Balsamic Tomato Parmesan Risotto
with Basil Oil & Zucchini
- Milk
What’s not to love about risotto? It’s luxurious and comforting—one of those dishes that never fails to satisfy. Risotto has the reputation of being labor intensive, but we’re here to dispel that rumor—ours couldn’t be easier to whip up! This version begins as classic as can be, with nutty Parmesan and rich stock. It’s then topped with tangy balsamic-glazed zucchini and grape tomatoes, two perfect contrasts to risotto’s creamy richness. For a finishing touch, everything receives a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil.
Ingredients
2 unit
Veggie Stock Concentrate
¼ cup
Parmesan Cheese
1 unit
Zucchini
5 teaspoon
Balsamic Vinegar
5 teaspoon
Basil Oil
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
¾ cup
Arborio Rice
2 unit
Scallions
1 tablespoon
Tuscan Heat Spice
Not included in your delivery
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• In a medium pot, combine 4 cups water (7 cups for 4 servings) and stock concentrates. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. • Wash and dry all produce. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites; cook until softened, 1 minute. • Add rice and 2 tsp Tuscan Heat Spice (4 tsp for 4 servings). (You’ll use the rest of the Tuscan Heat Spice in the next step.) Stir until rice is translucent, 1-2 minutes. • Add ½ cup stock; stir until liquid has mostly absorbed. Repeat with remaining stock—adding ½ cup at a time and stirring until liquid has mostly absorbed—until rice is al dente and mixture is creamy, 25-30 minutes.
• Once risotto has cooked 20 minutes, trim and dice zucchini into ½-inch pieces. Halve tomatoes. • Heat 1 tsp basil oil (2 tsp for 4 servings) in a second large pan over medium-high heat. (Save the rest of the basil oil for serving.) • Add zucchini and remaining Tuscan Heat Spice. Cook, stirring, until tender and lightly browned, 4-6 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and half the vinegar (all for 4 servings) to pan with zucchini. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes have softened, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.
• Once risotto is done, stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving). Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide risotto between bowls. Top with veggies, scallion greens, and remaining Parmesan. Drizzle with remaining basil oil to taste and serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the rich, creamy risotto balanced by tangy balsamic veggies, though some found it bland or overly acidic.
- Ease of prep: While delicious, several noted the risotto requires constant stirring for 25-35 minutes, making it more time-consuming than expected.
- Suggestions: Consider adding mushrooms, garlic, or protein like chicken or shrimp for extra flavor and substance 🍲.
- Leftovers: Reheats well the next day, with some finding it even better as leftovers.
- Portions: Some felt it was light for a main dish; adding extra veggies or protein could make it more filling.
Reviews from our home cooks
This almost perfect rating is not a critique of the recipe. The recipe is amazing! I love the acidity of the tomatoes mixed with the rich creaminess of the risotto. The zucchini adds an almost nuttiness to bring everything together. In fact, our household has made this dish twice since receiving it in our delivery. The only reason this dish receives a four out of five is due to the intense creaminess of the risotto drowning out the vegetables. I would suggest any lover of this recipe to double their vegetable serving size. Plus, you can never have too many vegetables!
Delicious and made me feel healthy. Super easy and quick. Now, I know that I like to prepare zucchini and tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and it helped me to make a new risotto dish for myself that I really enjoyed. :)
It does take 30 minutes of stirring the risotto, but it is well worth it! It is so creamy and delicious and the vegetables with balsamic on top finish it perfectly. One of my favorites!
I loved this. Fiance wasn't a big fan but I loved the balsamic vinegar flavor in the veggies balancing out the rich risotto. And it's lower calorie while tasting indulgent.
This recipe is in my top 3 of what we have done so far. The risotto is a lot of work but that is expected with risotto and it was so very worth it.
This is a lovely dish, and I especially like the way the instruction card teaches you how to do risotto in general. That said, I think this recipe is a little too basic. I'm adding some dried Moroccan olives, roasted garlic and a ton of spices to this dish.
This was my favorite meal in my box this week! I have never made risotto before and was very intimidated by the recipe, but it was surprisingly easy to follow! The flavors all melded together wonderfully and deliciously.
Risotto was always an intimidating dish to me and I'd never made it before. This recipe broke it down and made Risotto an achievable, delicious dinner!
This made me enjoy zucchini. It was also the first time I'd made risotto myself. Way easier than I thought!
So delicious! Loved the flavors and learning how to make risotto. I did have to add more liquid than the recipe called for
