When you want to impress your dinner guests, risotto is always a safe bet. Because its basically fancy rice, it’s highly likely that everyone will like it. But the rich, luxurious texture adds a gourmet feeling that will have everyone complimenting your skills in the kitchen. The trick to this garlic shrimp risotto is patience – you'll need to stick by the stove for this. Grab a glass of wine and settle in. We promise it’s worth it.  

What is Risotto? 

As we said before, it’s basically fancy rice. Risotto is a traditional Italian dish that relies on broth and the high starch content of rice to create its characteristic velvety sauce. The result is a rich, creamy rice dish perfect to top with your favorite protein. You’ll want to start with a short-grain rice like arborio. From there, plenty of butter, broth, wine and garlic jazz things up.  

Risotto is highly versatile and can be flavored in countless ways, with ingredients like vegetables, meats, seafood, herbs, and spices. Some popular variations include mushroom risotto, seafood risotto, and asparagus risotto. This Garlic Shrimp Risotto tops the risotto with Prime Shrimp in an herbaceous garlic butter sauce. 

How to Make Risotto 

Now for the daunting part: how to make risotto. Don’t worry – it's a lot easier than you might think. A good risotto is cooked slowly by gradually adding warm broth or stock to the rice, stirring constantly as it absorbs the liquid. This process allows the rice to release its starches, creating a creamy consistency without the need for cream or cheese (though cheese is often added at the end for extra richness).  

The key to a perfect risotto lies in the technique: constant stirring, gradual addition of liquid, and careful monitoring of the rice's texture to achieve a balance between creamy and al dente.