Zucchini Risotto Recipe With Parmesan Cheese

Zucchini risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring fresh zucchini. To make zucchini risotto, grate the zucchini and stir it into the risotto at the end of the cooking process. Risotto traditionally calls for Arborio rice—a rounded, short-grain white rice with a high starch content—though you can substitute carnaroli rice or other grains for an oat or barley risotto. Popular garnishes for zucchini risotto include Parmesan cheese, sundried tomatoes, and basil leaves.

The key to risotto is the cooking method: Sauté the starch and then cook it on low heat as you add ladles of broth. This allows the rice to release its starches gradually, yielding a perfectly al dente result in a creamy sauce. Other common ingredients in risotto include butter, sautéed shallots, Parmesan cheese, dry white wine, garlic cloves, and seasonal veggies.

Before grating or shredding zucchini, rinse the zucchini to remove any dirt or waxy residue from grocery stores. You can grate or shred fresh zucchini in four ways:

1. 1. Box grater: Place the box grater, cheese grater, or shredder on top of a bowl or cutting board. Hold the tool steady with one hand and the zucchini in your dominant hand. Firmly press the zucchini against the largest holes in the box grater and run the zucchini down the side of the box grater. Repeat this motion until the zucchini is fully grated. Be careful not to cut your fingers against the box grater.
2. 2. Food processor: You can use a food processor to dice the zucchini into smaller pieces. Using the grating attachment will create shreds. Cut off the ends of the zucchini, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, and then into quarters before putting it in the food processor.
3. 3. Peeler: Quickly run the vegetable peeler down the side of the zucchini in small quick motions; run it in one direction. This will create small pieces of zucchini.
4. 4. Spiralizer: You can use a handheld spiralizer or a spiralizer attachment on a stand mixer with a fine blade to cut zucchini into noodle shapes, also known as zoodles. These low-carb noodles are a gluten-free option for pasta dishes. Follow your tool’s instructions to properly attach and slice the zucchini.

After you grate or shred your zucchini, squeeze the zucchini pieces through a cheesecloth, clean kitchen towel, paper towel, or colander to remove the excess water.