Risotto with Caramelized Onions and Spinach
Have I mentioned before that I love risotto? I also love adding different ingredients and experimenting with new flavors and textures, and have been happy with all of my creations so far. Click here to see all of them.
I've been loving caramelized onions lately so I decided to keep it going and try them in risotto.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion sliced into thin rings
- 2 cloves raw garlic, chopped
- Olive oil (about 1 tbsp for the risotto and 1 for the onions)
- Butter (about 1 tbsp for the risotto and 2 for the onions)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth, warmed
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup fresh chopped spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Caramelize the onions (heat oil and butter in a pan over medium heat, add onions and stir for 30-40 minutes until golden brown, being careful not to burn the onions or pan as you'll be using this pan to cook the risotto)
- Remove onions from the pan and add the rest of the oil and butter
- Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the rice; stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir until it is absorbed.
- Add the chicken broth 1 ladle-full at a time, letting it fully absorb before adding more. This process takes about 17-25 minutes, depending on the day!
- Before the final ladle of broth, add the caramelized onions and spinach. I chopped the onions so they wouldn't be too long and stringy next to the small grains of rice.
- When your final ladle of broth is halfway absorbed, add the cheese. This is my trick for making the risotto creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Another delicious risotto! Using the pan that the onions cooked in was a great way to infuse the oil with the sweetness of the onions, therefore giving the risotto more flavor overall. We both loved this and I think it might be my favorite yet. Another one to add to the list!
