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This savory sausage risotto is a satisfying dinner combining zesty Italian sausage and mushrooms with tender and creamy Arborio rice. You won’t believe the amount of flavor this recipe packs onto a plate!
For another hearty dinner idea, try my creamy one-pan sausage pasta or this cozy sausage soup. I also have a great seafood risotto if you feel like swapping out the sausage in this recipe!
Table of Contents
This sausage risotto is like the elevated version of my sausage and rice skillet. There’s something so special about the richness of the Italian sausage and sautéed mushrooms in this recipe alongside silky, creamy Arborio rice. If you’ve never made risotto before, you’ll be blown away by how easy it is. This recipe comes out tasting like a million bucks, but it’s actually such an affordable, tasty dinner that anyone can make on the stovetop.
Why I Love This Sausage Risotto
- Delicious and creamy. I love easy, family-friendly dinners like my stovetop creamy chicken and rice. Risotto takes it to a whole other level, with tender, starchy rice cooked slowly with onion, white wine, and broth to create a rich, creamy texture.
- Adaptable. I love the zesty, savory flavors of seasoned Italian sausage and earthy mushrooms in this recipe. This sausage risotto is super easy to customize, though, so feel free to change things up with your choice of add-ins.
- Great for everyday cooking. This sausage risotto recipe takes all of 30 minutes to cook and just a few minutes to prep. It’s quick enough to make on a weeknight and fancy enough to make when we entertain friends. Everyone polishes off their plate!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Italian sausage risotto calls for a few simple and savory ingredients to pack all that delicious flavor into a skillet. Below are some quick notes. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for a printable ingredients list.
- Broth – I like to use low-sodium beef broth for this sausage risotto, but you can substitute chicken stock or broth if needed.
- Butter and Oil – Salted or unsalted butter and a good quality olive oil for sautéing. Save a tablespoon of butter to stir into the risotto right at the end.
- Onion – A small yellow onion or shallot, finely chopped.
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic has the best flavor. If you don’t have fresh cloves, you can use ¼-½ teaspoon of garlic powder per clove instead.
- White Wine – You’ll want to choose a dry white white, like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay. If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, you can replace it with more broth.
- Arborio Rice – The best rice for risotto is Arborio rice. It’s a short-grain rice with a high starch content that makes the dish creamy. Carnaroli is another fat, starchy rice that works well in risotto recipes, too.
- Sausage – I’m partial to spicy Italian sausage, but you can make this risotto with another ground, sliced, or diced sausage. Andouille sausage (a Louisiana favorite), kielbasa, chorizo, and mild pork, beef, or chicken sausage all bring great flavor to the dish.
- Mushrooms – Any mushroom variety (I like cremini), sliced up. You can replace the mushrooms in this risotto with another veggie, like asparagus, broccoli, bell peppers, or green peas.
- Parmesan – For the silkiest risotto, grate the parmesan cheese fresh from the block. You can also use another kind of sharp cheese, like pecorino or grand padano cheese.
Can You Make Risotto With Regular Rice?
While Arborio rice is the first choice for risotto, just about any type of short to medium-grain rice will work in a pinch. The starchier, the better. However, if you’re really stuck, varieties like basmati or even sushi rice are fine to use. The texture may not be quite as creamy, but your sausage risotto will still turn out delicious!
How to Make Sausage Risotto
Here’s how to make the best risotto loaded with juicy sausage and mushrooms, step-by-step. You’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card.
- Sauté the onions. While you get broth and water heating in a saucepan, add diced onions to a separate skillet. Sauté the onions with butter and olive oil until they’re softened, then add garlic.
- Add the rice. Next, add your rice to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Let the rice toast for a minute before pouring in the white wine. Simmer until most of the wine absorbs into the rice.
- Add the broth gradually. The secret to making risotto is slowly ladling the broth into the rice, letting the liquid absorb before adding more. Add the broth to the pan about 1 cup at a time, simmering in between, until the rice is tender and creamy.
- Cook the sausage and mushrooms. Get the sausage browning in a new skillet. Afterward, swap the cooked sausage for sliced mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they’re also nice and browned.
- Put it all together. When your risotto is ready, fold in the sausage and mushrooms. Stir in a spoonful of butter, followed by the grated parmesan. Season to taste, and serve!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Don’t rinse the rice. Never wash the rice you use to make risotto! Rinsing removes the starch, which is key to risotto’s rich and creamy texture. Save washing your rice for the times you’re making a side of jasmine rice or Spanish rice.
- Don’t rush the process. Making a risotto is actually such a simple process, but it does take time. Keep the risotto at a low simmer and add the broth or stock gradually, one ladle at a time, so that the rice has time to absorb all those flavors. Don’t rush it!
- Make it vegetarian. You can replace the sausage with your favorite meatless mince, or skip the sausage altogether to make a mushroom risotto instead. I also love this butternut squash risotto as a vegetarian alternative.
- Add more veggies. Sauté broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, peas, and greens like kale or spinach alongside the sausage.
- Different protein. In place of Italian sausage, make this risotto with chicken or turkey sausage, diced bacon, cooked chicken, or sautéed shrimp.
- Herbs and seasonings. Sprinkle in fresh thyme leaves, minced rosemary, or fresh basil ribbons, or make a risotto with sausage and parsley.
- Use your Instant Pot. Cook the sausage and mushrooms separately using your Instant Pot’s Sauté mode, then remove them from the pot and prepare the risotto according to my Instant Pot risotto recipe. Afterward, stir in the sausage and mushrooms and finish the risotto as written.
Helpful Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Risotto requires a bit of attention while it cooks, but the whole process shouldn’t take longer than 30-40 minutes from start to finish. Once one ladleful of broth absorbs, add the next, and repeat just until the rice is tender and creamy.
You don’t want to stir the rice too often as it makes the risotto gluey. However, not stirring at all may cause the rice to stick to the pan and burn. As a good rule of thumb, I usually stir the rice each time I add the broth, just enough to release the starches.
Nope! Risotto should be cooked uncovered. This allows the liquid to evaporate.
What to Serve With Risotto
Italians eat risotto as a primo piatto, or starter. Because this sausage risotto comes filled with protein and mushrooms, I’ll often serve it as a main! It’s hearty and satisfying on its own, or I’ll make a Caesar salad or simple tossed salad to have on the side.
If you want to round out the meal even further, pair this risotto with juicy pork chops or Chicken Lombardy. And you can’t go wrong with a basket of garlic bread or breadsticks! For dessert, try this homemade tiramisu made with lemon.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover sausage risotto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I don’t recommend freezing leftovers as the risotto gets a bit grainy after it’s thawed.
- Reheat. I like to warm up my leftover risotto on the stovetop, with a splash of broth to help make it creamy again. You can also reheat risotto in the microwave.
More Sausage Recipes
Sausage Risotto
Ingredients
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 cups Arborio Rice
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan combine beef broth and water. Heat over medium-low heat to keep warm.
- In a large skillet melt 1 Tablespoon of butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until they are soft. Add garlic and cook for a minute until you can start to smell it.
- Stir in the rice until it is coated in the oil. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a minute or two for the liquid to mostly absorb.
- Ladle about 1 cup of warm broth into the pan, stir and stir. Let it simmer until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue this process by adding 1 ladle of warm broth each time until the rice is tender and creamy, You may have a little stock left over, if not you can add a touch more broth or water at the end.
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet brown the sausage, breaking apart into small pieces until it is cooked through. Remove and drain the grease.
- In the same skillet cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat until they are browned and tender. Remove from heat.
- Once the rice is cooked through add the cooked sausage and mushrooms to the pan, mixing until well incorporated.
- Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter and Parmesan cheese and mix well.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.