This easy recipe for mussel risotto with tomato combines creamy risotto with fresh mussels and tangy tomato for a delicious and comforting seafood dish. This dish combines the creaminess of Arborio rice with the briny flavor of fresh mussels and the tanginess of canned tomatoes, resulting in a beautiful, bright orange dish that’s sure to impress your dinner guests.
Mussel risotto with tomato is one of my favourite meals to make when cooking for larger groups of friends. It’s a constant crown pleaser and I can make it in one large Dutch oven and have enough for 6 people, with leftovers!
Eating Seasonal Seafood
This mussel risotto recipe is perfect for seafood lovers looking for a delicious and easy way to enjoy fresh mussels when it’s in season. Here in the Netherlands, that is from July to mid-April. It’s a great way to showcase this shellfish, perfect for pairing with other seafood like prawns of calamari and it’s a great addition to your weeknight meal plan.
When it comes to cooking risotto, it’s important to take your time and enjoy the process. Every step of this recipe needs to be fully cooked before continuing to the next step to build the flavour slowly as you add ingredients to the pot. I like to use a large Dutch oven for this dish, something with a lid so you can close the pot to steam the mussels at the end.
Master the Art of Risotto
Another key element to a perfect risotto is to stir it constantly and slowly add the liquid, allowing the rice to slowly absorb it and release its starches. This creates a creamy, velvety texture that is the hallmark of a great risotto.
For this recipe, we use Arborio rice, a short-grain rice that is perfect for risotto due to its high starch content. The broth is infused with canned tomatoes, giving the dish a beautiful orange hue and adding acidity to the creamy rice.
The mussels are steamed with the risotto at the end. This ensures that they don’t overcook and become tough, but rather stay plump and juicy, and release their salty briny flavour straight into the dish.
Finishing Touches: Garnish and Sides to Elevate Your Mussel Risotto
To garnish this beautiful dish, we recommend using fresh parsley, which adds a fresh and herby note to the finished dish.
I like to serve this with fresh sliced lemons and a green salad and this fresh focaccia to mop up the sauce.
Mussel Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 kg fresh mussels
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 large carrots chopped into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks chopped into small cubes
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (400g x 2)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Clean the mussels by scrubbing them under running water and removing the beards. Discard any mussels that are open or do not close when tapped.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, carrots and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is translucent. I like to start the sauté with the lid closed so that everything softens, ren remove the lid to allow the mixture to colour a light brown.
- Add the Arborio rice and tomato paste to the saucepan and stir for a minute or two until it is coated in the oil and the rice is starting to become translucent.
- Add the canned tomatoes and the vegetable broth to the saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed.
- When the risotto is almost finished cooking, add the mussels on top and allow to steam with the rice until they open, discarding any that remain closed.
- Serve the mussel risotto hot, garnished with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
