Risotto al Barolo

Name: Risotto al Barolo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 41 min
Total time: 51 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 320 g Carnaroli rice; 500 ml Barolo wine; 1 Onion, finely diced; 80 g Butter, divided; 70 g Parmigiano, finely grated; 1200 ml Beef stock, hot; 1 tsp Salt; ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Risotto al Barolo · ready in 51 min · 4 servings · 585 kcal per serving · medium · 8 ingredients

A Piedmont classic from the Langhe, this risotto lets noble Barolo stain Carnaroli rice ruby red, finished with butter and Parmigiano for a glossy wave.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 41 min
Total: 51 min
Serves: 4
kcal: 585
Difficulty: medium

Italian Main dishes Gluten-free

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 4 servings

320 gCarnaroli rice
500 mlBarolo wine
1Onion, finely diced
80 gButter, divided
70 gParmigiano, finely grated
1200 mlBeef stock, hot
1 tspSalt
½ tspBlack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

stovetop, heavy pot, saucepan, ladle, wooden spoon, knife, cutting board, grater, measuring jug, lid, serving bowl

Instructions

Mise en place
Gather all ingredients and set out a heavy pot, saucepan, ladle, wooden spoon, knife, board, grater, and warm serving bowls. · 10 min
What to look for: Ingredients measured and tools ready
Warm stock
Heat the beef stock in a saucepan until steaming, then keep it at a gentle simmer near 90°C / 194°F for ladling. · 5 min
What to look for: Stock steams gently without boiling hard
Soften onion
Melt 40 g butter in a heavy pot over medium low heat, add onion, and cook until soft and pale without browning. · 6 min
What to look for: Onion looks glossy, soft, and still pale
Toast rice
Stir in Carnaroli rice and toast for 2 minutes, coating every grain in butter until the edges look translucent. · 2 min
What to look for: Rice grains look glossy with translucent edges
Add Barolo
Pour in Barolo wine in 2 additions, stirring until each addition is mostly absorbed and the rice turns deep ruby. · 8 min
What to look for: Wine is absorbed and rice is ruby red
Ladle stock
Add hot beef stock 1 ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until mostly absorbed before adding more, until creamy. · 18 min
What to look for: Risotto is creamy and moves in a slow wave
Finish risotto
Remove the pot from heat, beat in remaining butter and Parmigiano, season with salt and black pepper, cover, and rest for 2 minutes. · 4 min
What to look for: Risotto looks glossy, loose, and creamy
Serve risotto
Serve the risotto in warm shallow bowls immediately, letting it spread softly so the Barolo aroma stays vivid. · 2 min
What to look for: Risotto settles softly across the bowl

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	585
Protein	15 g
Carbohydrates	72 g
of which sugars	5 g
Fat	22 g
of which saturated	14 g
Fibre	2 g
Sodium	1101 mg

Nutri-ScoreC

Allergens

Contains: milk, sulphites

Storage and reheating

Fridge: up to 2 days
Freezer: not recommended
Reheat gently with a splash of water until steaming hot at 74°C / 165°F, stirring often, and do not store cooked rice longer than 2 days.

Ingredient substitutions

Carnaroli rice

Vialone Nano rice: Use only another proper risotto rice if Carnaroli is unavailable.

Barolo wine

Nebbiolo wine: Choose a dry Nebbiolo from Piedmont for the closest character.

Onion

Shallot: Use the same weight and cook gently so it does not brown.

Butter

Olive oil: Use for cooking only, not for the same classic creamy finish.

Parmigiano

Grana Padano: Less intense than Parmigiano but still traditional in northern Italian cooking.

Beef stock

Water: Use only if stock is unavailable, and expect a much lighter risotto.