Cajun Shrimp Risotto

Cajun Spice and Arborio Rice! My Cajun Shrimp Risotto recipe is a beautiful blend of heat with a creamy risotto, topped with sauteed shrimp to keep you warm and satisfied. Use this recipe for your next dinner, and maybe the next dinner after that one. It’s too good.

Perfecting Your Risotto

To help you create this delicious shrimp risotto recipe, it’s important to know a few tips to cooking your rice. There is a skill to this, so it can be quite different than the rice you might be used to. Risotto is made from Arborio rice, which is on the stickier side when cooked due to all of the starch, so also make sure not to rinse it with water before cooking.

To make a creamy risotto, adding white wine and allowing it fully evaporate while simmering is a great step prior feeding it with broth or water while cooking. In this recipe, I’ll be using 4 cups of broth to add to my risotto. You want to really make sure that you feed it slowly, using one cup at a time to pour the broth into the rice, waiting until the broth evaporates before adding in another cup. This is a recipe of patience, make sure you’ve got it.

Using oil instead of butter in your pan is also a great tip to a yummy risotto, and in this recipe I’ll be using olive oil.

You also don’t need to cook it more than 20 minutes, and don’t mix too much! You’ll run the risk of an overcooked, and definitely not creamy risotto.

These are just a few tips I’ve collected to help you make a better meal. Of course, there are endless, even conflicting tips out there, but I think the ones I’ve listed are the most important.

Risotto Tips Summary

• Don’t rinse the rice.
• Add white wine and let it fully evaporate.
• Feed with broth, slowly.
• Opt for oil instead of butter.
• 20-minute cooking time (or a little less) and limit your mixing.

Ingredients

• 1 lb shrimp (cleaned and tail off)
• 1.5 tsp cajun seasoning
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion (about 5 oz), chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper (about 3 oz), chopped
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp parsley
• 4 cups broth
• 2 oz freshly grated parmesan

How to Make Cajun Shrimp Risotto

1. Season the shrimp with cajun seasoning and olive oil. Leave in fridge to marinate for about 30 minutes.
2. Pour the broth into a medium pot and bring to a low simmer.
3. When ready, heat a larger pot or skillet on medium heat and add the shrimp. Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes, then remove the shrimp from the pot and set aside.
4. In that same pot, add the onions, garlic, red bell pepper, salt, black pepper, and parsley. Sautee for about 5 minutes.
5. Add the arborio rice and the white wine. Mix well. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes or until the wine has evaporated.
6. Add 1 cup of the hot broth to the risotto and simmer on low until the broth has fully absorbed. Repeat this step using 1 cup at a time until all of your broth is used and the risotto is cooked fully.
7. Add in the parmesan and mix well until melted.
8. Finally, mix in the cooked shrimp and serve.

Recipe Notes

• Add the onions, garlic, and red bell pepper into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Not only will this save you time, but the finer the texture, the better it will blend in with the risotto.

Other Recipes You’ll Crave

• Tomato and Boursin Cheese Fettuccine Pasta
• Lemon Ricotta and Spinach Orzo
• Pan Seared White Wine Scallops
• Cajun Cavatappi

Check out my Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for more mouth watering content and recipe inspiration! Leave a comment below this post to share your feedback, I would greatly appreciate it!

Happy Cravings