Go Back
–+ servings
Bowl of creamy grape and gorgonzola risotto garnished with pink grapes and toasted walnuts.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Grape Risotto with Gorgonzola

This creamy grape risotto wins everyone over from the first bite, when the sweet grape meets slightly sharp salty gorgonzola cheese. One pan, about 30 minutes, and far more impressive than the effort it takes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Risotto
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 667kcal
Author: Svitlana

Ingredients

  • 320 g Arborio rice, or other risotto rice (about 1½ cups)
  • 450 g pink grapes (or other semi-sweet variety), preferably seedless (1 lb)
  • 170 g gorgonzola (6 oz), choose gorgonzola sweet for a delicate taste, sharp for a stronger one
  • 5 whole walnuts (or ¼ cup chopped), lightly toasted
  • 2 tablespoon onion , finely diced. Alternatively small shallow or a leak
  • 40 g butter (3 tbsp), cold from the fridge
  • 5-7 cups stock (vegetable, meat broth or water), boiling and kept hot
  • Extra virgin olive oil , a drizzle, to start the onion
  • Salt and pepper , to taste
  • 2-3 Prosciutto slices , crisped up in a dry pan (optional)

Instructions

  • Prepare the grapes. Remove the seeds if needed and set a few whole grapes aside for garnish. Blitz the rest in a food processor into a purée — it doesn't need to be perfectly smooth; small bits of skin will melt into the risotto as it cooks.
    Pink grapes blitzed into a coarse purée in a food processor.
  • Soften the onion. In a wide pan or cast iron casserole, warm a drizzle of olive oil and cook the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent.
    Finely diced onion softening in olive oil in a pot.
  • Toast the rice. Add the rice and toast briefly, stirring, until the grains are glossy and translucent at the edges.
    Arborio rice toasting with the onion in the pot before adding liquid.
  • Add the grape purée. Pour in the grape purée and stir well until absorbed.
    Pouring pink grape purée over toasted Arborio rice in the pot.
  • Add the stock. Begin adding hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring, adding more only as the previous liquid is almost absorbed. Continue until the rice is cooked but still slightly al dente.
    Adding hot stock to the grape risotto.
  • Finish off the heat. Turn off the heat. Add the quartered grapes you've set aside and stir in the cold butter until glossy.
    Adding cubes of cold butter to the cooked grape risotto off the heat.
  • Add the gorgonzola. Add the gorgonzola in cubes and give it a quick stir — don't overmix, so you keep little pockets of cheese in each bite.
    Adding cubes of gorgonzola to the grape risotto to finish.
  • Serve. Serve immediately, topped with walnuts. You can also crisp up a few slices of prosciutto, guanciale or pancetta and crumble them on top, but that's an option, this risotto already has rich flavor.

Notes

  • Grapes: Purée most, keep a few whole: the purée flavors the rice; the whole grapes garnish it.
  • Gorgonzola: dolce for mild and creamy, piccante for sharp. Add it off the heat and don't overstir.
  • Stock: vegetable, meat broth, or even water — the grapes and cheese carry the flavor. Keep it hot.
  • Walnuts: Give the crunch. Toast them and add on top at the end so they stay crisp.
  • Optional salty crunch: add crispy prosciutto, guanciale, or pancetta alongside the walnuts.
  • Serve immediately — risotto firms up as it sits.

Nutrition

Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1731mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1275IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 244mg | Iron: 4mg