A creamy and comforting risotto recipe with simple, but bold, flavours. This Courgette Risotto is topped with Parma Ham and is special enough to impress a dinner date, but also an easy weeknight meal. A great way to use up a glut of courgettes.
If you are growing courgettes, they are probably taking over the garden. But there are worse problems to have. They are so easy to add to a pasta or risotto to give it a veggie boost, and also bulk it out.
We kept the flavours really simple in this creamy courgette risotto and added some lemon and rosemary and then topped with some Parmesan and Parma Ham - the saltiness pairs perfectly with the sweetness of home grown courgettes.
If you are looking for some other ways to use up courgettes, then why not try our easy Courgette Fritters, comforting Creamy Courgette Soup or, for something different, our Courgette and Lemon Pizza?
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Ingredients needed
- Risotto rice - We used arborio rice as that gives the best creamy risotto. However, you could use another rice, but cooking times would vary and you wouldn't get the same results.
- Oil - A good quality olive oil.
- Shallots - This adds a lovely sweetness to the base of the dish, however you could swap them for a small brown onion.
- Celery - This adds a natural saltiness, and a nice bitterness to the courgette risotto.
- Garlic - Freshly crushed is always best, but you can use frozen garlic to save time.
- Rosemary - A super fragrant herb that works really well with the courgette. You could use thyme instead.
- Courgette (zucchini) - The star of the risotto. Choose ones that are no longer than 8 inches and are free of nicks. A really fresh courgette will have very tiny hairs on the skin.
- Vegetable stock - You could use chicken stock if you wanted a richer flavour.
- White wine - This adds a depth of flavour to the risotto. You could just add more stock if you prefer.
- Crème fraiche - This adds a nice extra creaminess to the risotto. You could leave it out, or add some butter, cream cheese or quark instead.
- Pine nuts - We love the crunch that they add on top.
- Parmesan - A nice extra creaminess that goes well with the courgette.
- Parma Ham - This is optional, but we feel it takes this courgette risotto to the next level and makes it extra special. Leave it out if you want it to be meat free though.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make courgette risotto - Step by step
One: Heat the oil in a large pan and then add the garlic, shallots, celery and rosemary and gently cook for 3 minutes.
Two: Add the risotto rice and cook for 1 minute.
Three: Add the courgette (zucchini), stir and cook for a further 1 minute.
Four: Pour the wine, lemon juice and a ladle of the stock into the pan and gently simmer until the liquid is nearly gone. Keep adding ladles of stock one at a time and letting it reduce until you have used the stock and the rice is cooked - this will take around 30-35 minutes.
Five: Stir the crème fraiche into the risotto.
Six: Spoon into a bowl and top with Parma ham, Parmesan and pine nuts.
Health benefits of courgette
Courgettes are very low in calories and they have a high water content. Courgettes are also super nutritious as they are a great source of vitamins A and C, potassium and fibre.
Make sure to include the skin of the courgette in this risotto, as that is where most of the fibre comes from.
Variations
If you are not a fan of courgette, you could swap it for aubergine instead, but I would roast that first to really bring out the flavour. You could even using pumpkin or butternut squash for an autumnal twist.
The great thing about a risotto, is that it is easy to adapt. Use this a base recipe and then add extra ingredients depending on what your family love. Here are some other additions that work really well:
- Cooked chopped bacon
- Cooked shredded chicken
- Chorizo (cook it at the same time as the shallots)
- Asparagus
- Frozen peas
- Spinach
- Chopped sun-dried tomatoes
- Shittake and chestnut mushrooms
- Pesto
- Grilled cod or salmon
- Roasted butternut squash
- Grilled king prawns
Serving suggestions
This courgette risotto recipe is pretty much a full meal already, however we are always a fan of serving extra vegetables on the side where we can. Looking for some side dishes to go with this? Why not try these:
- Roasted Lemon Asparagus
- Grilled Little Gem Salad
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Buttered Leeks
- Baked Carrot Fries
- Garlic Spring Greens
- Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad
- Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli
- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
- Garlic and Parsley Roasted Carrots
Storage
Store: Risotto is always best made fresh, however if you do have some leftover then you can store it covered in the fridge for up to two days. Make sure that you follow food safety guidelines for cooked rice - do not leave it at room temperature and cool it very quickly. You then need to make sure to reheat it fully before serving.
Freeze: We wouldn’t recommend freezing risotto, because the rice becomes really hard when frozen and the texture just isn’t right when it is defrosted and reheated.
Reheat: To reheat, preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Place the cold risotto in an oven proof dish, and add a liquid like white wine, stock or simply water - just enough to loosen the rice. You can add a knob of butter too if desired. Bake for around 10 minutes until heated through, stirring every 2 minutes.
Extra tips
- Try chopping the Parma Ham up and frying it for a minute to sprinkle crispy Parma Ham on top of your courgette risotto.
- You can use any cold leftovers to make arancini.
- If you don't want to use white wine, you can just swap it for the same amount of vegetable stock.
- Swap the courgette with aubergine, pumpkin or butternut squash for a seasonal twist.
- For even more creaminess in this risotto, add the rind of the Parmesan to the pan and take out just before serving.
- Don't skip frying the rice before adding the stock, as this is important for the final consistency of the dish.
- For some extra freshness, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the risotto.
Frequently asked questions
The secret is cooking it low and slow and adding a little bit of stock at a time. This gives you the best creamy risotto. Using the right rice is important too.
Whilst it is cooking, leave the lid off. However, we recommend putting the lid on for a couple of minutes once finished cooking, as this will allow it to get the perfect texture.
No, you don't need to use wine in risotto, although it does give it an extra rich flavour. You can replace it with more stock.
As long as you make sure the stock is gluten free and there is no cross contamination, then this can be gluten free.
You don't add all the stock at once in a risotto. You add a ladle at a time, so the rice can gradually soak up the stock which gives you a creamier risotto at the end.
To make this vegan, leave out the cream fraiche and use a vegan alternative to parmesan. You will need to leave out the parma ham too.
More risotto recipes
If you’ve tried this courgette risotto recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Courgette Risotto
Ingredients
- 160 g (0.75 cups) Risotto (arborio) rice
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Olive oil
- 4 Shallots - diced
- 1 Celery rib - diced
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 2 sprig Fresh rosemary - finely chopped
- 1 Courgette (zucchini) - diced
- 800 ml (3.5 cups) Vegetable stock
- 200 ml (0.75 cups) White wine
- 1 Lemon - (juice only)
- 4 tablespoon Reduced fat creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoon Pine nuts
- 30 g (0.25 cups) Parmesan - shaved
- 6 slices Parma Ham
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and then add 2 Garlic clove, 4 Shallots, 1 Celery rib and 2 sprig Fresh rosemary and gently cook for 3 minutes.
- Add 160 g Risotto (arborio) rice and cook for 1 minute.
- Add 1 Courgette (zucchini), stir and cook for a further 1 minute.
- Pour 200 ml White wine, juice of 1 Lemon and a ladle of the 800 ml Vegetable stock into the pan and gently simmer until the liquid is nearly gone. Keep adding ladles of stock one at a time and letting it reduce until you have used the stock and the rice is cooked - this will take around 30-35 minutes.
- Stir 4 tablespoon Reduced fat creme fraiche into the risotto and then spoon into a bowl. Top with 6 slices Parma Ham, 30 g Parmesan and 2 tablespoon Pine nuts.
Recipe Tips
- Try chopping the Parma Ham up and frying it for a minute to sprinkle crispy Parma Ham on top of your courgette risotto.
- You can use any cold leftovers to make arancini.
- If you don't want to use white wine, you can just swap it for the same amount of vegetable stock.
- Swap the courgette with aubergine, pumpkin or butternut squash for a seasonal twist.
- For even more creaminess in this risotto, add the rind of the parmesan to the pan and take out just before serving.
- Don't skip frying the rice before adding the stock, as this is important for the final consistency of the dish.
- For some extra freshness, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the risotto.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Cindy Gordon says
I am a huge fan of risotto! We make it all the time! Your recipe is delicious!
Claudia Lamascolo says
oh how flavorful this risotto is I would love to try this soon. We love risotto and make it often this is a nice addition!
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Valentina says
This dish looks amazing. I love risotto and I love Parma ham even more. Love that air and time are considered ingredients. What a fantastic tour that must have been.
Allison - Celebrating Sweets says
I love, love, love all the flavors in this! I can't wait to try it.
Amy | The Cook Report says
Courgette and parma ham is such a delicious flavour combination, love it!
Courtney says
This looks like a really beautiful and tasty risotto. Risotto is one of my favourite comfort dishes and I love zucchini - will be trying this!
Sandi says
Parma Ham would be a nice treat to add to a risotto. I can just image the flavors standing out and tasting amazing.
Tracy says
We have a billion (not quiet) courgettes picked from our allotment and I need to use them up. I’m so bored of courgette soup, so this is going on the meal plan for next week x
Holly says
I don’t know why I don’t make risotto more often. This looks incredible and a great way to use Parma Ham too.
Adriana Lopez Martin says
Love the parma ham always so tasty and adding personality to the risotto. Courgette or zucchinis are my favorite fall veggie I need a bowl of this now =)
Camilla Hawkins says
This sounds totally delicious, I don't make risotto nearly enough so must try this recipe!
Elaine Benoit says
I adore parma ham!! I love that you added it to your courgette risotto! I literally drooled when I saw your photos and I can not wait to make this!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites says
This recipe sounds delicious and I love the way the ham looks like flowers! I can't believe how much time and work goes into the Parma Ham - I need to look for it!
Alice says
What a lovely looking risotto. We usually just have mushroom or asparagus, but this would make a nice change.