Red wine risotto is one of those magic dishes that requires minimum ingredients, very little effort but tun out to be out of this world delicious!
Imagine delicate and creamy risotto paired with seasoned bites of Italian sausage and fragrant fresh rosemary sprigs.
Of course it wouldn’t be the same without red wine. Just don’t tell your guests about it and keep it as your secret ingredient 😉
Red wine risotto is really really easy to make, even for someone who never made risotto before. Here a few secrets to cooking a perfect red wine risotto.
Rice
Since rice is a protagonist of any risotto it’s super important to choose the right type of rice.
It has to be medium or short-grain with high content of starch. The starch-ier the rice the more creamier your risotto will be.
Classic choices for risotto rice would be Arborio, Carnaroli and less common and harder to find Vialone Nano.
Arborio rice is the most common and easy to find but it also tends to be easier to overcook and break the grains.
Carnaroli is one of my favorite types of rice for risotto.
Risotto with Carnaroli rice turns out very creamy, with delicate taste but still a light chew at the center of the grain.
Red Wine
The best wine for risotto tends to be also the one you’d want to drink all on its own. But even if you feel tempted to substitute it with a cheaper wine - don’t.
Dry Amarone made from the partially dried grapes of Valpolicella region would be the best and the most luxurious choice. And it would cost around $30 - $50 per bottle.
Considering you’ll use about 1 cuzp and a half that’s not of a too bad sacrifice considering a unique taste and sophistication of the risotto you’ll get.
If you’re looking for a perfect risotto red wine that doesn’t break the bank look for Chianti, Valpollicella, Ripasso, Barbera D’Asti. Here in Sardinian I make it with Cannonau.
Italian Sausage
Choose fresh well-seasoned Italian pork sausage preferably from a trusted butcher. If you can’t find fresh sausage you can also use ground pork seasoned to taste.
Full Recipe
Red Wine Risotto With Italian Sausage & Rosemary
Ingredients
- 12 oz Carnaroli rice
- 5-6 cups meat stock
- 10 oz fresh sausage (approx. 12 inch), skin removed and meat squeezed out
- 1 ½ cup red wine
- 1 small onion
- 3-4 rosemary sprigs
- ½ cup Parmesan or Pecorino cheese (grated)
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Cookware
Instructions
- Bring stock to boil. Use homemade stock, bouillon cube or better than bouillon.
- Dry-fry the sausage meat in a deep saute pan for a few minutes until browned breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add chopped onion and stir for a minute.If sausage is too dry add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or butter.
- Add rice. Toss everything for another minute until rice is coated with juices from the meat.
- Add red wine.Once its completely absorbed and rosemary sprigs and start adding HOT stock. One laddle at a time.
Let simmer on low heat and add more stock as needed. - Depending on the rice, risotto is usually ready in about 20-25 minutes. Like perfectly cooked pasta it should remain slightly “al dente”. A little bit sturdy but not raw or grainy.
- Once rice is ready remove rosemary sprigs, add butter and grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.
- Cover with a lid and let sit for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Buon Appetito!
Catherine says
I’ve made this for years now. It has all the proper ingredients, including red wine and rosemary, that make this sausage risotto a hit, especially on a cold winter’s day.