Sausage And Radicchio Risotto Recipe
There’s a certain alchemy to sausage and radicchio - rich, fatty pork meeting sharp, bitter leaves in a way that feels both indulgent and balanced. The fattiness of the sausage makes this dish deeply comforting, while the radicchio cuts through the richness beautifully.
While the risotto is creamy, thanks to the classic Northern Italian additions of Parmigiano and butter, the radicchio brings freshness and lifts the entire flavor profile. It’s a showstopping dish, just make sure you get your mantecatura arm ready.
Sausage & Radicchio Risotto
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
4–6 tablespoons butter (60–85 g), divided
300 g Italian pork and fennel sausage, casings removed
1 shallot, finely chopped
About 1½ cups (300 g) arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano rice
½ cup white wine or prosecco
About 1.25 liters (5 cups) chicken stock, kept hot
1 small head radicchio, finely sliced
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (at room temperature)
Freshly cracked black pepper
Salt (if needed)
Method
Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer. Keep it hot on the stove.
In a wide, heavy pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat and butter in the pan.
Lower the heat. If the pan looks dry, add 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chopped shallot and cook gently until soft and translucent, without letting it color.
Add the rice and stir to coat it in the butter and sausage fat. Toast for a minute or two, until the grains look slightly translucent around the edges.
Pour in the wine or prosecco and let it bubble away, stirring, until mostly evaporated.
Begin adding the hot stock, one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Let each addition absorb before adding the next. Continue until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite, about 18–20 minutes.
Stir the cooked sausage back into the risotto.
Add the sliced radicchio right at the end and stir until just wilted. It should soften but still keep some bite.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining 1–2 tablespoons butter and a generous handful of Parmigiano. Stir vigorously until the risotto is glossy and flowing.
Finish with a good crack of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, keeping in mind the sausage, stock, and Parmigiano are already salty.
To Serve
Serve immediately, finishing each bowl with more Parmigiano and black pepper.
Notes
Mantecatura is the final emulsifying step that gives risotto its signature creaminess. It happens off the heat, when butter and Parmigiano are stirred in vigorously, allowing the starches to bind everything together into a silky, cohesive dish.
For an extra-creamy finish, freeze the butter you’ll use for the mantecatura and add it cold at the end. The thermal shock helps the rice swell and emulsify.
Keep the Parmigiano at room temperature so it melts smoothly without cooling the risotto.
If the risotto tightens before serving, loosen it with a splash of hot stock, not water.