Tomato and mozzarella risotto – A super delicious and incredibly easy weeknight meal made with a rich garlicky tomato sauce. This flavor-packed dish is loaded with gooey mozzarella, vibrant cherry tomatoes and roasted peppers. Pair it with a big side salad or serve alongside some roasted chicken. This one is sure to become a favorite in your household!
Tomato mozzarella risotto aka ‘Risotto alla Pizzaiola’
Traditionally, ‘pizzaiola’ is a sauce invented to use up leftover pizza sauce. In this recipe, we use it to bring our risotto to the next level. We follow the basic principles, and add puréed tomatoes, garlic, and oregano to the rice. We jazz it up with cherry tomatoes and roasted bell peppers, for that extra depth of flavor. And when finished, we top the risotto with mozzarella chunks (just like pizza) and let them slowly melt into our risotto.
The result is a delicious yet simple and effortless meal. Better yet, it’s easy enough to serve up on weeknights and impressive enough to share at your next dinner party.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step video.
Helpful tips
- Risotto is very easy to cook, just make sure to stir frequently, this way you break down the rice and create that smooth, creamy sauce of a good risotto. And by adding a little cream in the last step, the risotto will be even more creamy.
- Serve this risotto with a simple lettuce salad on the side or
- Add some rotisserie chicken, or top it off with cooked pancetta or bacon.
- Swap the cherry tomatoes for sun-dried tomatoes. Or leave out the roasted peppers.
- Risotto is most commonly made with Arborio or Carnaroli rice.
How to store tomato risotto
- Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Any leftover risotto can easily be reheated, but because of the absorbent nature of rice it takes on a different, more dense texture the next day. Just add a splash of water and give it a good stir.
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- Creamy Tomato and Shrimp Risotto
- Creamy Risotto with Balsamic Mushrooms
- Cheesy Orzo with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Tomato Mozzarella Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 10.5 ounces risotto rice Carnaroli or Arborio
- 4 cups warm chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup puréed tomatoes
- 9 ounces cherry tomatoes halved
- 5 ounces roasted bell peppers
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan
- 1 mozzarella ball chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Get all the prep done before you start cooking: mince the garlic, finely chop the shallot, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the roasted bell peppers.
- Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a a large high-sided skillet or a Dutch oven over medium. Add shallot and garlic, cook until fragrant, for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, black pepper, oregano, dried basil and red pepper flakes. Add tomato paste, stir until incorporated. Add rice, cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken broth at a time, stirring frequently, until the broth has been almost completely absorbed before adding the next cup. Cook until the rice is almost al dente, about 15 minutes. It's possible that you don't need to use up all of the broth.
- Add puréed tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and roasted peppers, simmer 5 minutes more, or until the risotto is ready. If needed, add more broth, risotto should flow slowly. If you can stand a spoon up in it, this means it needs more broth.
- In the meantime, chop the basil and mozzarella.
- When ready, stir in cream, parmesan and butter. Add basil and mozzarella. Season with black pepper and some extra red pepper flakes. Now taste and adjust salt.
- Cover, let stand for 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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