Creamy Tomato and Mascarpone Risotto is a delicious cheap rice recipe made with mainly storecupboard ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes, you can enjoy on its own or as a tasty side dish to chicken or fish. For a vegetarian or vegan Tomato Risotto, see below.
Risottos are easy to cook and you don't need to stir them constantly. They are also great for using up leftovers and are gluten-free.
My favourite meat version for using up leftover chicken is Chicken and Chorizo Risotto. My Prawn and Pea Risotto with lemon is handy as it uses ingredients from the freezer and my Smoked Salmon Risotto is perfect for lunch, dinner, or entertaining.
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Ingredients
Tomato and Mascarpone risotto is super simple.
- Red Onion - I like to use a red onion as it has a milder and sweeter taste than a brown or white onion.
- Risotto Rice - Arborio is the most popular short-grain risotto rice and it's sometimes simply called Risotto Rice. Another variety is Carnaroli. It has a plumper larger grain and produces a nice creamy texture.
- White wine - adds flavour and acidity which helps balance out the creaminess. Use a basic dry white wine. I buy small bottles that I use for cooking. If you'd rather not use wine, you can leave it out.
- Chopped Tomatoes - tinned or canned tomatoes are very handy. Always use the best quality you can afford to buy.
- Vegetable Stock - I use a basic vegetable stock. You can buy low salt / sodium versions if you prefer.
- Parmesan Cheese - is a hard Italian cheese with a strong, nutty flavour. Buy a block and finely grate it or shred it yourself for the best flavour. Pre-grated parmesan has a blander taste and it's usually alot more expensive to buy it this way. Note that parmesan cheese is not suitable for vegetarians but vegetarian versions are available.
- Basil leaves - fresh basil leaves add lovely flavour, but they are optional.
- Cherry tomatoes - I like to add cherry tomatoes as they are beautifully sweet but you can skip these if you prefer.
- Mascarpone Cheese - is a soft fresh creamy Italian cheese with a slightly sweet taste. Adding mascarpone cheese makes this tomato risotto extra creamy and rich.
You may not need all the mascarpone cheese so to use it up I recommend my Creamy Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Bake (use vegetarian sausages for a vegetarian version) or an easy Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You can cook risotto on the stovetop or hob or in the oven. For how to oven cook, see below.
Add the butter to an oven-proof casserole dish and over a medium heat fry the onion, garlic and cherry tomatoes for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the rice and fry for 1minute. Keep stirring. Add the white wine and stir until it is all absorbed.
Stir the tomato puree or paste into the hot vegetable stock and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add to the rice with the tinned or canned tomatoes and stir.
Bring the pan to a simmer then cover it with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened Remember to stir it every few minutes. Add a little more stock if necessary.
Stir most of the parmesan cheese, the fresh basil, and the mascarpone cheese into the risotto. Put a lid on and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy.
Serve. See suggestions below.
Hint: Remember to keep stirring your risotto every few minutes to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
How to cook tomato risotto in the oven
Sometimes, it's more convenient to cook a risotto in the oven rather than on the stovetop or hob. Cooking in the oven means you don't need to keep stirring it. The texture of oven-cooked risotto is not quite creamy since we haven't stirred the rice, but it still tastes great and in this recipe, we're adding mascarpone cheese which will add in a lovely creaminess.
To oven cook, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Once you've added the hot stock, tinned or canned tomatoes and tomato paste, give it all a quick stir and season. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove from the oven and stir in most of the parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and mascarpone cheese. Replace the lid and leave it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Vegetarian or Vegan Tomato Risotto
Parmesan cheese is not suitable for vegetarians as it contains animal rennet. However, you can buy vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese which is a good substitute. Mascarpone is suitable for vegetarians.
For a vegan version, use olive oil in place of butter. Replace the parmesan cheese with a vegan alternative such as Violife Parmesan cheese. You can buy nondairy soft cheeses that can be used in place of mascarpone.
Substitutions
This tomato risotto recipe uses mostly basic ingredients, but the following substitutions work well if you need them.
- Wine - instead of dry white wine, you can use Vermouth in a risotto. Vermouth keeps for a long time. It's a fortified wine that's flavoured with herbs and spices. You can also leave the wine out altogether if you prefer.
- Mascarpone - if you can't find mascarpone cheese, you can use another light cream cheese such as Philadelphia.
- Basil - instead of basil, you could substitute parsley, rosemary or thyme.
Variations
You can easily vary this recipe to suit your tastes.
- Spicy - if you want to make the risotto spicy, add a teaspoon of chilli flakes at the beginning with the risotto rice.
- Deluxe - add a poached egg to the top of the tomato risotto for extra protein. Poach for 2 ½ to 3 minutes for a soft yolk or see this easy guide on How to Poach Eggs Perfectly from The Pioneer Woman.
- Meat Version - A creamy tomato risotto is great for using up leftover ham, gammon or chicken, especially if there isn't enough to make another meal. Just add any cooked meat with the hot stock and tinned tomatoes so it is thoroughly heated through.
Equipment
- 1 large pan or cast iron stove top dish or Dutch oven.
- A measuring jug
- A cheese grater
Sustainability
A Tomato Risotto is a great vegetarian dish and an easy choice for a meat-free day. All the ingredients can be bought organic. Organic products generally have a lower carbon footprint than non-organic ones. If you can't buy all the ingredients organic, you might like to choose just one or two. For more information about the difference organic products can make, check out my How to Eat and Cook Sustainably page.
Serving Suggestion
Serve your Tomato Mascarpone Risotto with a green salad, rocket leaves (arugula leaves), or a side of green vegetables such as asparagus, tender stem broccoli or green beans.
Add a sprinkling of fresh herbs and parmesan cheese to the top of your risotto and a soft poached egg. You can also add a drizzle of green pesto.
Tomato risotto also makes a great side dish for pan-fried chicken or fish such as this Pan Fried Plaice recipe with new potatoes.
Storing and Reheating Tomato Risotto
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. You can store it in the fridge for 1 -2 days.
To reheat risotto, add a little extra stock or hot water and stir on the hob or stove top until piping hot. To reheat it in the microwave, add the liquid, reheat, and stir. The exact amount of liquid will depend on how much risotto you are reheating. Start with a small amount of liquid as you can always add more until you get the desired consistency.
A risotto unfortunately doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy.
Any leftovers make a great lunch the next day and can be eaten cold. Make sure to store leftover risotto in the fridge as rice shouldn't be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
Top tip
Don't overcook your risotto as the rice will turn mushy. Risotto rice is cooked when it still has a bit of bite to it. The ideal consistency is a dropping consistency. Add more stock if it is too thick.
FAQ
Ricotta and mascarpone are both soft Italian cheeses. They both have a slightly sweet flavour, but mascarpone is sweeter. The main difference is in the texture. Ricotta has a grainy texture and mascarpone is smooth and creamy. If you use ricotta cheese in this risotto recipe, the creaminess and texture will not be quite the same.
Many people ask if they can use basmati rice in a risotto instead of special risotto rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli. Risotto rice is quite different from basmati rice and for this reason, only risotto rice will work. Risotto rice has a high starch content that is released when stirred and gives risotto that creamy texture. Basmati rice does not behave in the same way and will end up sticky.
Related
Looking for other easy Risotto recipes? Try these:
More Great Budget Recipes
Not only is this Tomato Risotto a quick and easy meal and an easy addition to a sustainable diet, it's also very cheap to make. For more budget meal ideas check out these recipes :-
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Tomato and Mascarpone Risotto
Ingredients
- 10 g butter salted
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 150 g cherry tomatoes
- 400 g risotto rice organic available
- 150 ml white wine or vermouth (optional) Fairtrade available
- 2 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- 800 ml vegetable stock organic available
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade
- 400 g tinned tomatoes or canned organic available
- 50 g Parmesan cheese grated (shredded)
- 10 g basil leaves chopped
- 60 g mascarpone cheese or other soft cream cheese
Instructions
- Add the butter to an oven-proof casserole dish and over a medium heat fry the onion, garlic and cherry tomatoes for 5 minutes until soft.10 g butter, 1 red onion, 2 cloves garlic, 150 g cherry tomatoes
- Add the rice and fry for 1 minute. Keep stirring. Add the white wine and stir until it is all absorbed.400 g risotto rice, 150 ml white wine
- Stir the tomato puree or paste into the hot vegetable stock and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add to the rice with the tinned or canned tomatoes and stir.2 tablespoon tomato puree, 800 ml vegetable stock, 1 dash salt, 1 dash black pepper, 400 g tinned tomatoes
- Bring the pan to a simmer then cover it with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened Remember to stir it every few minutes. Add a little more stock if necessary.
- Stir most of the parmesan cheese, the fresh basil, and the mascarpone into the risotto. Put a lid on and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy.50 g Parmesan cheese, 10 g basil leaves, 60 g mascarpone cheese
- Serve with the extra parmesan sprinkled over the top.
Notes
Ingredient Notes
-
- Red Onion - I like to use a red onion as it has a milder and sweeter taste than a brown or white onion.
-
- Risotto Rice - Arborio is the most popular short-grain risotto rice and is sometimes simply called Risotto Rice. Another variety is Carnaroli. It has a plumper larger grain and produces a nice creamy texture.
-
- White wine - is a traditional ingredient in a risotto. It adds flavour and acidity which helps balance out the creaminess. Use a basic dry white wine. I buy small bottles that I use for cooking. If you'd rather not use wine, you can leave it out.
-
- Chopped Tomatoes - tinned or canned tomatoes are very handy. Always use the best quality you can afford to buy.
-
- Vegetable Stock - I use a basic vegetable stock. You can buy low salt / sodium versions if you prefer.
-
- Parmesan Cheese - is a traditional ingredient in risotto. It's a hard Italian cheese with a strong, nutty flavour. Buy a block and finely grate it or shred it yourself for the best flavour. Pre-grated parmesan has a blander taste and it's usually alot more expensive to buy it this way.
-
- Basil leaves - fresh basil leaves add lovely flavour, but they are optional.
-
- Cherry tomatoes - I like to add cherry tomatoes as they are beautifully sweet but you can skip these if you prefer.
-
- Mascarpone Cheese - is a soft fresh creamy Italian cheese with a slightly sweet taste. Adding mascarpone cheese makes this tomato risotto extra creamy and rich.
How to cook in the oven
To oven cook your risotto, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Once the hot stock, tinned or canned tomatoes, and tomato paste have been added, give it all a quick stir and season. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in most of the parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and mascarpone cheese. Replace the lid and leave it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.Storing and Reheating
A risotto is best eaten as soon as it is cooked. You can store Tomato Risotto in the fridge for 1 -2 days. To reheat risotto, add a little extra stock or hot water and stir on the hob or stove top until piping hot. To reheat it in the microwave, add the liquid, reheat, and stir. The exact amount of liquid will depend on how much risotto you are reheating. Start with a small amount of liquid as you can always add more until you get the desired consistency. A risotto unfortunately doesn't freeze well as the texture of the rice goes hard and grainy. Any leftovers from this risotto make a great lunch the next day and can be eaten cold. Make sure to store leftover risotto in the fridge as rice shouldn't be left out at room temperature for more than two hours.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
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