Risotto with Mint Pesto and Black Truffle Burrata Cheese

Risotto is a creamy rice that is a dish of patience and love. It takes constant care to stir the rice as it cooks and add liquid a little at a time. The resulting product is well worth the effort, as the decadent texture is truly something special.

Risotto is a versatile dish and you can make it with anything from a shrimp stock and seafood, to chicken or beef stock and a more hearty topping. The possibilities are endless, but this is one of my favorites. It’s made with vegetable stock and flavored with mint pesto and topped with black truffle burrata cheese.

We were on vacation in Napa Valley earlier this year and wine tasting at Castello di Amarosa when we met one of the wine educators who was from Italy. He was studying and working at the castle doing tours and tastings. While the conversation started about the wine, it eventually changed to food, and he shared with us that he loved to cook. We asked him what he liked to cook and he said risotto. He told us that the night before he had made a risotto with mint pesto and burrata cheese. It sounded amazing and when I got back home and tried to recreate the dish.

The truffles and the creaminess of the burrata cheese add a richness to the already decadent risotto. The mint adds a brightness that brings the whole dish to life. This dish is packed with flavor and pairs perfectly with a pinot noir on a warm summer night.

Risotto with Mint Pesto and Black Truffle Burrata

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 Servings

Equipment

• Food processor

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the risotto

• 2 cups arborio rice rinsed
• 64 oz chicken or vegetable stock homemade if possible
• 1 white onion minced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup white wine save the rest for the chef
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 burrata balls with black truffle, if availiable

For the mint pesto

• 2 cups mint leaves
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1/4 cup extra virgin oil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or almonds
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

 

Mint Pesto

• First, make the mint pesto. Just add all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if needed.

Rissotto

• Take the burrata cheese out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while you make the rest of this dish. You don't want to put a cold ball of cheese on your risotto. Letting it rest will help take the chill off and make it combine perfectly with the finished risotto.
• Heat stock in a separate pot than the one you are using to make the risotto. You'll be adding the hot stock a cup at a time, and you want to add it hot, so it doesn't drop the temperate of the risotto.
• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the pot, add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and garlic. Toast slightly before adding 1 cup of wine. Do not let the garlic or the rice burn. When the wine gets absorbed add one cup of stock. Stir continuously throughout the entire cooking process. This is important! As each cup of liquid gets absorbed, add another cup. A good rule of thumb is if you can drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot and see the bottom, it's time to add more liquid. If the rice quickly cover back the path of the spoon, wait a little longer.
• Continue to do this until the rice reaches the desired tenderness. I usually go through the 64 ounces, but you'll want to taste test to be accurate. If it needs more liquid, you can always add water if you've run out of stock.
• Add salt and pepper to season the risotto.
• Plate the risotto and add a large spoonful of the mint to the middle of the dish, or be fancy and try to marble it in. Set the burrata on top of the mint pesto. Drizzle some additional olive oil on top and sprinkle with some mint leaves.
• If you like, you can swap out the burrata for scallops, fish, or chicken. Any of those would pair perfectly with the mint pesto.

Keyword Burrata, Creamy risotto, gluten-free, Mint risotto, risotto

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If possible plate this dish on a wide pasta bowl. Place the burrata on the center, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and fresh ground pepper.

I hope you enjoy this dish. Find more recipes here.

Shop our favorite kitchen tools