What To Serve With Risotto? 25 Best Side Dishes

Knowing what to serve with risotto is something that will serve you well in the kitchen – no pun intended : ) So, let’s make sure every single risotto dish you make leaves the people at the table full and happy! Read on to find out some of my favorite side dishes to serve with this amazing recipe.

What to serve with risotto

All of these options that we’re going to lay out for you might not be quite what you had in mind, but that’s perfectly okay – risotto is a very personal dish, and making sure that you find something ideal for serving alongside it can be a bit of a journey. Personally, I would always opt for garlic bread. The choice, however, is yours.

1. Sauteed Mushrooms

Sauteed mushrooms are a wonderfully simple thing to serve in a small dish along with a great bowl of risotto, but the reason that I recommend it is the flavor. Mushrooms have such a wonderful breadth of flavor throughout the different options that you can find throughout the world, and knowing that you have a great option yourself allows you a great side dish.

I would suggest boiling the mushrooms for a few minutes before draining them and gently sauteeing them with some butter – the end result is as delicious and moist as you could possibly imagine!

2. Green Beans

Green beans are something that I recommend a lot on this site, and for good reason – they’re a bright, flavorful, and utterly delicious thing that I can’t get enough of! I’d recommend sauteeing them at very high heat with a healthy dose of garlic. Super yummy!!

3. Roasted Carrots

Roasting carrots might sound a little odd, but root vegetables have a lot of sugar in them that can be released and caramelized when you roast them slowly. This leads to a brilliant flavor that’s exceptionally hard to turn away from.

Try basting the carrots with honey as you roast them – this will bring a powerful sweetness to the plate, and make for something hard to refuse!

4. Roasted Broccoli

Roasted broccoli is one of my favorite side dishes! Whenever I have some tender stem broccoli or similar in my fridge, I’ll always roast it for a great lunch.

Try this simple option for size – toss the roasted broccoli with olive oil and salt, before roasting as normal. In the last five minutes, toss the broccoli in some lemon juice and parmesan cheese to create a fascinating and delicious side dish really easily!

5. Smoked Prime Rib

Smoked prime rib is a powerfully flavored cut of meat. That means that it works well when served with risotto since risotto typically has a simple, creamy, and straightforward flavor. Consider cooking the prime rib separately and adding it to the dish – this will lead to an interesting changeable texture throughout the food.

6. Baked Salmon

Baking fish is something that’s been done for a long time, and I love to do it with butter and herbs. My favorite choice is to bake it with butter and dill for a creamy, unique flavor that’s completely unlike many other fish dishes I’ve had.

7. Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is delicious and straightforward – what else could you want in a great side dish? The combination of basil, tomato, and mozzarella makes for a powerfully combined dish that satiates any number of flavor cravings.

8. Marinated Olives

Marinated olives are a delicious option that works for the same reason the smoked prime rib does – they have a powerful flavor that serves to contrast the food that you’re eating in your meal. Just a few olives here and there in the meal will contextualize some incredible flavors in your food.

9. Arugula Salad

Arugula salad has a lot of flavor to it. While it’s not my personal favorite, I still want to suggest it here. The peppery arugula, combined with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, will bring a lot of great flavors to your table in one fell swoop.

10. Sausage

Sausages are a great addition to the table since they’ve got a great balance of flavorings instilled directly within them. This means that they can easily be made to boost any dish that you might prepare on your table, making it a deeply satisfying meal for a large group of people.

What to serve with risotto (vegetarian)

• Garlic bread
• Stuffed mushrooms
• Greek salad
• Sourdough bread
• Asparagus

What meat goes well with risotto?

• Scallops
• Shrimp
• Oven-baked chicken
• Seared steak
• Grilled lamb breast

And lastly, what to serve with mushroom risotto?

• Herby baked chicken
• Pan-fried fish
• Garlic prawns or shrimp
• Pork roast with crispy crackling
• Marinated roast beef

FAQ

Is risotto a main or side dish?

Risotto can be either a main or a side dish. Personally, I would have it as a main, and serve a small slice of garlic bread alongside it if the dish really needed a little extra something to boost it a little.

Is risotto healthier than pasta?

This is a bit of a tricky question to answer since ‘healthier’ is a hard concept to nail down. I wouldn’t necessarily say one is healthier than the other since they’re two quite different dishes. Pasta has more protein and fiber than risotto rice, while risotto rice contains fewer carbohydrates.

That information can be useful if you consider what nutrients you’d like to optimize for in your diet.

Is risotto good for muscle building?

Risotto can be good for muscle building because the presence of quite a lot of fat and protein will lead to a dish that’s intensely nutrient-dense for a tasty meal. You could easily include a large amount of lean meat in a risotto, which would provide a lot of protein necessary for some great muscle food.

What is traditionally served with risotto?

Any number of things might traditionally be served with risotto, though in Italian homes it’s quite likely to be some form of bread. Focaccia is the traditional Italian bread that most people think of when it comes to Italian food, though any option could work well.

Wrapping it up!

I hope this article has helped you decide what to serve with delicious risotto! And finally, happy cooking : )

Other side dish recipes you’d love!

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