Salmon Risotto with Leeks & Lemon

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Make this Salmon Risotto in under 40 minutes, without constant stirring. With lemon, leeks and parsley it's loaded with flavor and an easy dish that seems fancy. Perfect for dinner parties, and quick & easy enough for a weeknight!

Never is risotto better than when made with seafood! And this salmon risotto is no exception. Creamy, lemony and delicious - and oh, so easy to make!

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• What you need to make it
• How to make it
• Tips & tricks
• Recipe FAQ
• More Quick & Easy Risotto Recipes
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why you will love this recipe

• It's quick - all done in under 40 minutes
• It's easy - just follow my tips!
• It's pretty hands off and cooks itself without constant stirring
• So delicious with rich salmon complemented by lemon and leeks
• Lemon juice adds acidity and cuts the heaviness
• Lemon zest adds even more lemon flavor
• It's a dish that is sure to impress - and no one needs to know how easy it really was to make

What you need to make it

Ingredient notes & substitutions

• Shredded Parmesan cheese can be substituted for another similar style hard cheese
• Salmon filet can be fresh or thawed from frozen, and substituted for cold or hot smoked salmon. If using smoked salmon, don't cook it, just add it to the risotto at the end.
• Dry white wine - the better the wine, the better the risotto, so choose one you really enjoy
• Butter can be swapped for olive oil
• Fish stock is always best when homemade, but I usually use store bought bouillon cubes and follow the instructions on the package to get the right amount of liquid stock
• Risotto rice - I usually use Avorio, Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• Leek can be subsituted for other onions - the best choice is shallots

How to make it

Making this salmon risotto is done in three steps: cooking the salmon, cooking the risotto, and putting it all together.

How to cook the salmon

1. Melt half of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat and add in the salmon cubes. Season with salt and black pepper, and mix.
2. Cook for a few minutes until the salmon has a nice color on the outside and is cooked almost through. Then remove from the heat and set aside for now.

How to cook the risotto

3. In the same or another pan, melt the remaining half of the butter over medium heat. Then add leeks and garlic cloves.
4. Sauté for two minutes until the leeks have softened and absorbed a lot of the butter
5. Add the rice and mix well
6. Cook the rice for about a minute, until it has absorbed most of the butter

7. Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine
8. Mix and let the wine cook off for 1 minute
9. When done, the pan should look almost dry again
10. Pour in the fish stock - reserving half a cup or 1 dl to add later on, if needed

11. Mix and scrape down any rice and bits of leek that are stuck to the sides. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to keep a slow simmer. Cook for 16-18 minutes. Do not stir again - but with a few minutes left, test the risotto to see if it's done. If not, let it cook a few more minutes. If at any point it starts looking dry, add the rest of the fish stock.
12. The risotto is done when the rice is almost cooked through - then turn off the heat
13. Remove the garlic cloves
14. Mix in the shredded parmesan

How to put it all together

15. Add in the cooked salmon cubes
16. Add in the lemon juice and zest
17. Add in parsley
18. Mix well, taste test, add more seasoning if needed, then serve your salmon risotto immediately!

Tips & tricks

• Don't wash the rice - you need all the starch from the grains to make the risotto creamy
• Don't cook your salmon all the way through as it will keep cooking after you remove it from the heat
• For maximum salmon flavor cook the salmon in the same pan as the risotto - just remove it when done and add more butter to make the risotto
• For less salmon flavor cook the salmon in a separate pan
• Only mix once after adding the fish stock and bringing to a slow simmer, then leave it until done
• Cook it slow - you want it to stay at a slooow simmer
• Risotto is usually done before you think it is - when you test it and think "almoooost... just another minute!" that's when it's done
• Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days

Recipe FAQ

More Quick & Easy Risotto Recipes

• Apple Risotto with Marcona Almonds
• Mushroom Truffle Risotto
• Shrimp Risotto with Asparagus & Basil
• Smoked Salmon Risotto with Asparagus & Lemon

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