22 September 2026
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World Kitchen Journal
Creamy pizzaiola risotto
Technique
By Jean-Luc Moreau, the Technique desk · 10d ago · Italy · 3 min ·

Creamy pizzaiola risotto

Pizzaiola risotto is a creamy and flavorful first course.

Ingredients · Servings 4 persone
  • Riso carnaroli, 320 gr
  • Brodo vegetale, 1 l
  • Passata di pomodoro, 400 ml
  • Aglio, 2 spicchi
  • vino bianco, 80 ml
  • Olio extravergine di oliva, q.b.
  • Mozzarelle, 2
  • Parmigiano grattugiato, 50 gr
  • Sale, q.b.
  • Basilico, q.b.
Method · 1 h 15 min
  1. Per preparare il risotto alla pizzaiola, innanzitutto scalda un giro d’olio in padella con due spicchi d’aglio e lascia insaporire. Quando l’olio sarà profumato, aggiungi la passata di pomodoro, un pizzico di sale e il basilico spezzettato (1). Cuoci per circa 10 minuti, poi spegni e tieni il sugo da parte.
  2. In un’altra padella fai tostare il riso a secco per circa 2 minuti, mescolandolo, quindi sfuma con il vino bianco (2) e lascia evaporare completamente la parte alcolica.
  3. Inizia ad aggiungere il brodo vegetale poco alla volta (3), portando il riso a cottura.
  4. A metà cottura aggiungi la passata di pomodoro (4) e continua a cuocere, versando altro brodo caldo man mano che il liquido viene assorbito dal riso.
  5. Nel frattempo, taglia la mozzarella a dadini e lasciala scolare bene. Quando il riso è quasi pronto, aggiungi la mozzarella (5) e mescola fino a farla fondere.
  6. Spegni il fuoco e manteca con il parmigiano grattugiato (6).
  7. Il risotto alla pizzaiola è pronto: distribuiscilo nei piatti individuali, guarniscilo con del basilico fresco e portalo in tavola (7), caldo e filante.

Pizzaiola risotto is a creamy and flavorful first course. Suitable for both adults and children, it's quick and easy to make with ingredients you often already have at home, and is ideal for a quick family lunch or a dinner with friends, even if you're planning a last-minute dinner.

This is a classic tomato risotto, made with passata, garlic, oil, basil, white wine, and vegetable broth. It's then topped with diced mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese during the stirring process. These, melting with the heat, make the dish soft and stringy. If you want to replicate the flavors of pizzaiola in every way, you can add a generous pinch of dried oregano to the finish.

For a flawless result, remember to drain the mozzarella of excess whey; if possible, choose fior di latte, which has a drier texture.

Learn how to make pizzaiola risotto with step-by-step instructions and tips. If you enjoyed this recipe, try other delicious risottos, such as baked rice, white baked rice, risotto all'amatriciana, and risotto alla valdostana.

How to make pizza risotto

To prepare the pizzaiola risotto, first heat a drizzle of oil in a pan with two cloves of garlic and let it brown. Once the oil is fragrant, add the tomato puree, a pinch of salt, and the chopped basil. Cook for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and set the sauce aside.

In another pan, dry toast the rice for about 2 minutes, stirring, then deglaze with the white wine 2 and let the alcohol evaporate completely.

Start adding the vegetable broth little by little 3, bringing the rice to the boil.

Halfway through cooking, add the tomato puree 4 and continue cooking, pouring in more hot broth as the liquid is absorbed by the rice.

Meanwhile, dice the mozzarella and drain well. When the rice is almost ready, add the mozzarella and stir until melted.

Turn off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese 6.

The pizzaiola risotto is ready: divide it into individual plates, garnish with fresh basil and bring it to the table 7, hot and stringy.

Advice

Instead of mozzarella, you can use provola, smoked scamorza, or another stretched-curd cheese. For a more savory touch, you can replace the grated Parmesan with aged pecorino.

If you have any leftover risotto, you can reuse it to make delicious supplì al telefono, perfect as an appetizer or for aperitif time.

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