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Risotto with squid

Squid Risotto

A refined Italian classic. In this squid risotto, rice infused with butter and white wine makes it especially delicious, while tender seafood and Italian herbs add a flavorful twist. This dish turns an ordinary dinner into a celebration!

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Squid bodies

Rice

White wine

Water

Onion

Garlic

Hard cheese

Olive oil

Italian herbs

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 27 % 8 g

Fats 23 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 50 % 15 g

160 kcal

GI: 7 / 93 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 40 min

Step 1:

How do you make squid risotto? Gather your ingredients. Clean the squid, being sure to pull out the quill. Pour boiling water over the squid to make them easy to peel. Then cook the cleaned squid: add Italian (Provençal) herbs to a pot of water, bring it to a boil, and lower in the squid bodies. Cook for just two minutes—no longer, or the squid will turn rubbery.
Step 2:

Take the squid out and let them cool. Don't drain the squid cooking liquid—you'll need it later.
Step 3:

Peel the onion and garlic. Finely chop the onion. Halve the garlic cloves and press them with a knife to release all their flavor. Pour olive oil into a skillet and add the garlic. Once it's golden, remove it.
Step 4:

Add the chopped onion. I recommend adding the Italian herbs at this stage to boost the flavor and aroma.
Step 5:

Stir, then add the rinsed rice. Use the right variety—Arborio is best. It's a medium-grain rice. Don't use short- or long-grain, or parboiled rice, or the risotto may not work out; rice labeled for risotto is your best bet. Toast the rice until the grains turn translucent.
Step 6:

Stir and pour the white wine over the rice. Once the rice has absorbed the wine, add a third of the squid cooking liquid. Salt it and let the liquid cook away completely, stirring now and then. Add the next third and again stir until it's absorbed. Then pour in the rest.
Step 7:

Cut the cooled squid into rings.
Step 8:

Lay the squid rings on top of the rice. Cover the skillet and leave it for 5 minutes.
Step 9:

Grate the cheese into fine shavings. Parmesan suits this dish best, but I'm using regular cheese.
Step 10:

Sprinkle the risotto generously with the grated cheese. Stir—the cheese will melt and give the dish its creamy consistency. And that's it: your squid risotto is ready! Plate it and serve.

For the most authentic Italian flavor, add saffron and a couple of spoonfuls of tomato paste—in that case you can skip the cheese. In Italy this dish is made in many different ways.
Garnish with sprigs of parsley or basil, or any other herbs you like.
It pairs wonderfully with a fresh vegetable salad.
A dry white wine is a lovely match for this dish. Enjoy!
Important: for rice dishes that come out delicious every time, see the article on choosing rice and the secrets of cooking it.
Keep in mind that properly thawing your ingredients has a lot to do with the quality and taste of the finished dish. For how to avoid mistakes and pick the best method, see the article on defrosting.
Important: the wrong pan can ruin even the best recipe. For all the details on choosing the perfect pan for different dishes, see here.