You’re In For A Delicious Weeknight Wonder In No Time With This Comforting 30 Minute One-Pot Risotto Marinara Recipe

More often than not, there will be some days where you simply crave a comforting Italian dish that isn’t the renowned pasta or pizza. Not at all.

Sometimes nothing sounds heartier and more comforting than a hot bowl of creamy and scrumptious risotto. And this seafood risotto marinara recipe certainly ticks all the boxes we’d look forward to when it comes to comfort food.

But Wait, Did You Know That Authentic Seafood Risotto Marinara is Typically Made With Tomatoes, And Not Cream?

While most Italian restaurants in the city that we know and love commonly serve risotto with cream, true authentic Italian risotto is commonly served with a tomato sauce base. That’s traditionally how they do it in Italy!

This recipe draws homage to the traditional Italian risotto while also delivering it in a manner that does not involve simmering for long hours unlike actual traditional recipes.

Because when you’ve had a long day at work or running errands out and about, the last thing you want is to slave over the stove creating an elaborate dish that may or may not turn out to your expectations.

What is Italian Risotto Made Of?

Short-Grain Rice

The beloved authentic Italian risotto is made with rice as the main ingredient. The choice of rice could either be Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or Arborio rice, with Arborio rice being the most common one used to cook risotto because of how accessible it is all over the world. 

These are short-grain rice with high starch content, which is also how risotto gets its creamy consistency without the addition of cream or extra starch like potato starch.

Using these types of short-grain rice is essential when it comes to cooking risotto because other types of rice will easily break down or break apart when it absorbs too much liquid, resulting in a mushy mess. Whereas these types of short-grain rice can absorb liquid without turning mushy - instead you can even have it al dente, which is the ideal texture for risotto.

Stock, a.k.a. Bone Broth

Coming in just second to rice, stock or bone broth is also an integral part in cooking risotto. The popular options are chicken stock, vegetable stock, and seafood stock because they impart a light, savoury sweetness that is also versatile, so you can easily take your risotto’s flavours up a notch by adding a variety of ingredients from seafood to truffle oil.

When you cook risotto, you'll find yourself stirring constantly over a gentle simmer as you add in more hot stock. This allows all the liquid to be absorbed in the rice for a deliciously flavoursome result.

Dry White Wine

Not just any white wine will do! You’ll want dry white wine when you're making risotto, just like how the local Italians do as it adds a layer of welcomed complexity and depth to your risotto’s flavour.

Dry white wine imparts a subtle acidity with subtle floral or fruity undertones, which can balance your dish’s overall flavour especially when you’re adding other ingredients like seafood. Apart from that, it also enhances the flavours of the other ingredients. What’s not to love?

30-Minute One-Pot Seafood Risotto Marinara Recipe

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

4

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Enjoy a truly comforting weeknight meal that you and your loved ones will savour with this 30-minute one-pot seafood Risotto Marinara.

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Ingredients

• 1.5 litres of hot stock (I used vegetable stock but you could add fish stock or seafood stock for a richer seafood taste, or chicken stock for a more neutral base)
• 500g marinara with your choice of fresh seafood (my favourites are prawns, mussels, and squid)
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 celery stick, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 400g Arborio rice
• Large knob of unsalted butter

To Serve

• Fresh, finely grated parmesan cheese
• Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Lemon wedges
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Begin by making the soffritto, which is a combination of finely chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Fry it all in a non-stick pot like the Cosmo Casserole with butter and a dash of olive oil for flavour. You’ll want to use a large pot here because we’re going to cook the risotto with only one pot.

2. Once your soffritto begins to soften, add rice and stir it well to ensure the rice is coated in oil. Add wine over the rice and cook it on medium high heat until it bubbles and evaporates.

3. Now you'll want to add in the hot stock one ladle at a time. Gently stir in between each added ladle of stock and allow the mixture to absorb before adding in more stock.

4. Next, add in your the crushed tomatoes and stir. Cook for about 15 minutes then taste the rice to check if it’s done. The rice should still have a little bite to it.

5. Finally you'll want to add marinara mix. Give the marinara mix and risotto a gentle stir until the seafood is fully covered, then cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat off.

6. Allow the seafood risotto to continue cooking with the residual heat in the pot - this ensures the seafood is cooked to perfection and the rice is tender, not mushy.

7. Serve up your bowl of seafood risotto marinara and top it off with a generous amount of finely grated parmesan cheese, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a pop of tanginess, and finely chopped parsley. Lastly, season with your desired amount of salt and pepper.