Combining two things that are fundamentally simple but require a bit of time and attention, this risotto with caramelised onions is a truly decadent special occasion meal.
Merging the deep, complex flavours of a steamy bowl of French onion soup with the creamy, luscious texture of a classic Italian risotto, this is a bit of an involved recipe that requires a time commitment, but it is worth every minute spent stirring.
Finished with a bit of Gruyere cheese along with the traditional parmesan, this may soon become a favourite way to make risotto.
How to Make Caramelised Onion Risotto
Nothing in this recipe is especially complicated and it really doesn’t use a lot of ingredients, but it does need a decent time commitment, so make sure that you’ve planned enough in advance to cooking to avoid having an exceptionally late dinner.
That being said, the first step to this recipe is caramelising your onions – as if you’re making a French onion soup! I have a dedicated article and recipe about how to caramelise onions and I follow the same process here.
I’ve tested it considerably, and I find you get the best results when you don’t take any shortcuts and simply rely on a bit of butter (and olive oil), salt and time. All you need to do is melt some butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan (the same pan will cook the risotto in).
Once the butter is foamy, add your sliced onions along with a generous pinch of salt. Cover the pan and let the moisture seep from the onions for about 20 minutes – after this, you will notice that they have decreased in side by about half and have started to take on a bit of colour.
Now, remove the lid and give the onions a stir. Keep the lid off and continue to cook the onions – stirring every so often – until they’re deeply caramelised and dark golden brown – this will take about 20 more minutes.
If you notice the onions sticking or scorching at all, deglaze the pan with a splash of water.
Once your onions are at the desired stage, it’s time to get started on the risotto element of this recipe. This means that now is a good time to bring some chicken (or veggie) stock up to a gentle simmer in a separate pot. Keep this hot until you need it.
To the onions, add your arborio (or carnaroli) rice. Toast the rice with the onions until the exterior of the rice turns translucent – only a few minutes. Then, deglaze the pan with some dry white wine.
Cook until the wine is mostly absorbed and the strong alcoholic smell has reduced – again, only a few minutes.
Now it’s time to begin your hot stock additions. Add a ladle-full of stock to the rice and, stirring constantly, allow it to completely absorb into the rice. This will take a few minutes.
When the stock has absorbed (you should be able to dry a line with your spoon and see the bottom of the pan), go ahead and add another addition of stock.
Continue this step, adding stock incrementally, until the rice is cooked through and al dente. Keep in mind that you may not use all of the stock – just keep trying the rice to see if it’s your desired level of cooked and stop your additions when you reach that stage.
Turn off the heat and stir in some Gruyere cheese (for the French onion element), a bit of parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then, serve the risotto immediately – topping with a bit more cheese if you wish!
French Onion Risotto
Ingredients
- 25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 3 yellow onions thinly sliced
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
- 150 g (¾ cup) arborio rice
- 120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
- 75 g (½ cup) Gruyere cheese grated
- 25 g (¼ cup) parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Set a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once the butter is melted and slightly foamy, add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover the pot and cook, undisturbed, for about 20 minutes – or until the onions have released their moisture and reduced in size by about half.
- Remove the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply browned and caramelised all over – another 20-30 minutes. Add a splash of water here and there to deglaze the pan if there is any sticking.
- Add the stock to a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Keep simmering over low heat. Once the onions are deep golden brown, add the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice becomes slightly toasty and the perimeter turns translucent – 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Stir until the wine has been absorbed into the rice and the strong alcoholic smell has cooked off – 3-5 minutes.
- Ladle about 250ml (1 cup) of the hot stock into the rice mixture. Stirring constantly, let the stock absorb into the rice. Once the stock is fully absorbed, ladle in another 250ml (1 cup) of stock and repeat.
- Continue stirring constantly and adding more stock in 120ml (½ cup) increments once the previous addition is absorbed until the rice is cooked through completely, about 15-20 minutes. You may not use all of the stock. Turn off the heat and stir in the Gruyere and parmesan cheeses. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, topping with more cheese if desired.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This rich and decadent caramelised onion risotto has all of the highlights of two incredible meals – risotto and French onion soup! It needs a bit of time and attention, but it’s definitely worth it.
Are you looking for a risotto with caramelised onions? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
