Shrimp and Swiss chard risotto is creamy, cheesy, and oh so fancy. Risotto is incredible and an impressive dish to be able to pull off as a home cook. It is not complicated; all it takes is some serious patience and a lot of stirring.
This is the perfect summer risotto recipe, plus it will help you use up some of that beautiful Swiss chard from your garden (or the farmers market)!
Risotto is best suited for a main course but can also be served as a side dish. If you love, love, love risotto recipes, then you have to try my mushroom risotto recipe, too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You know the saying "we eat with our eyes first"? Shrimp and Swiss chard risotto is the perfect example, it's as beautiful to look at as it is to eat.
- Its vibrant colors and creamy texture make it a show-stopper for guests or special dinners.
- Shrimp risotto is the ultimate year-round comfort food, it is light enough for summer, but hearty enough for winter.
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Shrimp And Swiss Chard Risotto Ingredients
- Chicken Stock - Chicken stock can be substituted with vegetable stock or homemade bone broth.
- Swiss Chard - Any hearty leafy green can be used in place of the Swiss chard, think kale, spinach, or chopped bok choy!
- Shrimp - Try adding my baked garlic butter shrimp instead. The garlic butter adds a luxurious flavor when spooned over the top of the risotto!
A full ingredient list with the exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Shrimp And Swiss Chard Risotto
Before You Begin
Do not rinse the arborio rice.
This is one of the most important rules of risotto. Rinsing the rice will strip it of the extra starch, and starch is imperative for a successful risotto. The starch is what creates that smooth, dreamy, creamy texture in the risotto.
Properly cooked risotto should have a creamy, slightly chewy, incredible texture.
Step 1
In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer.
In a large sauté pan or a non-stick wok, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the extra virgin olive oil. Melt the butter and then add in the minced garlic, saute for 30 seconds.
Step 2
Add the arborio rice into the pan and stir to coat it in the butter and garlic.
Stirring regularly, let the rice cook until it is slightly translucent and starts to give off a "nutty" aroma, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 3
After the rice has slightly cooked, add in the dry white wine and start stirring. Let the rice cook in the wine until all of the wine is absorbed into the rice. The wine should take about 4-5 minutes to fully absorb into the rice.
Add one cup of the warm stock to the rice. Continue stirring until all of the stock is absorbed. It will take 7-10 minutes for the stock to fully absorb into the rice.
If the stock is absorbing too fast, turn the temperature of the burner down. Otherwise, there is a risk that the risotto will be undercooked.
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Step 4
Repeat step 3 three more times, stirring continuously and adding the warm stock only one cup at a time. You should be left with 2 cups of warm stock.
Before adding the remaining stock, stir in the chopped Swiss chard and let it cook for 2 minutes, of course, still stirring continuously.
Step 5
Add all of the remaining stock (2 cups) and, stirring continuously, stir until all of the stock has been absorbed into the rice.
Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Remove the risotto from the heat and loosely cover with a lid or a piece of aluminum foil.
Step 6
In a small fry pan, over medium heat, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
Add the oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper to the melted butter. Add the raw shrimp into the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until the shrimp are pink and fully cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
After the shrimp are fully cooked, add them to the risotto and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- If you have to cook the shrimp ahead of the risotto being finished, just remove them from the heat and stick a piece of aluminum foil over the top. When you are ready to add them to the risotto, throw them back in the pan and heat them back up for just a few minutes over low heat.
- Constant stirring is the key to a good risotto. Letting the risotto sit idle for even just a few minutes can result in it burning. So grab a glass of vino, get some comfy slippers on and prepare to stand at the stove for about 45 minutes straight. I promise, it is worth it!
- Serve this risotto with a delicious side of garlic bread baguette for a wonderful meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
This is easy, a raw shrimp will be grey, and a cooked shrimp will be pink! If I am going to be cooking the shrimp, I prefer to use raw shrimp in all of my recipes. Raw shrimp will absorb marinades and spices much better than pre-cooked shrimp will.
Defrosted, raw shrimp will cook up quickly, taking about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. The shrimp will turn from grey to pink right in front of your eyes! When the shrimp is pink on the outside and white on the inside and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, it is fully cooked.
Arborio rice is a type of short-grain Italian rice. It has a much higher starch content than everyday rice. It can be found at most supermarkets.
If your risotto turned out hard and crunchy, the stock was added/absorbed too quickly. Try turning down the heat and cooking at a lower temperature, and adding the stock more slowly.
More Delicious Shrimp Recipes
These are some more easy-to-cook shrimp recipes:
If you made this Shrimp and Swiss Chard Risotto or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
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Shrimp and Swiss Chard Risotto
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 6 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 ½ cups Arborio Rice
- ½ cup Dry White Wine
- 5 Tablespoons Butter salted, divided
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2-3 cups Swiss Chard chopped
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ lb Raw Shrimp tail removed and deveined
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Keep over low heat until ready to use.
- In a large saute pan or a non-stick wok, add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the extra virgin olive oil. Over medium/low heat, heat until the butter is melted. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the arborio rice into the pan and stir to coat it in the butter and garlic. Stirring regularly, let the rice cook until it is slightly translucent and starts to give off a "nutty" aroma, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the dry white wine, stirring continuously, let the rice cook until all of the wine is absorbed into the rice.
- Add one cup of the warm stock to the rice. Continue to stir until all of the stock is absorbed. It will take approximately 7-10 minutes for the stock to absorb. If it is absorbing faster than that, then turn down the temperature; you don't want it to cook too fast! Repeat this step three more times, stirring continuously and adding the warm stock only one cup at a time. Now you should be left with 2 cups of stock.
- Before adding the remaining stock, stir in the chopped Swiss chard and let it cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add all of the remaining stock (2 cups), stirring continuously until all of the stock has been absorbed into the rice. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, remove from heat, loosely cover with a lid or a piece of aluminum foil and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the raw shrimp with the oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
- In a small fry pan, over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, add the shrimp. Cook for 5-7 minutes until shrimp are pink and thoroughly cooked. Add the cooked shrimp to the risotto and serve immediately.
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Notes
- Do not rinse the arborio rice. Rinsing the rice will wash away the starch, which is the key to a good, successful risotto.
- Constant stirring is the key to a good risotto. Letting the risotto sit idle for even just a few minutes can result in it burning. So grab a glass of vino, get some comfy slippers on and prepare to stand at the stove for about 45 minutes straight. I promise, it is worth it!
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Allison says
Can’t wait to give this a try. Thanks for the great ideas and information.
Jessica says
I hope you love it!?
Allison says
Just ate it ??? party in my mouth. Soooooo good. Lots of stirring and slow cooking but OMG. For a first timer fabulous. Wanted to share a pic but I tasted it before I took the pic and totally forgot about everything else. Can’t wait till I make it again. Thanks for everything you do. Dad just took seconds ?
Jessica says
Thanks! I am so happy that you loved it!?
Debbie Cameron says
Great flavour and texture.
Jessica says
Thank you!