Italian Wedding Risotto

This recipe is a delicious take on Italian wedding soup. Creamy parmesan risotto topped with garlicky pork meatballs and greens. We really enjoyed this dish and it was easy to make.

The meatballs in this dish are pork, but you could easily sub turkey, chicken or beef, although I love the flavor of the pork ones. They are seasoned with onion, garlic, italian bread crumbs and parmesan.

I used spinach, Chinese broccoli and mushrooms for the vegetable component. You could use other greens as well. The risotto is a typical risotto made by adding hot broth to arborio rice in increments and stirring a lot to release the starch and give it it’s creamy texture. I adore risotto and could probably eat it every day.

Italian Wedding Risotto

Creamy parmesan risotto with pork meatballs and garlic greens
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Course
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

For the meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 1/2 oz parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley divided
  • 1 egg
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped and divided in half
  • 1 small onion chopped and divided in half
  • 2 tsp salt
  • fresh black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

For the risotto:

  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 garlic from above
  • 1/2 onion from above
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated

For the vegetables:

  • 3 cups fresh spinach
  • 1 package mushrooms Cleaned and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

For the meatballs:

  • Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your clean hands. Form into small balls and fry in a skillet until nicely browned and fully cooked through.

For the greens:

  • Heat oil in a pan and add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Heat over high, tossing occasionally until they release their liquid and brown nicely. Add the spinach and toss just until it wilts. Sprinkle with garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

For the risotto:

  • Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add the garlic and onion. Heat the broth and water in another sauce pan until simmering. After the garlic and onion cook for a minute, add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until translucent. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until nearly evaporated.
  • Add a ladle of hot chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally until fully absorbed. Continue this process for around 20 minutes, tasting after each ladle after 15 minutes until the rice is creamy and tender. Go off the texture, not the time. Once the rice is the right texture, stir in a little more broth if it is too thick, and stir in the parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Scoop some risotto into a bowl and top with the greens and meatballs and some extra grated parmesan.
Keyword Lunch, Main Dish, Pork

2 thoughts on “Italian Wedding Risotto

  1. This Italian wedding risotto recipe sounds amazing! The combination of creamy parmesan risotto with pork meatballs and garlic greens is making my mouth water. Plus, the recipe seems easy to follow.

    ~ Vika

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