Champagne Risotto (Risotto allo Champagne)

An elegant, sophisticated first course with a delicate rosy hue — rice toasted in salted butter, deglazed and finished with champagne, mantecato with Grana Padano, and finished with Sichuan pepper.

Amount	Ingredient
11¼ oz (320 g)	risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
1	small red Tropea onion
1½ tbsp (20 g)	salted butter (plus extra for the mantecatura)
2½ cups (600 ml)	hot vegetable broth
1¼ cups (300 ml)	champagne (or dry sparkling white)
¾ oz (20 g)	Grana Padano, grated
	Sichuan pepper, freshly ground

Champagne risotto is what you serve when the occasion calls for something refined. The rice is toasted in salted butter with a finely minced red Tropea onion, deglazed with champagne (the recipe uses it twice — once to deglaze, once at the end), and cooked with vegetable broth until creamy. The Tropea onion gives the dish its faint rosy color. A mantecatura with butter and Grana Padano, and a grind of Sichuan pepper — an unexpected, aromatic twist — finishes the plate.

Ingredient notes: The recipe is scaled from a single-serving original — for 4 people use about 320 g of rice, 1 small Tropea onion, and 600 ml of broth. Use a dry (brut) champagne or any dry sparkling wine. The Sichuan pepper is the signature finishing touch — floral, citrusy, and gently numbing.

• Large saucepan (for the risotto)
• Chef's knife and cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle

1. Prep the onion (2 min). Trim and finely mince the Tropea onion.
2. Melt the butter (2 min). In a saucepan, melt the butter completely.
3. Soften the onion (3 min). Add the onion and sauté until well softened.
4. Toast the rice (3 min). Add the rice and toast, stirring often, until the grains turn translucent.
5. First champagne (4 min). Pour in 150 ml of the champagne and stir often to keep the rice from sticking. Let it evaporate completely.
6. Cook with broth (8 min). Add ladles of boiling broth as it dries, cooking until the rice is almost al dente.
7. Second champagne (2 min). When the broth has dried, add the remaining champagne and let it reduce completely.
8. Manteca (2 min). Off the heat, stir in more butter and the grated Grana Padano, mixing carefully to mantecare.
9. Serve (1 min). Plate and finish each bowl with a grind of Sichuan pepper.

• Tropea onion for the rosy hue. The red onion tints the dish gently — don't substitute a white one.
• Champagne twice. Once to deglaze, once to finish — the double treatment builds depth.
• Stir often during the deglaze. The sugar in the wine loves to stick; keep it moving.
• Sichuan pepper at the end. It's the signature — floral, citrusy, a gentle tingle.
• Mantecare off the heat. Butter and cheese emulsify into silk only when the pan has left the stove.
• Taste before salting. Butter, cheese, and broth all bring salt.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Letting the wine stick	Burnt, bitter rice	Stir constantly during deglazing
Boiling the broth in	Starchy, uneven rice	Gentle, gradual ladles
Skipping the second champagne	Flat finish	The final splash is the point
White onion	Loses the rosy tint	Red Tropea onion only
Overcooking	Mushy rice	Al dente, then mantecare
Salting early	Too salty	Taste before adding salt

• Prosecco Version: A fraction of the price, same method.
• Saffron Champagne: A pinch of saffron for golden luxury.
• Rosé Champagne: Even more color from a rosé sparkling wine.
• Mascarpone Finish: A spoonful of mascarpone for extra silk.
• Citrus Zest: Grate lemon zest over each plate.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer	Not recommended — the creamy emulsion breaks.
Reheating	Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth, stirring until creamy.

Champagne in the dish, champagne in the glass:

• Champagne Brut — The obvious, perfect match.
• Franciacorta Brut — Italy's answer to Champagne.
• Cava Brut — Elegant and affordable.
• Vermentino — A crisp still alternative.

Per Serving (about 1¼ cups)
Calories	440
Protein	10 g
Fat	10 g
Carbohydrates	74 g
Fiber	1 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

Why is the risotto slightly pink?

The red Tropea onion tints the rice a delicate rosy hue as it cooks — that's the signature look.

Can I use Prosecco instead?

Yes — any dry sparkling wine works. Prosecco is sweeter and fruitier; use a brut for the closest match.

What does Sichuan pepper add?

A floral, citrusy aroma with a gentle, numbing tingle — an unexpected but wonderful contrast to the creamy risotto.

Is this really a one-serving recipe?

The original was; this version is scaled to serve 4. Keep the ratio of rice to liquid and you can't go wrong.

Why add champagne twice?

The first splash deglazes and builds the base; the final splash brightens the dish at the very end.

• Risotto della Regina (Volume 3)
• Risotto allo Champagne, Barbabietola e Gamberi (Volume 3)
• Risotto alla Milanese (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.