Risotto in a rich Chorizo flavoured tomato broth! It’s creamy, packs plenty of flavour and is definitely a step up from the basic risotto!
I have a feeling that this is the very first recipe I’ve shared that has kale in it. Gasp, shock horror!!! It is not that I don’t like kale, I actually like it just fine. It’s just that it’s usually pretty darn expensive! Damn food trends. It’s ruining so many undiscovered fabulous budget foods. Like beef cheeks. Mussels. Lamb ribs. All these things that were crazy cheap 10 years ago and now not so cheap!
I honestly remember over 10 years ago when I was watching a Lidia’s Italy show (hands up if you love Lidia too!!!), she made something using kale, I went hunting for it but couldn’t find it anywhere. Nowhere!!! And now it’s EVERYWHERE!
So anyway, the reason I don’t share many recipes using kale is because it is more expensive than similar vegetables like silver beet, spinach etc. However on this occasion it was on sale at Harris Farms so I loaded up!
I’m happy to be sharing something that is quite straightforward to make today. I’ve had one of “those weeks” when so many things are not going to plan. Including some rather epic kitchen disasters. Such as this Iranian Rice Cake fail which I shared on Instagram.
I really love experimenting, creating and trying new recipes. But on days like today, I need to share something straightforward, a real crowd pleaser.
And chorizo is always a crowd pleaser, isn’t it?? 😉
I have a theory that Chorizo is like bacon – it just makes everything better. When it’s sautéed, it releases all the beautiful flavours and the red oil left in the pan is perfect for using as a base for the stock of a risotto.
I give the red colours more oomph by making the stock a tomato based stock. Because I just feel like chorizo and tomato is a perfect match, both in flavour and colour. But you could skip the tomato and make this a traditional cream coloured risotto if you want!
So without further ado, I present to you my Chorizo Risotto. Oh – with kale. Which I added for nutrition and colour, only because it was on sale. 😉 Feel free to substitute with spinach (fresh or frozen), silverbeet or baby spinach leaves! – Nagi x
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Chorizo & Kale Risotto
Ingredients
Stock
- 3 cups chicken broth/stock , salt reduced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups tomato passata (Note 1)
Risotto
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 350g (12oz) chorizo , some sliced and the remainder finely chopped (Note 7)
- 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, white or yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (risotto rice), uncooked (Note 2)
- 1/2 cup white wine (sub with chicken broth or water)
To Finish
- 5 cups kale leaves , removed from stalk, torn into bite size pieces (packed) (Note 3)
- 2 - 4 + tbsp butter
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together Stock ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Once heated, turn down to low and keep warm. (Note 4)
- Heat oil in a pot or large skillet over high heat. Add chorizo and cook until golden brown. Remove into a bowl and set aside.
- There should be some red oil in the skillet from the chorizo. If not, add a bit of oil.
- Turn heat down to medium. Cook onion and garlic for 5 minutes until translucent.
- Add rice and stir to coat grains in oil until translucent.
- Add wine, turn up the heat to medium high and simmer, stirring, until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Turn heat down to medium low and add 1 cup of stock. Stir leisurely until mostly absorbed into the rice, then add another cup of stock. Continue 1 cup at a time until the risotto is just cooked - squeeze a grain, it should still be firm but cooked through - about 15 minutes. Make the risotto as saucy (or not) as you want - liquid will absorb in the next step so lean towards saucier than what you want.
- When the risotto is done (Note 5), remove it from the stove.
- Add butter (the more the better!) and stir energetically - this will activate the starch and make it creamy. Stir chorizo in then partially stir kale through the risotto. Plonk the lid on and let it rest for 3 minutes (kale will wilt in this step).
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately! (Note 6)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This is such a delicious combo. I make it in the pressure cooker on risotto mode and it always turns out perfectly.
Hi Nagi,
Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker or oven?
Not this one Aari – sorry!! N x
I have made so many of your recipes and I don’t think my family are ever disappointed! This is another amazing and tasty one and will be added to the regular rotation! 😋😋
Hi Nagi, I’ll definitely give this recipe a go. Thank you for including a couple of risotto recipes that don’t use chicken as I can’t eat that, but this sounds right up my alley. Thank you again,
YAAAAAAAHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMM 😍😍😍😍
Thanks so much Zeinab 😁
I was craving risotto and had to try another of your recipes Nagi. This was AMAZING,
I cook for one and have had it warmed up as leftovers the last few nights and even then it’s been making me so happy with how good it tastes! No need for baked risotto balls but I’m tempted to cook it again just to try it that way.
Thank you again
You’re so welcome Michelle, you’ll definitely have to try the baked risotto rolls!
I had left over cooked risotto but followed the recipe accordingly. Because I make risotto often I was able to make necessary adjustments. Absolutely delicious! And yes, the more butter the better! BTW… I used baby spinach. Kale is a staple in my fridge but the spinach worked great!
You can never have enough butter JoAnn! Good to know about the spinach, sounds delicious!
Never before this recipe had I successfully made risotto. Many attempts many disappointments. However, the instructions for this were so precise that the preparation was a breeze and the outcome was fabulous. The rice was creamy and perfectly al dente. The only change I made was to sub peas for the kale. Unfortunately the chorizo I used was not the best and added little flavor. That I corrected by adding some siracha, a couple tablespoons of pureed chipotle in adobo sauce and some ground cumin seeds.. The final outcome is that as a result of your instructions I have made risotto several times in the more Italian style using tons of Parmigiano Reggiano and various additions based on whatever we had on hand and every time it was a success. Thanks for being such a good teacher.
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High praise Don! So pleased you had your first risotto success with this one! N xx
I made this last night and it was fabulous. I have never made a stove top risotto because I’m too lazy to stand there and stir. I have some fabulous oven risottos that are nearly as good and require less of my time but I decided to give it a go. The flavours were incredible and everyone raved about the dish. That said, so much stirring, I may not make a stove top risotto again but I’m so glad that the one time I did it was a Nagi hit!!!! hahahaha
That’s great to hear Lisa! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback! N xx
Chorizo like you use is not available in Texas (USA). Without fail Chorizo is of the Mexican variety, which is uncooked, but it is also meant to be cooked into a ‘sauce’ (like Tacos, enchiladas, etc. Would a smoked sausage (which is cooked) work okay. My only other option would appear to be Andouille from Luisiana, but it is also cooked (a la Spanish Chorizo).
I use raw chorizo too! It is just that ours comes in sausage casings so I can slice it 🙂 This is PERFECT for Mexican chorizo!! Or any other type of sausage, actually. 🙂
For this recipe would I use the chorizo sausages that need to be completely cooked? Or the cured chorizo from the deli section?
Hi Elisa! It needs to be the raw chorizo that needs to be cooked. 🙂
I’ve never made a tomato base risotto before, this looks like a wonderful recipe to try out! I agree with you on how chorizo is like bacon… it’s just soooooo good!
Ooh, it’s really GOOD!!! I love the colour 🙂 More than red wine risotto!
Love the addition of chorizo and kale to risotto. Have you tried making risotto in the pressure cooker?
Actually I haven’t! Have you??
Absolutely – it’s so easy. I also have a pressure cooking site Pressure Cooking Today 🙂
Woah! I’m off to check right now!
Ooh – I love chorizo, and I’d never thought to put it in a risotto! Looks great!
Chorizo is great with everything! 😉
I and Kale met sometimes ago, I don’t think we liked each other much. Well, it didn’t say anything (obviously, or I’ll be crazy.) so I declared that we should meet again and see if we could change things. Looking at your risotto, I think it’s the perfect time to have a chat with Kale again.
I love risotto so much I mostly order it when in Italian restaurants. Your recipe sounds delicious 🙂
Ooh yes you need to meet Kale again!!! And this would be a WONDERFUL way to meet him! 😉
What a flavorful risotto! The chorizo was a great idea!
Hard to go wrong with chorizo!! 🙂
You’re so right about chorizo being a crowd pleaser Nagi. I had it last night for dinner 🙂 The cheapest way to eat kale is to grow it…it grows very well and is hardy.
My friend said that hers kept getting attacked by insects??? Hmm. I might have to give it a go myself!!!
I like chorizo even better than bacon I think (blasphemy, I know!). It adds so much flavor but I feel like it doesn’t overpower everything like bacon does. This sounds like the perfect comforting reward for kitchen disasters (it’s so tiring when recipes fail!)
I totally hear you!! The only reason I don’t use chorizo as much as bacon is because the good stuff is EXPENSIVE!!! 🙂
Lol! I had to smile when I saw kale in the title. I thought I remembered you saying something about trendy kale recipes at some point 😉 This however, is not one of those – this is real comfort food! I totally agree with you, chorizo IS like bacon – it just makes everything better. We’re down in FL visiting my husbands parents and we went out to a Spanish restaurant last night. Craig order the paella with chorizo and his father asked, ‘what’s chorizo?’ Omg, I thought! Without even asking Craig, I started pulling out pieces of chorizo and putting them on my father-in-laws plate! Thankfully, he was a chorizo convert 😉
Fabulous dish Nagi! I just may need to make this for my in-laws while we’re visiting 🙂
BA HA HA! That is SO FUNNY!!! (OK but I have to ask – how do you get to that age without trying chorizo?? 😉 )
So delicious…. I can’t stay without trying it once & more… and apart from that I would like to advise you to promote your nice recipes with the help of roll up banners, pull up banners, & so on… thanks for sharing!!!
Gee, thanks for the tip! 🙂 I’m not sure that will work for my site, but I appreciate the suggestion! N x