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–+ servings
black bowl with rice and thyme

Spicy Risotto Alla Vodka

This spicy risotto alla vodka is the most interesting risotto you'll ever taste this year. It has everything you love in a traditional risotto, but it uses vodka instead of wine and 'Nduja for a bit of a kick.
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Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 527kcal
Author: Alice | Skinny Spatula

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium shallot, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2.5 oz (70 g) ‘nduja
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, roughly chopped
  • 10 oz (300 g) carnaroli rice
  • ⅓ cup (75 ml) vodka
  • 5 cups (1.18 l) chicken stock, warm
  • ⅓ cup (30 g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large saucepan and cook the shallot for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until soft and translucent.
    2 tablespoons butter
    1 medium shallot
  • Stir in the tomato paste and 'nduja and cook for two minutes until the 'nduja is completely melted and everything turns a darker red.
    2 tablespoons tomato paste
    2.5 oz ‘nduja
  • Stir in the fresh thyme and then add the carnaroli rice. Toast the rice for 1 minute, stirring often. Then add the vodka and cook for 1-2 minutes until the alcohol mostly evaporates.
    1 tablespoon fresh thyme
    10 oz carnaroli rice
    ⅓ cup vodka
  • Start adding the stock a little at a time. Stir frequently until the rice absorbs the liquid, and once it's nearly gone, add more. Repeat the process until you finish the stock or until the rice is creamy and al dente, which means it should be tender but still have a slight bite.
    5 cups chicken stock
  • Stir in the Parmesan cheese, then adjust the seasoning to taste and serve immediately.
    ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
    Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Video

Notes

  • The 'nduja, Parmesan and stock all add salt to the risotto, so it's always a good idea to taste at the end before adding more seasoning.
  • The heat of the 'nduja varies a lot from one brand to another. You can start with half and stir in more at the end if you don't want your risotto too spicy.
  • You may not need all the stock, or you might need a splash more. With risotto, it's always best to go by the bite and not the cup count.

Nutrition

Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 679mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

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