Creamy Corn Risotto

Bowl of corn risotto topped with cheese and chopped green chilli.

Yes I know, I’m sharing another summer risotto recipe. But this Creamy Corn Risotto. It’s a slight adaptation of a lovely little number in Anna Jones’ book One Pot, One Pan, One Planet: A greener way to cook for you, your family and your planetad I was sent by her publishers when it was first released, and I made last summer during a storm with my home grown cobs, just cut before the heavens opened.

Whilst my favourite way to eat fresh ears of corn is slathered with unsalted butter and flaky sea salt after a quick plunge into boiling water (though I still keep meaning to try this butter bath corn method), this corn risotto comes a close seconds. The sweet, juicy nuggets of corn provide a stunning contrast to the almost-tender and plump grains of rice, and the blitzed corn stirred in at the end only adds to the creaminess and the pure, unadulterated corn flavour.

I also love that this recipe that I’ve only really changed to suit the way I make a risotto, rather than the way Anna does, uses the method I use making corn soup in One Pan Pescatarian to make a corn stock: simmering the corns in salted water once shucked to get even more of that corn goodness into the pot.

Two corn on the cob, one with the outer layers peeled back on a pink background.
Stone bowl of corn risotto on a pink background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen or tinned sweetcorn to make this recipe?

Whilst there is no doubt that this recipe is best made with fresh summer corn, tinned or frozen corn are both great options for making this as a store-cupboard dinner out of season. I’d go with tinned corn (get the version packed without extra salt) over frozen as it has a flavour more similar to fresh corn. To work out volumes, 1 corn on the cob = approx. 1 cup = 165g of shucked corn. If you do make the substitution, use vegetable stock instead of water to make the risotto as you won’t have naked corn cobs to make a corn stock with.

Can I use an onion instead of a shallot?

I tend to use shallots in my risotto as they’re an easier size to work with when you’re making risotto for just the two of you. You’ll want to use 1/2 a regular sized brown onion instead.

I don’t like jalapeño, are there any other garnish options?

Chopped coriander is simply delicious here, and if you’re not too fussed about presentation this creamy corn risotto is also great unadorned.

Can I make this corn risotto vegan?

Of course, just sub in your favourite brands of vegan butter and cheese that you’d usually reach for when risotto-making.

Close up of a bowl of creamy corn risotto topped with pecorino, green chilli and black pepper.

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Close up of a bowl of creamy corn risotto topped with pecorino, green chilli and black pepper.

Creamy Corn Risotto

  • Author: Rachel Phipps
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Resting Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 2
  • Category: Dinner
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Creamy Corn Risotto is the perfect way to turn sweet summer corn on the cob into a hearty dinner – just add rice, wine, butter and cheese!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 corn on the cob
  • sea salt
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 banana shallots
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 150g risotto rice
  • 125ml white wine
  • 30g grated pecorino, plus extra to serve
  • large knob of unsalted butter
  • 1/2 green chilli, to serve
  • freshly cracked black pepper, to serve

Instructions

  1. Shuck the corn, and add the naked cobs to a medium lidded saucepan. Add 700ml of boiling water and a generous pinch of salt and set, with the lid on, over a medium heat to simmer and infuse.
  2. Blitz half the corn with 1 tbsp of water in a mini chopper or bullet blender until smooth, and set aside.
  3. Heat the oil over a medium high heat in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan. Finely chop the shallot and garlic, and add to the pan with another pinch of salt, gently cooking until soft. Do not allow the garlic or the shallot to take on any colour.
  4. Stir in the risotto rice and cook for a couple of minutes until the rice has heated through.
  5. Stir in the white wine, and allow to cook away completely, stirring every few minutes.
  6. Adding only a ladle at a time, gradually add the simmering corn stock to the rice, stirring often, only adding more when the liquid is completely absorbed. Once the rice is just starting to soften, but it still has a decent amount of bite, stir in the whole reserved corn kernels.
  7. Once the risotto has reached your desired consistency (you might not use all the water) remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, cheese, and blitzed corn.
  8. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before stirring again and serving topped with more cheese, the green chilli – finely chopped – and a generous amount of black pepper.

Notes

Whilst there is no doubt that this recipe is best made with fresh summer corn, tinned or frozen corn are both great options for making this as a store-cupboard dinner out of season. I’d go with tinned corn (get the version packed without extra salt) over frozen as it has a flavour more similar to fresh corn. To work out volumes, 1 corn on the cob = approx. 1 cup = 165g of shucked corn. If you do make the substitution, use vegetable stock instead of water to make the risotto as you won’t have naked corn cobs to make a corn stock with.

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