Creamy Basil, Leek & Goat Cheese Risotto Recipe for Cozy Nights

Crafting a sublime basil risotto brings pure culinary magic into your kitchen.

Smooth goat cheese melts deliciously through each creamy grain.

Leeks add subtle sweetness that transforms this classic Italian dish.

Mediterranean flavors dance across your palate with remarkable complexity.

Seasonal ingredients create something genuinely spectacular for dinner tonight.

Aromas of fresh herbs will definitely make you smile.

Wake up your taste buds and savor every delectable spoonful.

Creamy Risotto With Goat Cheese That Feels Like A Treat

Quick Kitchen Magic: Transform Simple Ingredients

• Minimal Effort Gourmet: This risotto looks sophisticated but requires basic cooking skills, making it perfect for home chefs wanting restaurant-quality meals without complicated techniques.
• Versatile Comfort Dish: Adaptable for vegetarian diets, easily customizable with different herbs or cheeses, and suitable for casual dinners or elegant gatherings with friends and family.
• Time-Smart Cooking: Ready in under 45 minutes, this one-pan recipe minimizes kitchen cleanup while delivering rich, creamy flavors that feel like you've spent hours preparing.
• Seasonal Ingredient Champion: Celebrates fresh basil and leeks, allowing home cooks to showcase seasonal produce in a delicious, crowd-pleasing format that feels both traditional and contemporary.

Basil, Leek and Goat Cheese Risotto Ingredients Needed

• Arborio Rice: Starchy Italian rice perfect for creamy risotto, known for its ability to absorb liquid while maintaining a firm texture.

• Goat Cheese, Parmesan Cheese: Creamy, tangy cheese that adds richness and depth; Parmesan provides a salty, nutty flavor complement.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps create a smooth, velvety texture.

• Leeks: Mild onion-like vegetable with a delicate, sweet flavor that provides a subtle base for the risotto.
• Garlic: Aromatic ingredient that adds depth and pungent flavor to the dish.
• Fresh Basil: Bright, herbaceous herb that brings a fresh, aromatic finish to the risotto.

• Vegetable or Chicken Stock: Essential liquid for cooking rice and building flavor.
• White Wine: Adds acidity and depth, helping to deglaze the pan and enhance overall taste.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Basic seasonings to balance and enhance the dish's flavors.
• Olive Oil: Provides a base for sautéing and adds a subtle fruity undertone.
• Lemon Zest (Optional Garnish): Bright, citrusy accent that adds freshness and complexity.

Goat Cheese Risotto Instructions with Basil and Leek

Step 1: Warm the Broth

Get your vegetable or chicken stock simmering gently in a pot.

Keep it warm and ready for the risotto magic.

Scrub and slice leeks carefully, making sure no sandy bits remain hidden.

Step 2: Create Flavor Base

Melt together olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat.

Toss in sliced leeks and dance them around until they soften beautifully.

Sprinkle minced garlic and let its aroma fill the kitchen.

Step 3: Transform the Rice

Drop Arborio rice into the pan, stirring to coat each grain with buttery goodness.

Let the rice toast and become slightly see-through around the edges, developing deep flavors.

Step 4: Build Creamy Layers

Pour white wine into the pan and stir until it disappears.

Start adding warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly.

Each addition creates silky layers and releases the rice’s natural creaminess.

This process takes about 20-25 minutes of patient stirring.

Step 5: Blend Final Touches

• Parmesan cheese
• Goat cheese
• Fresh basil leaves

Season with salt and black pepper to match your taste.

Step 6: Present Your Masterpiece

Spoon risotto onto warm plates immediately.

Sprinkle with extra crumbled goat cheese, scatter fresh basil leaves, and add a zesty lemon garnish for brightness.

Serve while hot and enjoy every luxurious bite.

Risotto Stirring and Infusion Tricks

• Thoroughly wash leeks under running water, separating layers to remove all sand and dirt before slicing to ensure a clean, smooth texture in your risotto.
• Stir risotto constantly and add stock gradually to achieve that signature creamy consistency, preventing rice from becoming mushy or sticking to the pan.
• Add goat and Parmesan cheeses off the heat to maintain their delicate flavor and prevent separation, creating a silky smooth finish.
• Substitute vegetable stock for vegan version, use dairy-free cheese alternatives, or replace Arborio rice with cauliflower rice for low-carb option.
• Toast rice in butter and oil before adding liquid to enhance nutty undertones and develop a richer, more complex taste profile.

Store Basil, Leek & Goat Cheese Risotto

• Store leftover risotto in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking, keeping it fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Warm risotto in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of stock or water to restore creamy texture. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even heating.
• Place risotto in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval to distribute heat evenly.
• Mix in a small amount of grated Parmesan or extra stock while reheating to help restore the risotto's original creamy consistency and prevent dryness.

What Complements Goat Cheese Risotto

• Pair with Crisp Sauvignon Blanc: Select a light, zesty white wine with herbaceous notes that complement the basil and cut through the creamy goat cheese, enhancing the risotto's delicate flavors.
• Serve with Arugula Salad: Create a simple side salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to provide a peppery, bright contrast to the rich and creamy risotto, balancing the dish's texture and intensity.
• Match with Prosciutto Crisp: Prepare thin, crispy prosciutto chips as a garnish or side to add a salty, crunchy element that elevates the soft risotto and introduces a delightful textural variation.
• Accompany with Roasted Asparagus: Grill or roast asparagus spears with olive oil and sea salt to provide a fresh, green vegetable side that mirrors the leek's mild onion flavor and adds nutritional depth to the meal.

Risotto with Goat Cheese and Leek Twists

• Vegan Veggie Risotto: Replace goat cheese with cashew cream or nutritional yeast. Swap chicken stock for vegetable broth and use plant-based butter alternative for sautéing leeks.
• Gluten-Free Herb Risotto: Use certified gluten-free Arborio rice. Ensure all stock and ingredients are gluten-free certified. Check wine selection for gluten-free verification.
• Mushroom Lover's Version: Add sautéed wild mushrooms like porcini or shiitake during the leek cooking stage. Incorporate dried mushroom powder for deeper umami flavor profile.
• Low-Carb Cauliflower Risotto: Substitute Arborio rice with riced cauliflower. Reduce cooking time and adjust liquid quantities. Maintain creamy texture by increasing goat cheese quantity.

FAQs

• Why is Arborio rice important for risotto?

Arborio rice contains high starch content that creates the creamy, rich texture unique to risotto. Its ability to absorb liquid while releasing starch makes it the perfect grain for achieving that classic smooth consistency.

• Can I substitute other cheeses if I don't have goat cheese?

While goat cheese provides a tangy flavor, you can replace it with ricotta or feta. Each cheese will slightly alter the taste, but they’ll still create a delicious creamy result.

• How do I know when the risotto is perfectly cooked?

The risotto should be creamy and flow slightly when spooned, with rice grains that are tender but still have a slight firmness in the center. This is called “al dente” and indicates perfect risotto texture.

• What's the most critical technique when making risotto?

Constant stirring and gradually adding warm stock are crucial. This process helps release the rice’s natural starches, creating the signature creamy texture risotto is known for.

Basil, Leek & Goat Cheese Risotto Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 11 reviews

• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Creamy basil, leek & goat cheese risotto promises a luxurious Italian-inspired culinary journey through simple yet sophisticated ingredients. Combining fresh herbs, delicate leeks, and tangy goat cheese, this comforting dish welcomes you to savor each silky, rich spoonful with pure Mediterranean delight.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, warmed
• 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

Cheese and Dairy:

• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Flavor Enhancers and Seasonings:

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish:

• Additional crumbled goat cheese
• Fresh basil leaves
• Lemon zest

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Prepare a warm stock in a saucepan, maintaining a low temperature. Meticulously cleanse leeks, removing any residual soil or grit, then slice them into delicate semicircles.
2. Select a spacious skillet and introduce olive oil with butter over medium heat. Gently sauté leeks until they transform into a soft, translucent mixture, approximately 5-7 minutes. Incorporate minced garlic and allow its aromatic essence to permeate the mixture for one minute.
3. Introduce Arborio rice into the pan, carefully coating each grain with the fragrant oil-butter emulsion. Allow rice to toast, developing a subtle translucency around its edges, which typically requires 1-2 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pan with white wine, stirring continuously until the liquid nearly disappears. Gradually introduce warm stock, one ladleful at a time, stirring consistently and permitting each liquid addition to absorb completely before the next. This rhythmic process typically requires 20-25 minutes, transforming the rice into a creamy consistency.
5. Once rice reaches a perfect al dente texture with a luxurious, creamy disposition, incorporate Parmesan and goat cheese. Fold in fresh basil leaves, then season with salt and black pepper, adjusting to personal preference.
6. Transfer the risotto immediately to warmed plates. Enhance the presentation with additional crumbled goat cheese, delicate basil leaves, or a vibrant sprinkle of lemon zest for a bright, sophisticated finish.

Notes

• Rinse rice thoroughly to remove excess starch, ensuring a creamy yet distinct risotto texture without becoming overly sticky.
• Choose fresh, high-quality leeks and remove the tough dark green parts for the most tender and delicate flavor profile.
• Toast rice slowly and carefully to develop a nutty undertone and prevent burning, which can create bitter notes in the final dish.
• Substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version, maintaining the rich depth of flavor without compromising the recipe’s integrity.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 360
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 500 mg
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 50 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 15 mg