No.76 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Risotto with Parmesan (Risotto alla Parmigiana)

Made famous by Marcella Hazan

Photo: philip.mallis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, 1992.

The base every risotto grows from. Marcella's method, with hot broth added a ladle at a time, is the one taught in kitchens everywhere.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.

Ingredients

• 5 to 6 cups (1.2 to 1.4 l) good chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp butter, plus 2 tbsp for finishing
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped shallot or onion
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine, optional
• 2/3 cup (60 g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for the table
• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan and keep it at a bare simmer next to the stove.
2. In a wide, heavy pot, melt 2 tbsp butter with the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir until every grain is coated and glossy, about 1 minute.
4. If using wine, pour it in and stir until it has evaporated.
5. Add a ladle (about 1/2 cup) of hot broth and stir steadily, scraping the bottom, until it's absorbed. Add another ladle and keep going, never letting the rice dry out or drown. Keep the heat high enough that it bubbles lively.
6. After about 18 minutes, start tasting. The rice is done when tender but still firm at the center. If you run out of broth, use hot water.
7. Take the pot off the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp butter and the cheese vigorously until creamy. Taste for salt and pepper. It should flow slowly when you tilt a spoonful onto a plate; add a splash more broth if it's stiff.
8. Serve at once, with more cheese at the table.

Chef's tips

• Never rinse the rice; the starch on it makes the creaminess.
• Risotto waits for no one. Have everyone seated before the last stir.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan: get the book, No. 3 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

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