet chefs are increasingly presenting it as an earthy accouterment in soups and risottos, and fast-casual eateries such as Panera Bread are selling “Pumpkin Muffies.”

From Washington Post ● Sep. 3, 2015

They left parties with their wives, at a reasonable hour; were warmly engaged with their children; lived in brownstones; cooked lovely risottos.

From Slate ● May 8, 2013