Summer tomatoes give freshness to risotto dishes. Learn how to make creamy tomato risotto with tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese.

Fresh Tomato Risotto Recipe With Parmesan Cheese

Tomato risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring diced tomatoes. To make tomato risotto, add fresh, diced tomatoes to the rice as it cooks in broth. Risotto traditionally calls for [arborio rice](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe)—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 tomato risotto include Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and tomato slices.

The key to risotto is the cooking method: sautéing the starch and then cooking 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.

When preparing fresh tomato risotto, consider the following tips:

1. __Use fresh tomatoes__. Use fresh [tomatoes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-tomato-varieties-learn-how-to-pick-and-cook-with-tomatoes), such as cherry tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes, for optimal flavor. You can use a can of diced tomatoes in a pinch. 
2. __Incorporate the tomatoes into the rice__. Add the tomatoes to the rice as it is cooking over low heat, so the rice slowly absorbs the liquid from the tomatoes. 
3. __Add more liquid__. Slowly add broth and wine to the rice and tomato mixture until the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is al dente. 
4. __Remove the risotto from heat before adding dairy__. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. The fats found in dairy products can break and separate when heated. 
5. __Garnish with basil__. You can add basil leaves and fresh tomato slices to the risotto before serving.
6. __Make it a main course__. You can serve this variation on [Parmesan risotto](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/parmesan-risotto) as a side dish or with grilled chicken or fish as the main dinner course.
Summer tomatoes give freshness to risotto dishes. Learn how to make creamy tomato risotto with tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese.

Tomato risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish featuring diced tomatoes. To make tomato risotto, add fresh, diced tomatoes to the rice as it cooks in broth. Risotto traditionally calls for <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-arborio-rice-basic-arborio-rice-risotto-recipe","linkCopy":"arborio rice","category":null}'>arborio rice</a>—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 tomato risotto include Parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and tomato slices.The key to risotto is the cooking method: sautéing the starch and then cooking 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.

What Is Tomato Risotto? 

When preparing fresh tomato risotto, consider the following tips:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Use fresh tomatoes. Use fresh <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-tomato-varieties-learn-how-to-pick-and-cook-with-tomatoes' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-guide-to-tomato-varieties-learn-how-to-pick-and-cook-with-tomatoes","linkCopy":"tomatoes","category":null}'>tomatoes</a>, such as cherry tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes, for optimal flavor. You can use a can of diced tomatoes in a pinch. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Incorporate the tomatoes into the rice. Add the tomatoes to the rice as it is cooking over low heat, so the rice slowly absorbs the liquid from the tomatoes. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Add more liquid. Slowly add broth and wine to the rice and tomato mixture until the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is al dente. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Remove the risotto from heat before adding dairy. Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. The fats found in dairy products can break and separate when heated. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Garnish with basil. You can add basil leaves and fresh tomato slices to the risotto before serving. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Make it a main course. You can serve this variation on <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/parmesan-risotto' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/parmesan-risotto","linkCopy":"Parmesan risotto","category":null}'>Parmesan risotto</a> as a side dish or with grilled chicken or fish as the main dinner course. </li></ol>

6 Tips for Making Tomato Risotto

Creamy Tomato Risotto Recipe

Summer tomatoes give freshness to risotto dishes. Learn how to make creamy tomato risotto with tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese.

Summer tomatoes give freshness to risotto dishes. Learn how to make creamy tomato risotto with tomatoes, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
