Creamy Cheddar Broccoli Salmon Risotto
with Scallions & Crispy Fried Onions
- Milk
- Fish
- Wheat
The rich, cozy flavors of broccoli cheddar soup come together with short-grain arborio rice for this hearty weeknight risotto. White cheddar cheese melts into the creamy rice along with tender roasted broccoli. Even more cheddar is sprinkled over the top, and a sprinkle each of scallion greens and crispy fried onions add color and crunch.
Ingredients
1 unit
Broccoli
2 unit
Scallions
¾ cup
Arborio Rice
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains: Milk)
½ ounce
Vidalia Onion Paste
½ cup
White Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
½ cup
Cheddar Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
10 ounce
Salmon
(Contains: Fish)
1 unit
Crispy Fried Onions
(Contains: Wheat)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
3 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium pot (large pot for 4 servings), bring 5 cups water (8 cups for 4) to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Wash and dry produce. • Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. • Toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.
Pat chicken* or salmon* dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken or salmon (skin sides down); cook chicken until cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side, or cook salmon until skin is crisp, 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook until cooked through, 1-2 minutes more. Turn off heat; transfer to a cutting board to rest. Wipe out pan.
• While broccoli roasts, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add rice and stir until evenly coated, 15-20 seconds. • Carefully add 1 cup simmering water to pan with rice mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly absorbed. Repeat with remaining water—adding 1⁄2 cup at a time and stirring until liquid has absorbed—until rice is al dente and mixture is creamy, 25-30 minutes. TIP: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need a little more or a little less water. • Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in cream sauce base, Vidalia onion paste, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2-4 minutes more.
Use pan used for chicken or salmon here.
• Once risotto is done, remove from heat; stir in broccoli, white cheddar, and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) until melted and combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. TIP: Risotto should be a little loose and saucy right before serving; it will thicken as it cools. If too thick, stir in water 1 TBSP at a time.
• Divide risotto between bowls; top with yellow cheddar, crispy fried onions, and scallion greens. Serve.
Slice chicken crosswise. (Skip slicing salmon.) Serve chicken or salmon atop risotto.
Salmon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the rich, delicious taste. Some found it could use more depth; consider adding garlic, basil, and a pinch of rosemary.
- Ease of prep: The risotto took longer than expected to cook. Some found the salmon timing tricky to coordinate with the main dish.
- Suggestions: Try adding extra seasonings for more depth. The crispy fried onions were a hit — don't skip them! 🧅
- Leftovers: Even better the next day, making it a great choice for meal prep.
- Texture: Customers enjoyed the varied textures from creamy risotto, tender salmon, and crunchy onion toppings.
Reviews from our home cooks
Best risotto dish I've made so far. Salmon was a great addition and the different levels of onion (Vidalia paste, scallions, crispy fried) was really nice. It was a 'rich' dish that still never overstayed its welcome.
The main issue was how the (option add on) salmon was introduced in the recipe. The ordering and steps didn't make sense timing wise and we ended up just doing our own thing based on what made sense. Overall flavor profile wasn't as good as I had hoped. Needs something... more. Salmon addition helped, but it could still use more depth.
Wish I could give 5 stars..!!! Definitely recommend adding to the rice seasoning garlic, basil, and a pinch of rosemary.
Soooo delish! Even better as leftovers. Can't wait to get this one again. Loved the crunchy onions!
I shredded up the salmon and mixed it in the risotto and it tasted great
Exquisite seriously so delicious it was so good I could barely let it cool off while trying to enjoy the deliciousness
Used salmon for a separate meal. Would have been too much food.
The cooking time for the fancy rice. I was expecting something amazing but I could make this with Uncle Ben's and it would taste the same.
Could be more flavorful - would love a vegan version
