Make a delicious Low FODMAP Risotto as a fancy side dish with a special meal or when you need a creamy, elegant rice dish to accompany your main dish. Risotto is a labor of love with no easy shortcuts. The outcome creates a creamy texture side dish that reminds me of mac and cheese but made with rice and parmesan cheese instead.
Traditional risottos start with sauteeing onions in olive oil or butter. For anyone on a low FODMAP diet, this just isn’t going to work unless you can tolerate fructans. Instead, this risotto recipe is modified to use a garlic infused oil to toast the Arborio rice. This modification, along with using a low FODMAP chicken stock, is a way to create a delicious risotto that is also gluten-free.
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Risotto Ingredients
- Garlic Infused Olive Oil - It is important to find garlic oil without any pieces of floating garlic in it. I love to use the garlic oil from Trader Joe’s or a safe option from Amazon. Both are great options.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is the best option here. I tried to use salted butter, and the result was too salty. It is best to control the salt yourself.
- White Wine - Anything wine that you would drink is a great option for risotto. I love a pinot grigio.
- Chicken Stock - Use a low FODMAP version that is also reduced salt or unsalted. Using low FODMAP stock cubes is another option. Follow the directions on the package to add boiling water.
- Aborio Rice - This is a specific Italian rice used for risittos. This is starchy, short grain rice that creates a perfect creamy risotto.
- Parmesan Cheese - It is important to grab a chunk of parmesan cheese that is not already grated for you. I love to use my cheese slicer to shave fresh parmesan.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash University App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
How To Make Risotto
Pour the chicken stock into a separate saucepan. The stock needs to be warm while the risotto cooks. Turn the heat to medium low and bring it to a low simmer.
In another frying pan, large saucepan, or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Once melted, add the garlic-infused oil.
Add the Aborio rice. Saute the rice in the butter oil mixture until translucent. You do not want to toast the rice to a golden brown, like a rice pilaf. Just enough to add flavor to the rice.
Pour the white wine into the rice mixture.
Once the rice is translucent and the wine is absorbed, add a ladle full of chicken stock - one at a time - to the rice. Stir until absorbed and repeat. Do this until almost all the stock is gone and the rice is no longer al dente.
With a cheese slicer, shave thin pieces of parmesan cheese. Next, add the shaved parmesan to the risotto and stir until it melts.
Taste the final dish. Does it need salt? If so, add ¼ teaspoon sea salt until it tastes correct. We do this because stocks have different salt levels, and it is easy to oversalt risotto.
Serve the risotto with chopped fresh parsley and fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy immediately.
Serve the risotto with chopped fresh parsley and fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy immediately.
Risotto Variations
The beauty of risotto is that it is perfect as is but also flexible enough to add different mix-ins and still be delicious.
Low FODMAP Mushroom Risotto - Add chopped oyster mushrooms.
Add Spring Onions - Stir in a handful of green onion tops to add some fresh onion flavor and a pop of color.
Lemon Juice - Add a splash of fresh lemon juice after the parmesan cheese to brighten the flavor.
Storing And Reheating
To Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To Reheat: Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated. If needed, add a splash of chicken stock. Another option is to use a small saucepan on the stovetop. Stir until heated.
To Freeze: Chilled risotto can be frozen in a freezer-friendly container for up to four months. It must be defrosted overnight before reheating.
Meal Planning
Risotto rice is perfect to go with your favorite chicken dish or baked cod. We love to pair it with low FODMAP lemon chicken and green beans. It creates a comforting meal for a Sunday night dinner when you have time to make risotto.
Additional Side Dish Recipes
Recipe
Low FODMAP Risotto
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
- 4 cups low FODMAP chicken stock low sodium
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup freshly shaved parmesan plus more for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt if needed after tasting
- freshly cracked black pepper for garnish
- fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pour the chicken stock into a separate saucepan. The stock needs to be warm while the risotto cooks. Turn the heat to medium low and bring it to a low simmer.
- In another saucepan, frying pan, or a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the garlic oil.
- Add the Aborio rice. Saute the rice in the butter oil mixture until translucent.
- Once the rice is translucent, add a soup ladle of chicken stock - one at a time - to the rice. Stir the rice until absorbed. Once the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle of warm stock. Do this until almost all the stock is gone and the rice is no longer al dente.
- Reduce the low heat. Add the shaved parmesan to the risotto, and stir until it melts. Taste the risotto to see if it needs any salt. If so, add ¼ teaspoon sea salt until the final dish reaches the perfect salt level.
- Serve the risotto with chopped fresh parsley and fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy immediately.
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