What to Serve with Risotto

If you are trying to figure out what to serve and eat with risotto for dinner, this list is exactly what you are looking for. All of these suggested sides work great for offering with any risotto however it is flavored, including mushroom, chicken, seafood, saffron, white wine, peas, asparagus, parmesan, and vegetarian recipes.

Creamy slow-cooked rice, risotto, is a traditional Italian meal, side, or starter that takes time to make. It is an elegant dish that deserves something wonderful to be served alongside it.

This is a tasty list of what sides to eat with Risotto for brunch, lunch, or dinner. To help you decide what to serve with it, I have broken down the list into some subcategories. So based on what course you are looking for these recipes, all are perfect to serve with this Italian rice dish including appetizers, drinks, side dishes, and even dessert.

There are healthy salads, slaws, vegetables, baked goods, and sweets. This list includes the best of what to make and serve with comforting Italian risotto:

Classic & Unique Italian Recipes to Serve with Risotto
Appetizers, Baked Goods, & Drinks to Serve With Risotto
Soups, Salads & Vegetables to Serve with Risotto
Desserts to Serve With Risotto

Classic & Unique Italian Recipes to Serve with Risotto

This list of sides to serve with creamy Italian rice includes some of the best authentic and new recipe ideas. If you want standards like shrimp scampi or chicken, these amazing recipes are listed below. No matter which recipe you choose, they all taste amazing and go well with your next risotto supper.

Baked Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi

This quick & simple sheet pan recipe makes the best garlic, butter, and lemon shrimp scampi. In 20 minutes the baked shrimp scampi with tomatoes and zucchini is ready. A wonderful low-carb & keto-approved weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. An Italian classic made easy in your oven.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi w tomatoes & zucchini

Pan-Seared Shrimp

Juicy pan-seared shrimp in a lemon butter garlic sauce is a quick recipe perfect for any meal or as an appetizer. This easy shellfish recipe is rich, buttery, & decadent.

Pan-Seared Garlic Shrimp

Overhead image of a frying pan filled with cooked shrimp in butter sauce.

Italian Chicken Drumsticks

This recipe for authentic Italian chicken drumsticks is bursting with flavor thanks to an easy lemon, pepper, garlic, and herb marinade. The chicken legs are grilled to juicy perfection. Great for the grill or oven.

Grilled Marinated Italian Chicken Legs

Instant Pot Italian Sausage & Peppers

Instant Pot Italian sausage and peppers is a quick & easy recipe. They are great for sandwiches or as is for the best keto, low-carb, or gluten-free meal. This Instant Pot sausage and pepper recipe is done in one pot and is complete in just 20-minutes.

Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers

Instant Pot Italian Sausage & Peppers featured overhead of plate with sausage and peppers

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs and Sauce

Slow cooker Italian ground beef meatballs & tomato sauce is an easy CrockPot recipe. Tender & juicy seasoned meatballs is a family favorite. Great to serve with pasta or on a roll for a hot sandwich no one can resist.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

Ground Beef Italian Meatballs & Tomato Sauce in crock of a slow cooker

Italian Short Ribs

Comforting Italian short ribs braised until tender in the Instant Pot and then smothered in rich red wine gravy. This quick & easy recipe for amazing boneless beef short ribs is done in under 2 hours. An easy weeknight dinner with lots of protein, low-carb, and so delicious.

Italian Short Ribs

Appetizers, Baked Goods, & Drinks to Serve With Risotto

Start off dinner with a cocktail or appetizer the next time you have risotto. Or bake some fresh bread to dip into that creamy comforting rice. Enjoy a martini, tomato bruschetta, and fresh-baked ciabatta bread to get things started.

Creamy Salted Caramel Espresso Martini

Salted caramel espresso martinis are a perfectly rich, sweet, and creamy vodka cocktail recipe. Like a combination of a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato and a Kahlua White Russian.

Caramel Espresso Martini

Roasted Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Crispy roasted marinated artichoke hearts are the easiest recipe ever. It is so simple to cook marinated, canned, or frozen artichoke hearts in the oven on high heat to get a crispy outside and a tender inside. They're best as an appetizer, healthy snack, salad pizza topping, or side dish. They are gluten-free, grain-free, low-carb, vegan, vegetarian and keto. For a Spanish twist (alcachofa) or Italian take (carciofo) artichoke hearts are so versatile.

Roasted Artichoke Hearts

Crispy Baked Marinated Artichoke Hearts featured closeup

Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs

Ripe juicy summer figs & salty Italian ham come together in the ultimate sweet & savory bite. This quick and easy appetizer will impress with little effort. In 15-minute this recipe is ready. A tasty gluten-free first course or small bite for parties.

Roasted Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs

Easy Tomato Basil Bruschetta

This traditional bruschetta combines the perfect flavors of fresh Roma tomatoes, sweet basil, salty capers, and pungent garlic.

Easy Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Fig and Brie Bruschetta

Toasted bread topped with fresh figs, creamy brie cheese, & spicy hot honey is the ultimate recipe. Fig & Brie Bruschetta is a gourmet-tasting appetizer that is quick & easy to make. The Italian-inspired small plate, snack, or lunch is sweet, savory, sticky, & sensational.

Fig & Brie Bruschetta

How to Make Artisan Ciabatta Bread

Homemade rustic artisan ciabatta bread has a crispy crust and a tender chewy inside. This classic Italian recipe comes out so good & is easy to make. There is nothing like fresh-baked bread straight from the oven.

Artisan Ciabatta Bread

Ciabatta partially sliced on a cutting board.

Taralli Pugliesi - Italian Black Pepper Cookies

Taralli are wonderful baked wheat flour rings that are a classic snack in Italy. Taralli are savory bites that are crispy on the outside and have flaky inside. The taste is a wonderful combination of floral olive oil and spicy black pepper with every nibble.

Black Pepper Taralli

Taralli - Italian Pepper Cookies overhead plated with a red napkin

Easy Homemade Soft Dinner Rolls

The best soft homemade dinner rolls baked using yeast are easy to make. These rolls are delicious and enjoyed best when warm straight out of the oven.

Soft Dinner Rolls

Soups, Salads & Vegetables to Serve with Risotto

This category of ideas to serve with risotto includes quick, easy, and healthy recipes. They are all on the lighter side and include vegetable side dishes that use healthy ingredients to complete your meal. These recipes include gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan ideas.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

The most amazing roasted cherry tomato soup is an easy recipe that only takes 30 minutes. It's creamy, savory, rich & tastes gourmet. A touch of garlic & basil makes this an Italian classic. Serve with grilled cheese for lunch or as a starter for dinner. Simple ingredients like summer ripe fresh red tomatoes, onion, & garlic are oven-cooked, simmered, & blended for a chunky or smooth soup. Gluten-free, low-carb, & keto-friendly too!

Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup

Two bowls of homemade soup made with cherry tomatoes basil and cream.

Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli

Instant pot steamed broccoli is a healthy and easy recipe that comes out perfect every time. In just a few minutes fresh broccoli is cooked and ready to enjoy. This method works in any electric pressure cooker with or without a steamer basket and results in fresh steamed broccoli that is not mushy.

Instant Pot Broccoli

Steamed Broccoli featured in instant pot overhead shot

Air Fryer Broccolini with Lemon & Parmesan

Broccolini is crispy thanks to the air fryer. It is all dressed up with fresh lemon & parmesan. This garlicky recipe is savory, salty, & bright with a punch of citrus. You'll love this Italian-inspired fresh vegetable side dish or appetizer.

Air Fryer Broccolini with Parmesan & Lemon

Platter of air fryer broccolini with lemon and parmesan.

Roasted Green Beans with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning

These delicious oven-roasted green beans will be a family favorite. The nutty sesame seasoning that includes garlic and onion adds so much flavor. This quick & easy recipe is the best thanks to everything but the bagel seasoning that elevates this simple vegetable side dish.

Oven-Roasted Green Beans

Air Fryer Green Beans

In just 10 minutes, this recipe for crispy air fryer green beans is the best. This simple side dish with few ingredients is quick & easy.

Air Fryer Green Beans

Caramelized Brussel sprouts with Brown Sugar, Bacon, & Blue Cheese

Caramelized Brussel sprouts with brown sugar are a wonderful simple side dish. To make Brussel sprouts even more wonderful add bacon and blue cheese for a sweet, salty, creamy, and nutty delight.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with Brown Sugar, Bacon, & Blue Cheese featured overhead

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

The best Mediterranean chopped salad is packed with garbanzo beans for protein and a bunch of fresh vegetables. Loaded with Greek & Italian produce like tomatoes, cucumbers, artichokes, & olives plus a homemade Italian vinaigrette dressing recipe. Great for lunch, dinner, side, or appetizer. It is gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, healthy, & tasty for everyone to enjoy.

Italian Chopped Salad

Overhead image of plated salad ready to eat with fork.

Grilled Peach & Goat Cheese Salad

Sweet grilled peaches, creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, and spicy arugula are a summer salad sensation. This recipe for Grilled Peach, Avocado, and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad is fresh, sweet, crisp, & juicy. This simple summer salad is easy & perfect for bbq, cookouts, & parties.

Grilled Peach Salad

grilled Peach avocado goat cheese arugula salad

Desserts to Serve With Risotto

An Italian meal isn’t complete until you have dessert. Any of these wonderful desserts would be great to complete your risotto dinner. Whether you want something rich or cool, these dessert recipes are great to make and serve at the end of your meal.

Soft Italian Lemon Ricotta Cookies

For soft Italian ricotta cookies with a hint of lemon, this classic recipe is the best. This traditional cookie served often at Christmas or Easter is amazing any time of year. The small cake-like cookie has a sweet lemon glaze and crunchy nonpareil sprinkles.

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Overhead view of a plate piled with frosted and sprinkles cookies

Keto No-Bake Cheesecake

This easy no-bake keto cheesecake is creamy, sweet, and yummy. It is gluten-free, low-carb, and diabetic-friendly with only a few ingredients.

Keto No-Bake Cheesecake

EASY 3-INGREDIENT CREME BRULEE

3-Ingredients create a creamy custard and caramelized sugar topping for the perfect creme brulee.

3-Ingredient Creme Brulee

Stewed Pears

Sweet pears are stewed with sugar and cinnamon for a sweet treat. They are great for breakfast or for dessert as a topping or accompaniment. This quick and easy recipe makes wonderfully spiced pears.

Stewed Pears

What to Serve with Risotto PIN 4 recipe images sausage and peppers, ciabatta espresso martini and broccoli salad

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