Love risotto? Then you have to try this lovely carrot and parmesan risotto ~ it’s the ultimate cheery comfort food, and a perfect side dish!

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Why we love this recipe
Sometimes you come home from work, and all you want is a nice hot bowl of something comforting. And at the same time, you don’t want your supper to be, well, boring. And those are the nights that call for risotto.
Don’t be intimidated by all those recipes that tell you that you MUST stir risotto constantly for 30 minutes or until your stirring arm falls off, whichever comes first, because I am here to tell you that is NOT true.
Not.
True.
You can make perfectly heavenly risotto by only stirring it here and there, I promise you.
Ingredients needed to make this cheesy carrot risotto!
- Chicken Broth
- Butter
- Water
- Carrots
- Salt and Pepper
- White Wine
- Rice
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
Here’s how you make carrot parmesan risotto!
(Scroll down for the handy complete printable recipe with nutrition info!)
STEP 1: Start with a base of shredded carrots that you sauté for a few minutes in just the teeniest amount of butter.
STEP 2: Now toss in some rice…if you have the arborio variety that is great, but I actually used a nice basmati rice because that is what I happened to have on hand at the moment and it worked out just fine.
STEP 3: Pour in some chicken broth a cup at a time and stir every five minutes or so and you will be just fine.
(Here’s my trick: I put on my Ipod and stir at the end of every song…that’s about 3-5 minutes depending on your playlist. Yes, this risotto owes it all to my playlist of James Taylor songs, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.)
STEP 5: At the very end, when the rice is tender and the carrots have almost melted into it, you toss in a teeny bit more butter and a handful of grated parmesan cheese.
STEP 6: Spoon it into your favorite dish and grind enough pepper on top to give it just the right amount of kick. That’s all there is too it.
Creamy carrot risotto FAQ
You don’t, I promise! Stirring it every few minutes to release the starch from the rice will work just as well to keep your carroty risotto nice and creamy.
Arborio rice is a short grain rice that has lots of starch, and it is definitely the first choice for making any kind of risotto because all that starch creates all that creaminess. You can usually find it pretty easily in your supermarket hanging out with the other types of rice. But in a pinch you can use whatever rice you have around and it will still taste all kinds of delicious.
You can – simply swap in an equal amount of chicken broth and you are all set.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will get right back to you!
In the fall this makes a great Thanksgiving side dish, and in the summer it would would be great with just about anything you cook on the grill…Buttermilk Chicken, for example.
And on those early spring days that are still just chilly enough to make you want a bowl of something warm and comfy…it doesn’t get too much better than this.
Other risotto recipes we love
Carrot Parmesan Risotto
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5 from 1 review
Love risotto? Then you have to try this lovely carrot and parmesan risotto ~ it’s the ultimate springtime comfort food, and a perfect side dish!
- Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 carrots, grated
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 1/4 cups rice (risotto usually calls for arborio, but any kind will work)
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups chicken broth (I like the boxed Pacific and Imagine brands)
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add carrots and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in rice. Add wine and stir it around until the wine is almost gone, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of broth and 1 cup of water and cook over medium-low heat until the liquid is almost gone, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Continue to add broth and water about 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until the liquid is almost gone before adding more and stirring about once a minute.
- Repeat until rice is creamy and just tender, about 20 minutes (you may not need all the broth).
- Stir in Parmesan and 1 tablespoon butter, and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.
Notes
Rice: Arborio rice is the very best rice for risotto, and is pretty easy to find with the other rice varieties in your grocery store. But I have also used basmati rice in a pinch and it works just fine!
Protein: Want to add a little protein to this dish? Add some cooked shredded chicken or some cooked little shrimp at the end to round out this comfort food supper.
Parmesan Cheese: If you can grate it fresh for this recipe that is the best! If not, go for the pre-grated cheese in the fancy cheese section of your supermarket.
Terri says
Used Butternut squash instead of carrots. Awesome!! Thank you:)
Terri! Love that variation – I’m going to try that!
safemeds says
I had never tasted this Carrot Parmesan Risotto, it is so delicious I prepared it at home last week and all my relatives were so delighted with this recipe, I gave them some tips to prepare it.
Carmie of the Single Nester says
I love making risotto. There is something very theraputic about all that stirring.
Jennifurla says
Looks great, I am on a risotto kick myself.
Amy's Cooking Adventures says
Looks yummy!
Cakewalk Yarns says
Great idea – its STILL cold here; this is a perfect way to bridge nasty weather with the ache for spring.
ddidonat says
This looks delicious! I think I may make this tomorrow night but with sweet potato instead. What a beautiful dish!
PoetessWug says
I think you're just looking for an excuse to listen to Bob Seger!!…Although the recipe does sound like it would be good…to music! ^_^
Joanne says
I am a super huge fan of risotto…and really it's my main form of strength training for my arms. Gotta build those biceps somehow!
Although sometimes i just don't have the time to stir constantly. Thanks for letting me know it's okay not to! Love the carrot addition to this! Makes it feel like spring.