The BEST Seafood Risotto
This creamy Seafood Risotto with shrimp, mussels and calamari is a dreamy, fancy-but-easy dinner recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Seafood: I used shrimp, mussels and calamari/squid. Feel free to add clams, scallops, crab, lobster or other seafood of your choice.
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic forms the base of this risotto. Shallots can be used too.
- White wine. The wine adds complexity and acidity but can be substituted with stock and a generous squeeze of lemon juice or a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. I like using Sauvignon Blanc but Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay are good options too.
- Stock: I made a quick seafood stock by simmering the shrimp shells, onion and garlic in chicken broth for 30 minutes. I also used the stock to poach the mussels, adding even more flavor. You can use store-bought fish stock as substitute.
- Arborio rice. Use a short-grain rice like Arborio or Carnaroli rice. As the rice cooks and gets agitated, it releases starches that create a beautifully creamy risotto.
- Butter.
- Parmesan cheese. Not traditional and a no-no with fish, to many, but I like the umami savoriness it adds to the risotto.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Fresh lemon juice and parsley, for serving.
Tips For The Best Seafood Risotto
- Sear the seafood: By searing the shrimp/prawns and calamari in the pan you will be making the risotto in, you create “Fond” in the bottom of the pan which will add incredible flavor to the finished risotto.
- Use the best quality stock/broth: So much of the flavor in risotto comes from the stock, which is why I spent a little extra time making the seafood stock. It made all the difference to the final dish.
- Don’t skip the butter! Stirring butter into the risotto once its finishes creates a silky, creamy finish. You could also add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream or mascarpone.
- Garnish, then serve: I like to keep a few shrimp and mussels, shell-on, for garnish.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Risotto is definitely best served right after cooking but there are a few ways to prepare it in advance for dinner parties, etc. Cook the risotto half way through (the rice should still be a little firm) then transfer to a sheet pan and spread into a thin layer. Allow to chill in the fridge then cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. To finish, scrape the rice into a deep pan or pot then continue adding stock until the rice is al dente, and finish as per the recipe. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Serving Suggestions
Although seafood risotto is a great dish to serve on its own, adding a zesty side salad or lemony asparagus is a delicious idea.
Servings: 4 – 6 people
Calories: 547kcal
Ingredients
Seafood
- 1 lb (500g) shrimp / prawns shelled and deveined (keep the shells if you're making the seafood stock)
- 1 lb (500g) mussels in shells
- ½ lb (250g) calamari
For the seafood stock
- 6 cups (1.5l) chicken stock vegetable broth can be used if you want to keep this recipe pescetarian
- shrimp shells
- 1 onion halved
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 tsp peppercorns
For the risotto
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups (450g) Arborio rice
- 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine sauvignon blanc or chardonnay are good options
- 6 cups seafood stock
- 3 tbsp butter
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- parsley and lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place the shrimp shells in a large saucepan and add the halved onion, smashed garlic cloves and peppercorns. Pour in the chicken stock then place over medium heat, cover and allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the seafood.
- Drizzle the calamari and shrimp with a few teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt.
- Heat a large skillet or deep pan over medium-high heat then add the seafood in batches, searing quickly then remove and set aside.
- Strain the shells and onion out of the seafood stock and discard.
- Add the mussels to the seafood stock and cook for 7-10 minutes until they have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Pick all the mussel meat out of the shells (keeping a few whole for garnish) then set aside the meat.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the same pan you seared the shrimp and calamari in then add the onion. Cook until softened then grate in the garlic.
- Add the rice and stir to combine with the onions then pour in the wine and allow to reduce. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Once the wine has reduced, add the stock, one ladle at a time. Stir the risotto well, and continue until the rice grains have absorbed the liquid and the risotto is creamy.
- Add the butter and Parmesan to the risotto and stir until creamy. Season to taste.
- Stir in the seafood and allow to warm through for a minute or two.
- Serve garnished with shell-on shrimp and whole mussels (optional), chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 2022mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 6mg
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Seafood Recipes
