broccoli cheddar risotto

The Weeknight Risotto That Doesn't Ask For Your Whole Evening

Name: Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups of steamed broccoli florets; 3tbsp of butter; 3 cups of chicken broth; 2 cups fresh shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup Arborio rice

Broccoli and cheddar turn intimidating risotto into a 35-minute side dish that actually happens on a Tuesday.

Dowell CooksAugust 11, 20266 min read Print this post

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A bowl of broccoli cheddar risotto, steam still rising off the top.

Creamy, cheesy, and done before you'd even finish scrolling for takeout.

Risotto has a reputation problem. People hear the word and picture an apron-clad chef hovering over a pot for an hour. This version skips all that drama. It's four ingredients doing the heavy lifting, one pan, and 35 minutes to the table, and it still comes out creamy enough to make you forget you didn't slave over it.

Overhead view of Broccoli Florets, Butter, Chicken Broth, Cheddar Cheese and Arborio Rice arranged on a table — Arborio rice, butter, chicken broth, broccoli florets, and shredded cheddar laid out and ready to go.

Before we get to plating the whole dish, it's worth zooming in on why broccoli and cheddar click in the first place.

Pairs for Broccoli

BroccoliCheddar

Score 84

Both carry oniony notes.

BroccoliButter

Score 78

Both carry fresh notes.

Why it works

broccoli + cheddarBoth carry oniony and garlicky notes.
butter + cheddarBoth carry creamy, coconutty and buttery notes.
broccoli + butterBoth carry fresh and grassy notes.

What to put next to it

This is a side dish through and through, rich and cheesy enough that it wants something lean sitting next to it on the plate. Roast chicken, grilled pork chops, or a simple pan-seared salmon all let the risotto be the star without piling on more fat. A squeeze of lemon over the whole plate does a lot of good here too, since the risotto itself is heavy on butter and short on anything bright.

Sauteing Arborio rice while preparing Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto — Broth being stirred into toasted rice as it slowly absorbs and turns glossy.

Warm your broth before you add it. Cold broth hitting hot rice shocks the cooking and slows everything down, plus it can make the texture uneven. A quick zap in the microwave or a pot on the back burner keeps the simmer steady the whole way through.

What’s in it

Contains: milk
Fits: Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Halal

Halal and kosher also depend on how the ingredients are sourced and certified.

Smart swaps

Substitutions that still taste like the recipe.

If your fridge doesn't match the ingredient list exactly, here's what holds up.

cheddar cheese

aged provolone
manchego
Lacks the oniony and garlicky notes.
gruyere

chicken broth

beef broth
seafood stock
Brings oniony and garlicky notes; lacks the tangy notes.
chicken stock
Brings earthy, roasted, fresh and grassy notes; lacks the tangy notes; juicier; more savoury depth.

broccoli

cauliflower
Lacks the clove-like and smoky notes.
eggplant
Brings earthy and roasted notes; lacks the oniony and garlicky notes.
potato
Brings earthy and roasted notes; lacks the clove-like, smoky, oniony and garlicky notes; drier; starchier.

What it costs

$6.28Total cost

$1.57Per serving (4)

Produce: $2.99
Dairy & Eggs: $1.69
Pasta & Grains: $0.99
Canned & Jarred: $0.61

Risotto doesn't need to be a special-occasion project. This one comes together on a weeknight, feeds four, and tastes like you fussed over it way more than you did. Give it a try, and then go browse all the other recipes while you're at it.

The recipe

Broccoli & Cheddar Risotto

Serves 435 minItalian

The Quarterly

Seasonal recipes, notes, and the issue links worth saving.