Description
Sweet corn risotto is end-of-summer comfort food – after all, risotto isn’t just for cold weather! The idea of this recipe actually came to me last year, in the height of sweet corn season, but it was a little too late in the summer to pull together a recipe to share here on PWWB. This year it is!
The special thing about this recipe is that it makes use of the whole cob to ensure seasonal corn flavor really comes through. Fresh kernels are folded into the risotto itself, while the spent cobs are infused in the veggie stock that simmers it all to al dente. The risotto bursts with fresh flavor & the sweet corn kernels add the best pop of texture to an otherwise creamy & tender dish.
Feel free to serve as-is, or multi-task as the risotto simmers to prep a topping. I love quickly sautéing some extra sweet corn kernels with pancetta, but proteins like brown butter shrimp or seared scallops are also fabulous pairings. On a related note, the risotto is naturally meatless, but you can easily make it vegetarian or vegan as needed – refer to the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance.
If you’ve never made risotto before, there’s really no need to be intimidated by its fussy reputation. It’s a simple process that requires a little time & patience, but the result is so worth it! Be sure to refer to the blog post, above, for a more detailed how-to!
Ingredients
- 7 cups vegetable stock or broth
- 1 dried bay leaf
- optional: 1 parmesan rind
- 3 ears sweet corn, kernels sliced off of cob & divided
- 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated & divided
- 1 1/4 cups arborio rice (see Recipe Notes)
- 1/2 cup dry, unoaked white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup grated parmesan (approx. 2 ounces)
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Prepare the corn stock: Add the vegetable broth, spent corn cobs, bay leaf, & parmesan rind (if using) to a large pot over high heat. Bring the broth to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to maintain a light simmer.
- Cook the aromatics: Meanwhile, as the corn stock comes to a simmer, begin cooking the risotto. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, add in the onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in 2 cloves of the garlic. Stir to combine & cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes longer.
- Toast the arborio rice: Stir in the arborio rice. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
- Deglaze & simmer the sweet corn risotto: Deglaze the pot by pouring the wine into the Dutch oven & using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom. Cook, stirring constantly until all of the wine evaporates. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add kernels from 2 ears of sweet corn & the bell pepper to the pot & stir to combine. Working 1 cup or ladleful at a time, add the warm corn stock into the risotto, stirring frequently until the arborio rice absorbs all of the corn stock. Continue adding stock 1 cup or ladleful at a time & stirring frequently between additions. Start tasting for doneness after 15 minutes. The risotto is ready when the arborio rice is creamy & cooked through with a nice bite (i.e. al dente). This step will likely take 20-25 minutes total, & you may not need to use all of the broth.
- Prep the pancetta sweet corn topping: Meanwhile, as the sweet corn risotto simmers, prepare a quick pancetta sweet corn topping. Melt 1/2 tablespoon of the reserved butter in a small skillet. Once melted, add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta begins to render. Add the remaining sweet corn kernels & garlic to the skillet, stirring to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet corn is cooked & the pancetta is crispy, 3-4 minutes longer. Remove from the heat & set aside for serving.
- Finish the sweet corn risotto: Once the arborio rice is perfectly al dente, finish the risotto. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter & the grated parmesan. Taste & season with additional kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired.
- Serve the sweet corn risotto immediately, topped with pancetta sweet corn mixture fresh herbs, extra parmesan, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Simple add-on ⇢ Brown Butter Shrimp: For a little extra protein, top your sweet corn risotto with these deliciously simple brown butter shrimp. Brown 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once browned reduce heat to medium-low. Add 2 finely chopped or grated cloves of garlic & cook until fragrant. Add 1 pound peeled & deveined shrimp to the skillet, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, just until shrimp is opaque & cooked through. Serve immediately.
- Ingredient Notes:
- Arborio rice is a high-starch, short-grain Italian rice typically used in risotto. Arborio rice is very readily available in the rice & grains aisle in most grocery stores. I really like Lundberg Farms. Carnaroli rice is another common variety of rice used in risotto. Use whichever you love most or is most readily available to you.
- Vegetarian &/or vegan sweet corn risotto: For a vegetarian sweet corn risotto, skip the pancetta & omit the parmesan or use your favorite rennet-free parmesan. To take it a step further & make this recipe dairy-free &/or vegan, be sure to also swap olive oil or your favorite plant butter for the butter. If you choose to omit parmesan altogether, be sure to taste & add some extra salt to account for the saltiness that parmesan adds. Feel free to jazz it up, as desired, with some extra spices or herbs like thyme or crispy fried sage.
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover sweet corn risotto will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through as desired – you may want to add another splash of vegetable stock or water to help loosen things up a little!
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: While there’s lots of stove time involved in making any risotto recipe, you can eliminate all of the active prep needed for this sweet corn risotto by chopping up the veggies in advance. At dinnertime, all you have to do is get cooking – easy!
- Dice 1 sweet onion, dice 1 orange bell pepper, & slice the kernels off the cobs of 3 ears of sweet corn. Store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)