Easy Lemon Prawn Risotto

It's hard to say no to a creamy and lemony risotto, but when you also add prawns to the mix, the result is an absolutely irresistible meal. Treat your loved one or your family with this easy lemon prawn risotto that is super flavourful and super quick to make.

This lemon prawn risotto is naturally creamy and only takes 50 minutes to make, but it delivers a meal that you'll want to have over and over again.

I am absolutely in love with the way the flavours of the lemon and garlic mix in this prawn risotto. This is one of those meals you want to have in your arsenal for date night or Valentine's Day, though I confess I like to make just because. Having a bowl of creamy goodness with a glass of Pinot Grigio is a treat that makes all worries go away indeed.

Risotto is one of those dishes people are generally afraid to make because it's notoriously time-consuming. I for one find it calming to stir risotto, and I also find it super rewarding to make it.

Nailing a good risotto surely has got to be a sign that you're not failing at adulthood. If chicken is more your thing, check out my recipe for creamy chicken risotto with mushrooms.

What do you need to make the risotto?

The secret to making a good risotto is only one - Arborio rice. You can't use just any kind of rice you have in our pantry for risotto; it needs to be the starchy kind so you can achieve the perfect level of creaminess without having to add things like cream or extra butter on top.

You also need prawns (shrimp for my American readers) to make this lemony risotto, and the good news is that you can use the frozen kind. I do it all the time because I always seem to have a bag of prawns somewhere in the freezer, and also because I can't be bothered with the tails etc. Frozen prawns are king in my book.

I use vegetable stock to make this risotto because again, I can't be bothered to have fish stock in the house, but I have tried it with chicken stock too, and it was still great, so whichever kind you have works.

When it comes to wine, you should use any kind of white wine you have on hand, as long as it's a dry variety. I used Pinot Grigio for this recipe, but Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc would work just as well.

How do you make the prawn risotto?

To make the risotto, you first need to cooke the prawns in butter and smother them in lemon juice and a touch of garlic for that unmistakable flavor.

Once the prawns are done (I like mine on the crispier side, but feel free to leave them juicier), you can start on the actual risotto.

Using the same pan you fried the prawns in, melt the rest of the butter, and fry the onion for 4-5 minutes until it softens.

You can allow the butter to brown if you like, but that's optional. I like to allow it to become brown because the taste is a bit richer that way.

Add the rest of the garlic and the white wine. Cook for two more minutes, stirring until the wine is mostly gone.

Add the rice and cook for 1 minute until it becomes translucent. Start adding the stock gradually. Add just ⅔ in the beginning and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring continuously.

When the liquid is mostly absorbed, add the rest of the stock and simmer for an extra 10 minutes until the rice is al dente and the risotto is still a bit soupy.

Stir in the parmesan and add the prawns back to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes. The risotto should be creamy now. Serve immediately with extra parmesan and freshly grated black pepper on top if you like.

If you liked this risotto prawn recipe, have a look at some of my other Italian-inspired recipes:

Creamy Chicken Risotto With Mushrooms

Creamy Mushroom Alfredo Pasta Bake

Tagliatelle ai Funghi (Pasta with Mushrooms)

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Walnuts

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