Sausage and Lemony Herb Risotto
with Pistachios & Scallions
- Tree Nuts
- Milk
Sure, whipping up a creamy risotto requires a little extra attention (and stirring), but it’s so worth it. This version is full of savory chicken sausage and tender sauteed scallions and garlic. It’s finished with a melty Italian cheese blend and lots of fresh parsley and lemon juice to cut a bright streak through that richness; then it’s topped with a sprinkle of lemon zest, scallion greens, and toasted pistachios for crunch. A perfect dinner for a chilly night in.
Ingredients
9 ounce
Italian Chicken Sausage Mix
1 unit
Onion
½ ounce
Pistachios
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
2 unit
Chicken Stock Concentrate
1 unit
Lemon
½ cup
Italian Cheese Blend
(Contains: Milk)
¾ cup
Arborio Rice
1 clove
Garlic
¼ ounce
Parsley
2 unit
Scallions
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Olive Oil
3 tablespoon (tbsp)
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• In a medium pot, bring 5 cups water (8 cups for 4 servings) to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. (You’ll use it in Step 3.) • Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel, and dice half the onion (whole onion for 4). Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens; mince greens. Peel and mince garlic. Zest and quarter lemon.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add diced onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. • Add sausage* and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned, 3-4 minutes. • Add 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), scallion whites, garlic, and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant and rice is translucent, 1-2 minutes. Season with a big pinch of salt (we used ½ tsp; 1 tsp for 4).
• Add 1 cup hot water and stock concentrates to pan with rice mixture. Cook, stirring, until liquid has mostly absorbed. Repeat with remaining water—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. Season generously with salt and pepper. TIP: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need a little more or a little less water.
• While risotto cooks, finely chop parsley (use leaves and thin stems; discard any thicker stems). Roughly chop pistachios.
• Once risotto is done, remove from heat; stir in ¾ of the Italian cheese blend, half the parsley, half the scallion greens, 2 TBSP butter (4 TBSP for 4 servings), and a squeeze of lemon juice (juice from half the lemon for 4) until melted and combined. TIP: The risotto should be a little loose and saucy right before serving; it will thicken as it cools, so add more water if necessary. • Taste and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Divide risotto between plates. Top with pistachios, remaining Italian cheese blend, remaining parsley, remaining scallion greens, and lemon zest to taste. Serve immediately with remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Chicken Sausage is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: The lemon, fresh herbs, and pistachios gave this risotto a bright, complex flavor that many found restaurant-worthy 🍋. The chicken sausage was divisive — its bold seasoning delighted some but overpowered the more delicate risotto flavors for others; consider using less sausage or browning it separately and stirring it in at the end.
- Ease of prep: Risotto requires constant stirring and close attention, and most reviewers found it took significantly longer than the estimated time — budget at least 45 minutes. That said, the instructions were clear enough that even first-time risotto makers pulled it off successfully.
- Suggestions: Go easy on added salt — the chicken sausage and stock concentrate already bring plenty of sodium, and several reviewers found the dish too salty when following the full salting instructions. Adding mushrooms, peas, or baby spinach gave the dish more texture and made it feel like a more complete meal. A few also added extra chicken bouillon to the cooking liquid for deeper flavor.
- Leftovers: Leftovers reheat well the next day, and some reviewers noted the flavor actually improved overnight. Add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the risotto back to a creamy consistency.
- Portions: This recipe makes a generous amount — several reviewers got three to four servings from a two-serving box, making it great for next-day lunches.
Reviews from our home cooks
A shallot would have been much better than an onion. The recipe called to cook the entire diced onion as a base for the risotto. I only used half my onion and the flavor was a little strong for risotto. A shallot would be much better and in keeping with a classic risotto flavor balance.
Amazing!!! I've tried making risotto before, with terrible results. This easy to follow recipe was some of the best risotto I've had. Great meal
As someone who isn't a fan of parsley, I think this dish is a million times better without it. That being said, this is delicious and comforting - easier to make than you'd think! Also quicker than the recipe card time.
Personally, I'm not a fan of sausage, but my husband likes it. So we add a meal that includes it occasionally. This one was particularly tasty, and I'll look for it again.
The sausage made the meal a bit heavy. I would like to try this recipe with a different protein.
Great flavors. The pistachio was a great addition. I loved the crunch.
It was a very filling meal...neither of us could finish it. Quite tastey, but it needed something more...a green vegetable or a salad. I added cornbread since I didn't have makings for a salad.
It was good, but SUPER rich. I loved the first few bites, but then could only eat a small bowl.
Could have used a bit more spice but otherwise really good!!
Never made a risotto and this was easy and tasty. Would order again.
