The ultimate in cheesy indulgences, this cheese risotto with fresh herbs is the cosiest of comfort foods. Inspired by the cheesy risotto recipe from Zelda Tears of the Kingdom, you can easily whip up this cheesy dinner in just 45 minutes! Perfect for a weekday dinner, or something a little fancier and romantic – make it as cheesy as you like!

This luxurious risotto takes the traditional classic to a whole new level of cheesy. Each velvety spoonful is a world of cheese-filled bliss. You might be in danger of reaching for a second helping, or maybe even a third…

So what is the secret to a perfectly cheesy risotto experience? Arborio rice! Known for its ability to absorb flavours, this rice adds the perfect nuttiness and depth of flavour to pair with cheese (and wine for that matter). This recipe has everything this rice could ever want to absorb for flavour too – white wine, lemon juice, piping hot broth, and delicious cheeses.

Of course, if you are looking for an alcoholic-free risotto, just replace the white wine with more broth. The wine is there to provide acidity, but since this recipe also includes lemon juice, you’ll have no issues there.

Risotto must be forever in motion while it cooks, and the constant agitation with a cooking spoon while slowly adding spoonfuls of broth is what causes the rice to gradually release its starches and create that signature creamy consistency.

Make sure that you do use piping hot broth for risotto, or this process won’t result in the best tasting rice – the broth must be very hot so it is readily absorbed and the rice releases all that starch and creaminess. I recommend getting your broth boiling in a separate pot while you start the onions off for the risotto in a separate frying pan. 

Alternatively if you use bouillon paste instead of broth, just boil your kettle at least once or twice throughout the cooking process. Add the bouillon paste right after the wine and lemon juice, and then just slowly add the boiling hot water as needed, until you’ve added as much hot water as your risotto can handle.

Cheesy Risotto in Zelda Tears of the Kingdom: Hylian Rice + Goat Butter + Rock Salt + Hateno Cheese

Ah, Hateno cheese! My new favourite ingredient in all of Hyrule. You can make cheesy risotto at any cooking pot by combining Hateno cheese with Hylian rice, rock salt and goat butter. It’s as easy as saying cheese.

In all honesty, making this dish is so simple that unlocking Hateno cheese through the quests in Hateno is the more difficult part – but still very enjoyable. Now, onto the cheesy risotto recipe!

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Cheese Risotto with Fresh Herbs

This cheesy creamy risotto recipe makes 4 servings, plus it’s ready to eat in just 45 minutes!

Ingredients

• 4 cups broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup red onion, diced – you can use any onions or shallots you like!
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ¾ cup dry white wine (or broth for a non-alcoholic version)
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 ounces fresh cheese of your choosing – mascarpone, cheddar, gruyère, chevre, jarlsberg, mozzarella, etc.
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Tools

• large frying pan
• medium pot or tea kettle
• ladle
• cutting board
• knife
• cooking spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• cheese grater
• optional: kitchen scissors

Instructions

1. Measure out the cheeses. Grate the parmesan (and other cheese if you’re using something like cheddar) then set aside. 

2. Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Zest and juice the lemon.

3. Heat the broth in a separate pot over medium-high heat. It must be piping hot by the time it is added to the rice. Let it slowly come to a boil while you prepare the risotto.

4. In a large frying pan, warm up the oil over high heat. 

5. Once the oil is hot and shiny, add the onions and garlic, then sauté 1-2 minutes.

6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rice to the pan. Stir the rice to toast it for about 4 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent and makes crackling sounds.

7. Add the white wine and lemon juice. Stir the rice constantly until the wine is fully absorbed.

8. Add the lemon zest, salt, and pepper, then stir to combine.

9. Slowly add the piping hot broth, one ladle at a time. Stir the rice continuously until the broth is absorbed before adding the next ladle of broth. Repeat this process for 20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.

10. When the risotto is fully cooked, turn off the heat but leave the pan over the burner. 

11. Add the cheeses and butter, then stir vigorously over the residual heat of the burner for 2-3 minutes. This is what makes the risotto extra creamy.

12. Serve the risotto topped with chopped parsley and freshly cracked pepper. 

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The Cheesiest of Dinners

This cheese risotto is so creamy, it really is an ultimate comfort food. Plus the flavour of the dish will change drastically depending on the type of cheese you add or the wine you use!