This zucchini risotto is the result of a new tradition I’ve started. Since Ella was born, things have been a bit… chaotic around here. Turns out, having two kids under two is not exactly a calm, relaxing experience. Who would’ve thunk? Zach and I have been craving calm, quite adult time, and I’ve been feeling bogged down with keeping up with the blog. So we decided that once a week, I’d make a yummy dinner for just me and Zach to enjoy after the kids go to sleep. It’s almost like going on a date. And the biggest part of our new tradition is that I’m not allowing myself to blog about it! I love cooking, but it’s a bit different when you know you have to make the food look gorgeous, take photos, and document everything you do for a blog post. Not that I’m complaining. I love, love, love my job. So once a week, I’m cooking for the pure joy of cooking, and Zach and I get some quiet alone time. It’s been AMAZING!
Last week, I made this corn and zucchini risotto. And I didn’t photograph it or blog about it, as per the rules. But it was SO GOOD that I HAD to make it again this week to share with you all! I think I’ve been a bit obsessed with zucchini lately- last week I posted about this sautéed vegetable and goat cheese naan pizza (with zucchini and bell peppers), and a few weeks ago it was this crustless ham and zucchini quiche. I think that’s because it’s been easy to get my 16-month-old daughter to eat it, since it absorbs so many other flavors. I love this risotto recipe because the vegetables are the stars. And the risotto is perfectly creamy and comforting. Here’s what I did to get that perfect consistency and let the vegetables shine.
The Zucchini
Here are two things I did to make the zucchini really, really, ridiculously awesome.
The Corn
You can use frozen corn or fresh corn for this corn and zucchini risotto recipe. But I recommend fresh. Here’s why. After removing the kernels from the cob, I added the cobs into the hot broth as it heated. Corn cobs are full of flavor and starch. This helped infuse the broth with corn flavor and enhanced the creamy consistency of the risotto. This is an especially good idea if you are making a vegan version of this zucchini risotto recipe (see notes) by omitting the parmesan cheese- the added starch will help make it extra creamy and delicious. Or, you can do a mix of frozen and fresh, which is what I did the first time I made it. Frozen corn can be a bit sweeter than fresh, so this way, you get the best of both worlds.
Making a Super Creamy Corn and Zucchini Risotto
I used arborio rice to make this risotto recipe. It’s the traditional rice used in risotto, and it’s extra starchy which helps create that creamy, comforting texture. If you’ve never made risotto before, it’s actually super easy to do. The only thing is it requires a lot of stirring- you can’t just leave it on your stove to cook and go do other things. You’ll need to pay attention to it (but it’s somewhat calming and meditative to make it- something about all that stirring). It’s worth it. Trust me. You can use another kind of rice if you want- I’ve made barley risotto and brown rice risotto before. But keep in mind: different rices have different starch contents and different cooking times. You’ll have two pots on your stovetop- one for the stock (I used chicken, but you can use vegetable, or even water in a pinch), and one for the risotto. As you cook the rice, you’ll ladle a little bit of hot stock in at a time, stirring it into the rice mixture, and continuing to stir until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Stirring constantly helps release the starches of the rice to make the risotto super creamy. After the risotto is done cooking, if you aren’t making a vegan version, you’ll add some parmesan cheese in as well, which will add a ton of salty flavor and make it even creamier as it melts. YUM.
For serving, I recommend drizzling some more extra-virgin olive oil on top, some fresh parsley, cracked black pepper, and extra parmesan cheese, if you’re using it. And one more thing- this sweet corn and zucchini risotto makes excellent leftovers. You can make it in advance and take it in your lunch all week long, or serve any leftovers you have for brunch with a fried egg on top (YUM). If you like this recipe, you’ll love this Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Pine Nuts. Here’s the printable recipe! Enjoy :-)
