Spinach Risotto Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Feb 19, 2025 
A fresh fragrant Green Spinach Risotto Recipe perfect for holiday dinners! The dazzling color and zesty flavor make any meal feel like a celebration.
How We Discovered Green Risotto
The very first time I tasted Spinach Risotto was in a small family-owned restaurant in Florence, Italy.
It was one of the few restaurants we found in Florence that did not cater to tourists. No english on the menu. No english-speaking waiters. No pizza, spaghetti, or meatballs available. Just true Italian comfort food, without apology. We absolutely loved it!
After trying to make out the menu with our limited Italian vocabulary, we glanced around the restaurant and ended up ordering by pointing at what looked good on other tables.
The Pappa al Pomodoro was a standout, along with the Risotto Verde, a vibrant green garlic parmesan risotto recipe loaded with intense herb flavor and spinach.
Of course, I had to come home and make both so we could enjoy them whenever we pleased.
Why We Love Spinach Risotto
This Green Risotto Recipe is rich and creamy with a nutty essence from parmesan cheese and a bold fresh herbaceous quality.
The color and flavor come from fresh spinach leaves, parsley, and basil, pureed into vegetable broth before cooking.
Broth is added to the arborio rice, little by little, so that it slowly absorbs into the rice and creates a silky green sauce.
This Green Risotto Recipe makes a marvelous platform for holiday dinners with a slice of prime beef, London broil, or bacon wrapped tenderloin over the top.
You can also serve it with earthy sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian main course this season. It even makes a great dish all on its own. If you like rice, cheese, and fresh herbs you are going to LOVE this risotto!
What Is The Secret to a Good Risotto?
Risotto is not difficult to make but it wants your attention… ALL of your attention.
It requires constant stirring to prevent clumps from forming and to ensure even cooking. To obtain the perfectly creamy texture you must stand over it and consistently stir for the entire 25 minutes it is simmering.
Additionally, it is important to use room temperature or even warmed broth when cooking the risotto. Drastic changes in the temperature of the simmering risotto, when the broth is added, could prevent the rice from releasing all of its starches. This might leave you with a firmer and potentially grainy risotto. Warm broth will ensure that the risotto retains its heat while cooking. The final product will be as smooth and creamy as possible and the rice should absorb all the wonderful flavors of the herbs, spinach, and parmesan.
How to Make Risotto
First, make a purée by combining the herbs, spinach, and garlic in the blender, along with 4 cups of the broth.
Next, melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Then sauté the chopped scallions for two minutes. Add in the rice and continue to cook for another two minutes. Add in the dry white wine and seasoning and simmer until absorbed.
One cup at a time, add the broth to the rice. Stir the risotto until the broth is absorbed into the rice before adding in the next cup. When I say stir I mean…
STIR. STIR. STIR.
Don’t stop stirring. Continue until both the regular broth and the green broth have been fully incorporated. Turn off the heat after you add the last cup of broth. This usually takes about 25 minutes.
By this point, the rice should be softened but still hold its shape. Next, stir the grated parmesan cheese. Season the risotto to taste with salt and black pepper and serve warm.
Get The Full (Printable) Spinach Risotto Recipe Below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t worry. This just means that your heat wasn’t high enough. We cooked this recipe at medium heat but that might not be the exact same temperature on your stove. Just increase the heat and continue to cook until all the broth has been absorbed. If the rice is still crunchy, even after adding all the broth, continue to add broth or salted water a half-cup at a time until the rice is firm but fully cooked. Then turn the heat off and continue.
Absolutely. Just keep in mind that risotto firms up as it cools. It is best to reheat risotto on the stove top with a little additional water or broth added to loosen it up.
This probably means that it was cooked a little too long. To maintain the bright colors of the herbs and spinach make sure to turn off the stove as soon as the last cup of broth is added, so that the risotto starts to cool down and the herbs keep their color.
It definitely can be. Just make sure to replace the chicken broth with mushroom or vegetable broth and you are all set.
Loving this Risotto? Here Are Some Other Great Recipes to Try:
Looking for what to serve with your green garlic parmesan risotto? Risotto pairs wonderfully with beef and seafood.
Spinach Risotto Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 scallions, greens and whites chopped
- 2 1/2 cups fresh packed spinach leaves
- 1 cup packed fresh parsley
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- 6 cups chicken broth, room temperature or warm (vegetable broth for vegetarians)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the spinach, parsley, basil, and garlic in the blender. Add 4 cups of broth and puree until very smooth.
- Add the butter and oil to a large sauté pan. Melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the chopped scallions and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and sauté another 2 minutes. Then add the wine, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper.
- Stir and simmer until the wine has absorbed. Add one cup of broth at a time to the rice, starting with the 2 cups of broth not added to the blender. With each addition of broth, stir the rice and allow it to simmer until the broth is absorbed before adding more. Make sure to incorporate all the green herb broth in the blender. This process will take about 25 minutes.
- Once you’ve added the last of the green broth and the rice is tender, but still firm, stir in the shredded parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat before the last round of broth is fully absorbed so the risotto is a little soupy. It will firm up as it cools. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
Notes
- The key to a great risotto is constant stirring. For the best results do not stop stirring from the time you add the first cup of broth until you are finished.
- Avoid cold broth. Room temperature or even warm broth will maintain the temperature of the risotto while cooking to give you the best creamy texture possible.
Oh my goodness!! I’ve been searching for a recipe similar to this! We had some amazing green risotto at a resort outside of Barcelona that looked very similar to this!! I can’t wait to try it!!
I have been searching for a recipe like this for almost 2 years now, ever since I traveled to Florence in October of 2015!!!!! I was so excited when I stumbled upon this, and even more excited when I read your story. I think we ate at the same little restaurant in Florence!!!! What a coincidence! I have been dying to make a copycat of this amazing meal but haven’t had any clue where to start. Thank you so much for creating this recipe. I can’t wait to make it.
Here’s what my risotto looked like from the restaurant: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CC9XuxqARKwqPorIWrhqKScvfXY9hiyG
Thank you again. Happy 2018!!!!
HI Allie!
That’s so great, I’m glad you found us. Let me know what you think!
The one change I made was to blanch the spinach, basil, and parsley in boiling water for 30seconds before ice bathing, and then blending with a 1/2 cup of the stock. Then added that right at the end off the heat to keep the delicate herb flavor, instead of cooking it. Fresh herbs like basil and parsley are delicate and should be added later in cooking.
Other than that the proportions and ingredients and instructions make a spectacular risotto. Finish with fresh lemon juice
Hi Sommer, Made this for Christmas dinner. Flavors were wonderful. Thank you for the inspiration. The color was not as vibrant as I would have liked after cooking. Do you have any tips on keeping the vibrant herby green color?
So glad you liked it! As for the color… Hmmm. I always add the last cup of green broth right at the end and then turn the heat off before it’s all the way absorbed. The color is always fairly vibrant. Is it possible your herbs were a little old?
I love finding restaurants off the beaten path when I travel. A good creamy Risotto be beat. I’m looking forward to trying this!
herbaceous might be my favorite new world. this sound absolutely delicious!
What an amazing risotto! Love the spinach, basil and parsley combo!
Beautiful Risotto!
Really beautiful Sommer!
The color?! These flavors!! I love the basil on over drive here!
The color is vibrant I am sure it was easy to admire from across the restaurant. Of course I’d rather spy it across my dinner table. GREG
This is why traveling is so amazing! It’s so different from what I’m used to thinking Italian food is. Thanks for sharing, this looks amazing.
Thank you and Happy Holidays.