Risi e Bisi

Name: Risi e Bisi
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 34 min
Total time: 49 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 320 g Rice; 400 g Fresh pea, shelled; 80 g Pancetta, diced; 100 g Onion, finely chopped; 60 g Parmigiano, finely grated; 1000 ml Broth, hot; 30 g Butter; 1 tbsp Olive oil; ½ tsp Salt; 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Risi e Bisi · ready in 49 min · 4 servings · 639 kcal per serving · medium · 10 ingredients

Risi e Bisi is the Venetian rice and pea classic for St Mark's feast, loose and spoonable with sweet peas, pancetta, and Parmigiano.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 34 min
Total: 49 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 639
Difficulty: medium

Italian Main dishes Gluten-free

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

320 gRice
400 gFresh pea, shelled
80 gPancetta, diced
100 gOnion, finely chopped
60 gParmigiano, finely grated
1000 mlBroth, hot
30 gButter
1 tbspOlive oil
½ tspSalt
1 tspBlack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

stovetop, chef knife, cutting board, grater, heavy pot, saucepan, ladle, wooden spoon, serving bowl

Instructions

Mise en Place
Gather rice, peas, pancetta, onion, Parmigiano, hot broth, butter, oil, salt, and pepper with a heavy pot, ladle, knife, board, and grater. · 15 min
What to look for: All ingredients are measured, cut, and ready beside the stove.
Heat Broth
Heat the broth in a saucepan until steaming, then keep it barely simmering so each ladleful enters the rice hot. · 5 min
What to look for: The broth steams gently with small bubbles at the edge.
Soften Onion
Warm olive oil and butter in a heavy pot, then fry pancetta and onion until the onion turns soft and the pancetta releases its fat. · 6 min
What to look for: The onion looks translucent and the pancetta edges look lightly golden.
Toast Rice
Add rice to the pot and stir for 2 minutes until each grain looks glossy and the edges turn slightly translucent. · 2 min
What to look for: The rice is shiny and lightly coated in fat.
Ladle Broth
Ladle in hot broth a little at a time, stirring often and adding more only when the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. · 12 min
What to look for: The rice swells and the liquid stays loose rather than thick.
Cook Peas
Stir in fresh peas and continue cooking with more hot broth until the rice is tender yet flowing, not dry like a firm risotto. · 7 min
What to look for: The peas are bright green and the rice moves softly when stirred.
Finish Cheese
Remove the pot from heat, fold in Parmigiano and black pepper, then adjust salt so the broth tastes savory but balanced. · 2 min
What to look for: The cheese melts into a creamy, spoonable rice mixture.
Serve Warm
Serve Risi e Bisi immediately in warm shallow bowls while it is loose, creamy, and fragrant with peas, pancetta, and cheese. · 1 min
What to look for: Each bowl is creamy and fluid, with rice and peas suspended in the broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	639
Protein	21 g
Carbohydrates	82 g
of which sugars	7 g
Fat	25 g
of which saturated	10 g
Fibre	7 g
Sodium	980 mg

Nutri-ScoreC

Allergens

Contains: milk

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 3 days
Freezer: not recommended
Warm gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water, stirring until steaming throughout.

Ingredient substitutions

Rice

Short grain rice: Choose a rice that releases starch and stays slightly firm.

Pancetta

Butter: Keeps richness but removes the cured pork character.

Onion

Garlic: Use only a little because garlic is sharper than onion.

Broth

Water: Use only if the pancetta and Parmigiano are well seasoned.

Butter

Olive oil: Gives a lighter finish with less dairy richness.

Olive oil

Butter: Adds a rounder dairy flavor at the base.