Salmon Lemon Risotto

I don’t know about you, but I’m always in the mood for seafood! Especially when it’s got that lemony punch – YUM! It’s so delicious! This Salmon Lemon Risotto was everything you’d want from a risotto! That rice felt creamy but had this incredible bite left on it, those lemony flavors throughout, served with that charred lemon, and those big juicy, flaky chunks of salmon. I mean this was just ridiculous! And it’s not very hard to make at all! I feel like risotto gets this reputation of being really hard and technical, when that’s really not the case at all. You just have to stir it often – that’s it! This dish felt restaurant quality! It would be perfect for Valentine’s Day coming up or any other night when you want something a little more upscale, in the comfort of your own home!

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So, when did seafood first start appearing in risotto?

Seafood was introduced into risotto dishes pretty much right from the start! Early on, in the 16th and 17th centuries, risotto was a staple in Northern Italian cuisine! In coastal regions like Venice, lots of risotto recipes featured seafood like shrimp and clams simply because there was an abundance of shellfish in these lagoon areas!

Salmon did not become common in risotto until later on, around the mid to late 20th century! Because salmon isn’t found in Northern Italy, nobody was using it! It was sort of an untapped area, becoming popular thanks to Americans and their wild kitchen inventions! Once salmon was more widely available due to refrigeration and salmon farming – chefs started to experiment, often times pairing it with creamy starches for a contemporary vibe!

Did you know?

Risotto is the ULTIMATE way that Italians like to cook rice! It all started when Arab traders brought rice to Spain and Sicily during their rule. Since Italy has the perfect terrain, short-grain rice crops began appearing all over their humid, flat plains!

And how interesting is this rice? It doesn’t feel like rice at all, actually? That signature creamy texture comes from something called amylopectin, which is a soft starch coating, specific to certain Italian rice varieties! Super cool stuff!

What ingredients do I need to make this salmon lemon risotto?

For the salmon:

Salmon Fillet
Olive Oil
Paprika
Salt
Black Pepper

For the salmon lemon risotto:

Arborio Rice
Garlic
Shallot
Lemon
Chives
Parmesan
Heavy Cream
Butter
Chicken Broth
White Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper

For serving:

Chives
Parmesan
Lemon

Equipment Needed:

• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Chef Knife
• Cheese Grater
• Stockpot
• Large Skillet
• Spatula

How do I make it?

To prep the ingredients:

To get started on this risotto recipe, first we’ll want to wash and prep all of our ingredients. Mince the garlic and shallot, thinly slice the chives, slice the lemon in half, and shred the parmesan cheese.

Pat salmon very dry with paper toweling and carefully remove the skin using a very sharp chef knife. Cut the salmon into chunks, then carefully sprinkle the seasonings for the salmon all over. Use your hands to coat those chunks and set aside until ready to use.

Pro Tip: Allowing your salmon to sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking helps it to cook more evenly, while staying juicier than if you cooked it straight from the fridge!

To char the lemon:

Next, in a large dry skillet on high heat, add the halved lemon face down. Allow those to char for a few minutes, then remove to a plate when blackened and tender. This will leave that same flavor in the pan that a lemon juice would bring, plus it serves as a lovely garnish later on!

To cook the salmon:

In that same skillet, heat the oil for the salmon on medium high. Sear the salmon for a few minutes, flipping occasionally with a spatula until salmon is cooked through and a little crispy. You may need to turn the heat to medium just before it’s done.

Move salmon to a plate loosely tented with foil, then set aside until ready to use.

To make the risotto:

First thing’s first, get out a large pot and warm the chicken broth on medium low. You don’t want it to be boiling but you do want a gentle simmer to keep that temp up. You’ll leave the broth in the pot for the whole cooking process as you add it to the risotto.

Next, in that same skillet, melt the butter for the risotto on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Pour the rice into the skillet, drizzle the olive oil over it, and toast for a minute or so, stirring often – until it smells toasty and appears golden.

Next, stir the white wine vinegar and a small amount of warmed chicken broth into the rice. Keep stirring, adding more warmed broth in small amounts only after the liquid has absorbed.

Repeat until all of the broth is used up and risotto appears creamy, with a little bit of a bite left on it.

Turn heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, half of the chives, and the rest of the spices.

Once creamy and melty, stir in most of the salmon, reserving some for garnish. Remove from heat!

To serve salmon lemon risotto:

Spoon risotto into bowls and garnish with the rest of the salmon, sliced chives, more freshly shredded parmesan cheese, and charred lemon – squeezing that juice in to brighten the risotto even more! Enjoy!

Tips:

• If you’d like to keep this dish pescatarian friendly, you could use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth!
• Traditional risotto is made with dry white wine, but I don’t keep that at home – so I always swap it out with white wine vinegar in my risotto recipes, and it works beautifully! The purpose of this addition is to help deglaze that pan and to bring depth of flavor – so don’t skip it!
• If you like mushrooms, you should check out my Creamy Mushroom Risotto recipe!
• Shallot gives a little more refined vibe, but you can absolutely use red, yellow, even white onion if that’s what you have on hand!
• This dish will keep for 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Do you also think seafood and lemon are a match made in heaven? Check these recipes out!

• Creamy Salmon Pasta
• Shrimp Scampi Flatbread
• Salmon and Broccoli Foil Pack