Spicy Tomato Risotto with Burrata Cheese

This spicy tomato risotto with burrata cheese is not your regular risotto. Subtly spiced up with harissa, it is packed with juicy and garlicky flavors with a little spicy kick. Serve with fresh burrata, basil leaves, and enjoy this creamy tomato risotto right away. 

Risotto always have your back. Whenever you’re looking for a cozy dinner idea, a little fancy but still easy to make, risotto comes handy. With just a handful of basic ingredients, you can prepare a simple yet delicious creamy risotto as a unique meatless meal for the entire family.

I imagined this tomato risotto by playing with spices and flavors from different cuisines. On one hand you have the tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and burrata commonly used in Italian cuisine, and on the other hand you have harissa, a hot chili paste that originated in Tunisia, North Africa. It results in a very unique risotto tomato risotto, perfectly creamy with a subtle spicy kick.

Secret ingredients of this tomato risotto:

• Arborio rice. Of course, no risotto goes without risotto rice. Look for short-grain, starchy white rice. Arborio is my favorite choice, but you can also use other varieties such as Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano and Baldo. Short-grain rice has a high starch content and tends to absorb less liquid, resulting in a stickier, more compact risotto.
• Tomatoes. I used a can of crushed tomatoes to make the tomato broth. If tomatoes are in season and you have plenty to use up, you can use real tomatoes instead. Make sure they are very ripe and juicy.
• Garlic. Don’t skip it, garlic will enhance the tomato broth flavors. Sauté just a few seconds with olive oil to release its flavors.

• White wine. It always makes the whole difference in a risotto recipe. And while some could bee tempted to replace it with vegetable broth or water, I would advise otherwise.
• Harissa. This is the little extra to the risotto recipe. Originated from North Africa, harissa is a hot chili paste that adds a spicy kick to your dishes. I recommend using a harissa spice mix, then activate with just a little bit of olive oil in order to create the “paste”.
• Fresh burrata. I’m literally obsessed with everything burrata. Made from an outer shell of mozzarella and filled with fresh cream and curds, this cheese balances the spicy flavors brought by the harissa paste and brings extra creaminess to the risotto.
• Fresh basil. Fresh herbs always enhance the tomato flavors in the most elegant way. Fresh basil works a wonder in this risotto, but you could also add some thyme.

A 2-step risotto recipe

Step 1: prepare the broth. Do not purchase a ready-to-use vegetable broth for this recipe; go instead for this homemade tomato broth, that won’t take you long to prepare. Simply sauté minced garlic with olive oil, add the other ingredients for the broth and bring to boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and keep it warm during the entire process of making the risotto.

Step 2: make the risotto. Process exactly as you would do for a classic risotto recipe, except that instead of using vegetable broth, you are using homemade tomato broth. Important: Do not forget to strain the tomato broth over the risotto through a fine mesh strainer; you do not want to include the veggies in the risotto, just the broth.

Possible variations around the recipe

Depending on the season, you can be tempted to add a few adjustments to the recipe. You can either serve it plain, or upgrade it with a few ingredients. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Add a handful of cherry tomatoes. To add more texture to the risotto, you can sauté cherry tomatoes with a little bit of olive oil and garlic until it bursts. Add them to the risotto just before serving.
• Add some mushrooms. Proceed exactly as explained above, and simply replace cherry tomatoes with cremini mushrooms. Or do half cherry tomatoes, half mushrooms.
• You could also use this risotto as a side for a main dish. For Mediterranean flavors that are NOT vegetarian, you could for instance serve this tomato risotto with garlicky shrimps or with sea scallops.

Whatever the option, always make sure you add some freshly grated parmesan over your risotto, as well as some fresh basil. Serve along with a glass of white wine and enjoy!

Favorite recipes with harissa:

• Cauliflower Steaks with Harissa Tahini Sauce
• Deluxe Shakshuka with Spicy Potatoes and Chickpeas
• Spicy Sweet Potato Hash Browns
• Harissa Cauliflower Walnut Dip

More risotto recipes:

• Lemon Asparagus Risotto
• Butternut Squash Risotto (+ video)
• Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Spicy Tomato Risotto with Burrata Cheese

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• Author: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Savory
• Cuisine: World Cuisine
• Diet: Vegetarian

This spicy tomato risotto with burrata cheese is not your regular risotto. Subtly spiced up with harissa, it is packed with juicy and garlicky flavors with a little spicy kick.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the risotto:

• 2 cups (400g) arborio rice (short-grain rice)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot or ½ red onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon harissa paste*

For the tomato-harissa broth:

• 1 28-ounce can (800g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (1L) water
• 1 teaspoon harissa paste*
• 1 handful basil leaves or a sprig of basil
• A sprig of thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

For serving:

• 2 fresh burrata balls (8 ounces/225g), torn apart
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

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Instructions

1. Start with the tomato harissa broth: heat olive oil in a large saucepan placed over medium heat and once hot, sauté the garlic for a minute or so. Add the harissa paste, stir, then add all the other ingredients for the broth. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. When ready, reduce heat to minimum to keep it warm while using in the risotto.
2. In a separate pot with a heavy bottom or large saucepan, heat one Tablespoon of olive oil, then gently sauté the shallots until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the minced garlic and sauté for one more minute.
3. Add the risotto rice, and cook for a few seconds to one minute, until the rice is glistening.
4. Deglaze with white wine, stirring constantly until absorbed.
5. Add a ladleful of hot broth at a time, by straining it through a fine mesh strainer (sieve), and gently stir with a wooden spoon until liquid is absorbed. Repeat, one ladle at a time, until all the broth has been used, about 20-25 minutes, making sure the broth remains warm. The rice should no longer have a chalky core and the risotto should be thick and glossy.
6. Serve with fresh burrata, torn apart other the plates, add freshly grated parmesan on top and fresh basil leaves. Adjust seasoning with freshly ground pepper, and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe variation: you can also add a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes (about 10 to 20 cherry tomatoes) and/or some chopped mushrooms to your risotto in order to add more texture to it. To do so, heat some olive oil in a sauté pan, then sauté 1 clove of garlic, minced, for a minute or so. Add the veggies and sauté for a few more minutes or until cherry tomatoes are about to burst. Reserve, then add to the risotto just before serving.

* For homemade harissa paste, combine 1 teaspoon harissa seasoning mix with 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Stir well, then add to the recipe.

Cheese, Fall, Family-Friendly, Gluten-Free, Main Dishes, Sides, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Spicy Tomato Risotto with Burrata Cheese, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!