Indulge in a taste of the bayou with this Cajun-inspired risotto recipe. Rich, creamy, and bursting with flavors, this Cajun Risotto combines the classic Italian comfort food with the bold spices and ingredients of Cajun cuisine. Whether you're a risotto aficionado or a Cajun cuisine enthusiast, this dish is sure to become a favorite. Try making my Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo or my Crispy Cajun Chicken Sandwich for more delicious meal ideas.
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Try more of my dinner ideas by making my popular Chicken Marsala Fettuccine recipe or my Chicken and Rice Bake. Make my Cheesy Rice recipe for a more traditional rice dish, the whole family will love.
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Ingredients
Make a small batch of my Homemade Cajun Seasoning if you have the ingredients, or purchase some with the link below. Adjust the heat in the dish by adding or lowering this delicious seasoning. See below for the ingredients needed to make Cajun Risotto.
- Bell Pepper
- Shallots or White Onion
- Garlic
- Okra (I like buying them pre-chopped in the frozen veggie isle)
- Shrimp
- Smoked Sausage
- Arborio Rice (affiliate link)
- Dry White Wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or use cooking wine. Do NOT use White Wine Vinegar or Sparkling Wine for this.
- Tomato Paste
- Cajun Seasoning (affiliate link)
- Chicken Broth
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make perfect Risotto
- Use Arborio Rice because it is high in natural starches and it will be able to absorb more liquids, resulting in a creamier texture for the risotto.
- Use a wide pan so that the broth heats up faster, and the rice can more easily absorb it.
- Toast the rice before adding liquids, so that it has a thin shell and does not absorb the liquid too fast.
- Add warm broth and room temperature wine. This will ensure that the temperature in the pan does not dip too low and maintains a simmer for even cooking.
- Deglaze with a dry white wine to in order to release any stuck on pieces from the pan, and also to add some acidity to the rice to help cut through the richness.
- Add the stock in small amounts (¾ cup) and wait for it to be absorbed before adding more. This will ensure that the grains can rub against each other, releasing starch to create a creamier risotto.
- Stir frequently to prevent the risotto from sticking to the pan, but not constantly, also letting it simmer. It should take about 18-20 minutes to cook 1 cup of rice with 1 cup of wine and 4 cups of broth.
- Taste for doneness after finishing adding all of the broth and it being absorbed. The risotto should be nice and creamy with a small chew to it.
- Finish the risotto off the heat by adding the freshly grated parmesan. Stir it in the warm risotto to get the perfect texture and serve right away.
Instructions
Make this recipe in three main steps, in order to use just one pan.
Drizzle olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Add and cook the onion, peppers and okra for 5 minutes or until you get a nice color on them.
Add the garlic to the veggies and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove the veggies from the pan, into a clean bowl and reserve.
Add the sliced smoked sausage to the pan and cook until mostly golden on both side. Add the peeled shrimp to the pan and toss them with Cajun seasoning. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are fully cooked.
Remove the protein from the pan. Deglaze the pan with butter and scrape off any stuck on bits. When the butter is foamy, add in the rice. Stir it around and cook it for 2 minutes.
Deglaze the rice with the wine and stir until it is almost all absorbed by the rice. Stir in the tomato paste until well combined.
With the heat still on medium-high, pour in ¾ cup of the broth into the rice at a time. Stirring frequently until well absorbed. Repeat until all the broth is used up.
After adding the last of the broth to the risotto, stir in the Cajun seasoning.
Stir and cook the risotto until it has thickened up and absorbed all of the liquids.
Take the Cajun Risotto off the heat and stir in the freshly grated parmesan. Once combined, top with the roasted veggies, sausage and shrimp. Serve right away!
Substitutions
- Veggies - Create the traditional Cajun "holy trinity" by using celery, onion and green pepper. Use red or yellow bell peppers for more sweetness and color.
- Protein - Use your favorite type of smoked sausage for this Cajun Risotto, whether its turkey based, or vegetarian, anything will work nicely. You could also add some pre-cooked shredded chicken to this dish to replace the shrimp.
Store your Cajun Risotto
Store any leftover Cajun Risotto in airtight containers (affiliate link) and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Freeze portions of this dish for a delicious meal to bring on-the-go.
Recipe
Cajun Risotto
Ingredients
For the Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large Red Bell Pepper cored and diced
- 1 large Shallot peeled and minced
- 1 cup Chopped Okra thawed if frozen
- 5 cloves Garlic finely minced
For cooking the Meats
- 250 grams Smoked Sausage (fully cooked) in ¼ inch slices
- 18 pieces Cleaned Shrimp thawed if frozen
- 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning see notes below
For the Risotto
- 1 tablespoon Butter Salted or Unsalted
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 1 cup Dry White White at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon Tomato paste
- 900 ml Chicken Broth Warm or at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Cook the Veggies
- Place a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat.
- Drizzle in the olive oil and add in the prepared shallot, bell pepper and okra. Cook for 5 minutes or until it starts to get some golden color.
- Add the minced garlic to the veggies and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the veggies from the pan and into a large clean dish.
Cook the Meats
- Place the sliced sausage in the hot pan, adding olive oil if needed. Cook until golden on both side.
- Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until full cooked. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning and toss to combine. Remove the cooked protein from the pan, adding it to the dish with the roasted veggies.
Cook the Risotto
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the butter to the pan. Deglaze the pan and scrape off any stuck on bits.
- Add the rice to the foaming butter and toast the rice for 2 minutes. When it starts to crackle, deglaze the pan with the wine. Stir until almost all absorbed.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and stir to incorporate fully.
- Pour in ¾ cup of the warm or room temperature broth into the rice. It will simmer and start to be absorbed quite quickly. Stir frequently so that it does not stick to the bottom.
- Keep adding ¾ cup of broth at a time, stirring it frequently until it is absorbed by the rice. Repeat until all of the broth is used up. Add the 2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning with the last of the broth.
- When all of the broth as been added and almost all absorbed by the rice, give the risotto a taste. The dish should be of a creamy consistency and the grains should have a slight chew to them, like a soft al dente pasta.
- Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the grated parmesan. Stir in the cooked veggies and meat. Serve right away with more parmesan if desired.
Video
Notes
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
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