Roasted corn risotto is one of the best ways to use up excess summer sweet corn. Not only is it easy to make, but the corn results in a flavor that’s perfectly balanced between sweet and savory.
If you’ve been following us for a while then you know we’ve already shared a couple of risotto recipes previously here on the blog like Mushroom Risotto, and Butternut Squash Risotto. And if you haven’t checked those recipes out yet I highly recommend you do. They’re both delicious! But today I want to show you folks another banger risotto recipe. And one that stars the king of late summer produce.
I’m talking about sweet corn.
If you’ve never had it before but like sweet corn, I guarantee you’re going to love it. As sweet corn (especially when it’s roasted) is a great addition to risotto. Not only does the natural sweetness of the corn perfectly balance out the savory flavors of the risotto. But also when it’s cooked right it results in a super soft, tender, and most importantly creamy texture that everyone looks for in a risotto. So let’s not waste any more time talking fluff and get into the details of today’s recipe.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- What rice is best for risotto? The most common/traditional rice to use would be arborio. And this is because of its high starch content which is the key to producing the creamy texture of a finished risotto. That being said there are a number of other rice types like Vialone nano, Carnaroli, and Baldo that are high in starch content and thus are great for risotto too. So if you can get your hands on those feel free to use them. Just make sure that whatever rice you use has a high starch content, so avoid ones like basmati.
- Fresh sweet corn is no longer in season? No worries, you can still make this recipe with either canned corn or frozen corn. Just make sure that the canned corn is thoroughly washed and strained before using. And as for frozen corn just defrost it properly and pad it dry of any excess water it might release.
- Can you grill the corn instead? Of course! In fact, doing so would result in a more charred consistency for your corn (if that’s what you prefer). And if you’re unsure of how to properly grill corn on the cob then check out this great post by a couple cooks detailing 3 different ways to do it.
- What to serve with your roasted corn risotto? Honestly, risotto is hearty enough that it can serve as the main dish for any meal. And when I do that I prefer to simply pair it with some toasted or crusty bread and maybe a salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. That being said if you want it to be a side dish for a bigger meal one of my favorite things to pair it with is our Marinated Beef Tenderloin. You can’t go wrong doing that!
Other Risotto Recipes You Might Enjoy
Roasted Corn Rissoto Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 Ears of sweet corn, or 2 cups of corn kernels
6 Cups of chicken or vegetable stock
4 Tablespoons of olive oil
4 Tablespoons of butter
2 to 3 shallots, minced
1½ Cups of arborio rice
½ Cup of dry white wine
½ Cup of grated parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional garnish:
1 Teaspoon of either fresh chives, sage, or thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉/204℃
- Prep & roast your corn: Shuck each ear of corn to remove the husks and silky threads. Then cut the kernels off of each ear of corn, and discard the corn cobs. Place the kernels on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place this in your heated oven and let the corn roast for 8 minutes. Then use a spatula to give them all a toss and continue to roast them for another 6 minutes or until they are slightly browned. Take them out of your oven and set them aside.
- Heat up the chicken/vegetable stock in a pan until it just starts to simmer. We just need it to be warm for when we add it to the risotto.
- Saute: Get out a large walled pan/skillet and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to it. Place this over medium heat and let the butter melt. Toss in the shallots and saute them for 4 to 5 minutes or until they have softened and become translucent. Then add in the arborio rice and continue to sautee everything for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan. Let the wine reduce for a couple of minutes or until it is barely visible.
- Add stock: Start by pouring enough of your warm stock (roughly 1 cup) into the pan until it covers all of the rice.
Continually stir everything together and let it all simmer for roughly 5 minutes or until the stock has almost been completely absorbed by the rice.
Then add in a little more stock (roughly ½ cup), and continue to stir until it has been absorbed. Repeat this process until you have added roughly 4½ cups of stock to your pan. At this point, taste a piece or two of the rice to check how done it is.
If you prefer your rice to be al dente then the 4½ cups could be enough. However, if you want softer rice grains then you will need to repeat the process of adding a ½ cup of stock + letting it absorb into the rice until it is as tender as your like. This whole process should take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes.
- Finish the risotto: Once the rice is tender enough to your liking toss in the roasted corn that you made earlier. Stir to incorporate this with the rice and let it heat through.
Take the pan/skillet off the heat and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until the cheese has melted and the risotto has become extra creamy. Finally taste the risotto and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve the roasted corn risotto into individual bowls, sprinkle with the optional garnish, and enjoy!
Roasted Corn Rissoto Recipe
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3 Ears of sweet corn or 2 cups of corn kernels
- 6 Cups of chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons of butter
- 2 to 3 shallots minced
- 1½ Cups of arborio rice
- ½ Cup of dry white wine
- ½ Cup of grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Optional garnish:
- 1 Teaspoon of either fresh chives sage, or thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉/204℃
- Prep & roast your corn: Shuck each ear of corn to remove the husks and silky threads. Then cut the kernels off of each ear of corn, and discard the corn cobs. Place the kernels on a baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place this in your heated oven and let the corn roast for 8 minutes. Then use a spatula to give them all a toss and continue to roast them for another 6 minutes or until they are slightly browned. Take them out of your oven and set them aside.
- Heat up the chicken/vegetable stock in a pan until it just starts to simmer. We just need it to be warm for when we add it to the risotto.
- Saute: Get out a large walled pan/skillet and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to it. Place this over medium heat and let the butter melt. Toss in the shallots and saute them for 4 to 5 minutes or until they have softened and become translucent. Then add in the arborio rice and continue to sautee everything for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine and deglaze the pan. Let the wine reduce for a couple of minutes or until it is barely visible.
- Add stock: Start by pouring enough of your warm stock (roughly 1 cup) into the pan until it covers all of the rice. Continually stir everything together and let it all simmer for roughly 5 minutes or until the stock has almost been completely absorbed by the rice. Then add in a little more stock (roughly ½ cup), and continue to stir until it has been absorbed. Repeat this process until you have added roughly 4½ cups of stock to your pan. At this point, taste a piece or two of the rice to check how done it is. If you prefer your rice to be al dente then the 4½ cups should be enough. However, if you want softer rice grains then you will need to repeat the process of adding a ½ cup of stock + letting it absorb into the rice until it is as tender as your like. This whole process should take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes.
- Finish the risotto: Once the rice is tender enough to your liking toss in the roasted corn that you made earlier. Stir to incorporate this with the rice and let it heat through. Take the pan/skillet off the heat and add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the parmesan cheese. Stir everything together until the cheese has melted and the risotto has become extra creamy. Finally taste the risotto and add salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve the roasted corn risotto into individual bowls, sprinkle with the optional garnish, and enjoy!
