Riso e Prezzemolo

Name: Riso e Prezzemolo
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lombarda
Ingredients: 300 g vialone nano rice; 60 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 50 g Unsalted butter; 1.2 l vegetable broth; 50 g grana padano pdo; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper

A comforting Lombard brothy rice soup loaded with fresh flat-leaf parsley, rich butter, and Grana Padano. It is a traditional Milanese restorative dish.

🇮🇹Italy· Lombardy

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

300 g vialone nano rice — or Originario rice
60 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — leaves and tender stems, thoroughly washed
50 g Unsalted butter — chilled and diced
1¼ l vegetable broth — light and well-seasoned
50 g grana padano pdo — finely grated, plus extra to serve
1 tsp Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
½ tsp Black pepper — freshly ground

Equipment

•Large saucepan or soup pot
•Chef's knife
•Chopping board
•Ladle
•Fine grater

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 10 g
carbs: 56 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Bring the vegetable broth to a gentle simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2
Wash and dry the flat-leaf parsley thoroughly, then chop both leaves and tender stems very finely.
3
Melt half of the butter in a separate soup pot over low heat.
4
Add half of the chopped parsley and cook gently for one minute until fragrant but not browned.
5
Pour in the hot broth and bring the liquid to a rolling simmer.
6
Add the rice and stir well to prevent grains sticking to the base.
7
Simmer gently for fourteen to sixteen minutes until the rice is tender with a slight bite.
8
Remove the pot from the heat while the soup remains loose and brothy.
9
Stir in the remaining cold butter, grated Grana Padano, and the rest of the fresh parsley until glossy.
10
Ladle into warm shallow bowls and serve immediately with extra grated cheese.

Chef's tips

Add the parsley in two stages: cooking half at the start builds deep herbal flavour into the broth, whilst stirring the rest in at the finish preserves vibrant green colour and fresh aroma. Use a short or medium-grain Italian rice such as Vialone Nano or Originario, which softens nicely in broths.

Ingredient substitutions

Vialone Nano rice → Originario, Carnaroli, or Arborio rice
Grana Padano PDO → Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
vegetable broth → light homemade chicken broth or salted boiling water

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days, noting the rice will continue absorbing the broth.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the hob over low heat, adding a splash of hot water or broth to restore its loose soup consistency.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling off too much liquid so it turns into a dry risotto instead of a loose, comforting soup.
•Frying the parsley on high heat, which scorches the herb and creates an acrid, bitter taste.
•Using curly parsley instead of Italian flat-leaf parsley, which lacks the essential sweet herbal punch.

Serving suggestions

Serve in warm shallow soup bowls with extra grated Grana Padano at the table.Pair with crusty Lombard michetta rolls to soak up the herb-scented broth.