Risotto Basmati with Italian Sausage
This rich and creamy risotto basmati is a twist on the classic risotto which is made with Arborio rice, this recipe utilizes the nutty and floral basmati rice. The fluffy texture of well-cooked basmati is perfect for a risotto dish.
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what is risotto basmati
Risotto basmati is risotto made with basmati rice instead of arborio rice. Basmati has a lower glycemic index, is gluten-free, and contains less arsenic (a toxic heavy metal) than arborio rice. Basmati is long-grain rice and doesn’t cream up as much as arborio, but still works well for risotto.
how to make risotto basmati
Risotto using basmati rice still has the creamy texture of risotto, however, the basmati rice gives the dish a nutty and floral taste too! This dish is rich, yet light and the whole family will love it!
equipment needed
- Cast iron skillet or dutch oven
- Spatula
- Chefs knife
Related: how to create a non-stick cast iron skillet
risotto basmati Ingredients
- 1 lb ground italian sausage cooked and crumbled (save the fat in the pan from this)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely sliced
- 1 cup basmati rice, soaked overnight (use brown basmati for a healthier, whole grain option)
- 4 tbs white wine vinegar (or 1/2 cup dry white wine)
- 4 cups bone broth – use my homemade recipe here or buy storebought
- 1 cup artichoke hearts, roughly diced (I just buy the marinated ones in the jar)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups arugula
risotto basmati Instructions
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Brown italian sausage and season with salt and pepper.
- While sausage is browning, slice onions and chop aritchoke hearts.
- Remove browned italian sausage and transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pour olive oil in with the fat from the sausage and saute onions over medium-high heat until just softened.
- Turn the heat to medium, add rice and mix thoroughly until coated with oil.
- Let the rice cook with the onions for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add your white wine vinegar and let the rice soak that up.
- When rice has absorbed all wine, add enough broth to cover the rice (about 1 cup).
- Stir over medium heat until broth is absorbed.
- Continue this process adding broth one cup at a time until rice is tender, but not mushy. This will take about 20-25 minutes. The end result should be slightly saucy.
- Add your sausage and artichoke hearts to the skillet, season with salt, stir until combined, then turn the burner off.
- Add your arugula and stir to combine.
- Stir in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately with remaining cheese
risotto basmati storage
Store this risotto basmati dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, boil about 1/4 cup (more or less depending on how much you’re reheating) bone broth (or water) in your cast iron skillet. Add the leftover risotto. Heat until warmed through.
*Note: Do not freeze leftover risotto. It just won’t ever be the same if you do.
risotto basmati Tips
- Don’t have your heat too high when add your rice and liquids or it’ll evaporate the liquid instead of allowing the rice to absorb it.
- Alternatively, don’t have your heat too low or you’ll end up with mush.
- Consider using a cast iron skillet to cook your risotto since the heavy-bottom distributes the heat evenely and holds heat really well.
- Know your cooktop well. Your medium-high might be different than mine.
- Don’t dump the fat from the sausage! Use that to add more flavor to your risotto basmati dish.
risotto basmati Serving Suggestions
This risotto basmati recipe is a meal in itself, however, if you’d like to add side dishes, here are some great options.
- Roasted vegetables
- Garlic sourdough bread
- Arugula salad
- Marinated kale salad
- A side of sauerkraut and avocado
- Lemon chicken soup
- Caprese salad
- Sauteed spinach
risotto basmati substitutions
Not a fan of some of the ingredients in my recipe? You may be asking yourself, what should I put in my risotto? Here are my top suggestions!
- Italian sausage
- meatless
- scallops
- chicken thighs
- beans
- shrimp
- Onion
- Shallots
- Chives
- Scallions
- Basmati rice
- Arborio
- Carnaroli
- Vialone Nano
- Bone broth
- Vegetable broth
- Chicken stock
- Beef broth
- Artichoke hearts
- Crimini mushrooms
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Sundried tomatoes
- Squash
- Olives
- Chickpeas
- Parmesan
- Pecorino Romano
- Mascarpone
- Mozzarella
- Sharp cheddar
- Fontina
- Gruyere
- Arugula
- Spinach
- Basil
- Broccoli
Cooking risotto in a cast iron skillet
When making risotto, if the heat is too low, or uneven, it will take too long and you’ll probably end up with mush instead of creamy, al dente rice. Consider using a cast-iron skillet to cook your risotto since the heavy bottom holds heat evenly.
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Risotto basmati faq
The traditional ingredients for risotto are chicken broth, olive oil, onion, garlic, arborio rice, dry white wine, grated parmesan, butter, salt, and pepper.
It is a short-grain, starchy rice that as it cooks develops a creamy, glistening texture.
Yes, you can use basmati rice for risotto. The texture will be a little less creamy and starchy than arborio rice due to its lesser glycemic index, however, it’s a great healthier option.
Arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano are all great options for risotto. Basmati can also be used for a different taste and texture.
Arborio rice is usually more difficult to find and makes traditional risotto dishes quite expensive. Risotto also takes time to make really well which could add to the cost.
For the most part, you can use any rice to make risotto. Some rice types are going to yield a creamier, more traditional risotto texture and taste, though. Stick with medium-short grain rice for a more traditional taste.
Yes! You can use a cast-iron skillet to make risotto and you should! First, cast iron cooking tastes better and also holds heat better and more evenly than other skillets. This ensures the rice cooks evenly.
Your rice may not be absorbing your liquid in risotto because the heat is too high and the liquid is evaporating before the rice could absorb anything. Or your heat may be too low. If neither of those is true, it could be that you need to cook your rice a little more prior to adding your broth.
Basmati rice has lower arsenic levels, is lower on the glycemic index, and is gluten-free, making it a healthier option than some other rice types. However, if you’re using white basmati instead of brown, it’s a refined grain that isn’t as good as whole grains.
Pin it for later – Risotto Basmati with Italian Sausage
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print the risotto basmati recipe
Risotto Basmati
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium high heat.
- Brown italian sausage and season with salt and pepper.
- While sausage is browning, slice onions and chop aritchoke hearts.
- Remove browned italian sausage and transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Pour olive oil in with the fat from the sausage and saute onions over medium-high heat until just softened.
- Turn the heat to medium, add rice and mix thoroughly until coated with oil.
- Let the rice cook with the onions for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add your white wine vinegar and let the rice soak that up.
- When rice has absorbed all wine, add enough broth to cover the rice (about 1 cup).
- Stir over medium heat until broth is absorbed.
- Continue this process adding broth one cup at a time until rice is tender, but not mushy. This will take about 20-25 minutes. The end result should be slightly saucy.
- Add your sausage and artichoke hearts to the skillet, season with salt, stir until combined, then turn the burner off.
- Add your arugula and stir to combine.
- Stir in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
- Serve immediately with remaining cheese
Notes
risotto basmati storage
Store this risotto basmati dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, boil about 1/4 cup (more or less depending on how much you’re reheating) bone broth (or water) in your cast iron skillet. Add the leftover risotto. Heat until warmed through. *Note: Do not freeze leftover risotto. It just won’t ever be the same if you do.risotto basmati Tips
- Don’t have your heat too high when adding your rice and liquids or it’ll evaporate the liquid instead of allowing the rice to absorb it.
- Alternatively, don’t have your heat too low or you’ll end up with mush.
- Consider using a cast-iron skillet to cook your risotto since the heavy-bottom distributes the heat evenly and holds heat really well.
- Know your cooktop well. Your medium-high might be different than mine.
- Don’t dump the fat from the sausage! Use that to add more flavor to your risotto basmati dish.
About Me
Thanks for stopping by! Please let me know how you liked this recipe!
I love your recipes. So delicious and recipes are so easy to follow.
Thanks so much, Joey! Glad you love them. 🙂
Wowser! So many tips and ideas for substitutions. Love this as a base recipe or may even add it to my madeovers rotation. Great job!
Thank you so much! Glad this was helpful. I want everyone to know that my recipes are always SUPER customizable. I know when I find a recipe I always customize it like crazy to fit my family’s needs.