Milanese-Style Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto Recipe

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Saffron risotto is a classic Milanese recipe that we make at home, but also seek out when we travel, especially to Milan, Italy. Not every saffron risotto is the same, but the classic versions are all similar versions of simplistic elegance. We wanted to spruce up the classic version of risotto while keeping the beautiful flavor and color that saffron brings to the table. While this recipe for Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto still lets the rice and saffron shine as the main ingredients, we added leeks and also a small amount of shallot instead of the classic white onion. The results are a great, lighter style risotto that pairs with a number of dishes or can be enjoyed on its own.

Milanese-Style Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto

Looking for more risotto recipes? Try out our Red Wine Parmesan Risotto or Cherry Tomato Garlic Basil Risotto.

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What is Milanese Style Risotto?

“Milanese” means that it comes from Milan, Italy, rather than relating to a specific dish. Risotto alla Milanese is a beautiful risotto dish that includes saffron threads for a bright rich golden color. It is a simple dish in terms of the number of ingredients, and it is not as difficult to make as long as you have a little patience. This creamy, delicious and world-famous dish is just one style of the many types of risotto that can be found in Italy.

The type of rice used for risotto is special in that the grains of rice are plump and they release starch while cooking. This gives the risotto that creamy texture without adding cream or milk. Risotto is usually made with a chicken stock and finished with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese adding to its uniquely creamy texture.

What Rice is the Best Rice for Risotto?

Technically, you can make a risotto with a long list of types of rice. However, there are three that are most commonly used and for good reason! The types of rice used to make risotto are classics in Italy and produce the best results for that super creamy texture. In Italy, there are also lesser known rice varieties that are excellent choices, but are definitely harder to find, so let’s take a look at the three we have used and continue to use because they work so well.

Carnaroli Rice: Carnaroli rice is our favorite choice for two main reasons: (1) The large grains release copious amounts of starch, and (2) this type of rice holds its texture very well, ensuring a firm mouthfeel.
Vialone Nano Rice: This rice are smaller grains than carnaroli, thus it cooks a bit quicker. It also yields a nice, starchy risotto and has a great flavor. It is grown in Veneto, a region in the Northeast of Italy.
Arborio Rice: Finally, there is Arborio rice, which is the easiest to find, and is grown in many parts of the world, including the United States. We find that it doesn’t release as much starch as the others and doesn’t hold its firm texture as well, but still has a high quality of flavor and is appropriate to use for risotto if you can't find the others recommended above.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

It’s a beautiful classic dish! The rich yellow color is a show stopper.
Can be a side dish or a main course.
Risotto’s reputation for being difficult or finicky is overrated…this is actually quite easy to make! It just requires a little time and patience.
The earthy subtle saffron flavor is lovely with the leeks in this recipe.
It is incredibly creamy!

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make this recipe for Milanese-Style Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto:

Chicken Stock: We always use unsalted chicken stock so we can control the sodium
Saffron: Just a pinch of saffron threads are what makes this dish what it is!
Olive Oil: We are cooking with this so it doesn’t have to be your best quality, but find inexpensive but good extra virgin olive oil
Leeks: We love the subdued flavor these add to the dish
Shallots: Shallots have a nice flavor that enhances this risotto and we prefer it over traditional onions here
Unsalted Butter: Butter is used in two parts of the dish - unsalted butter is preferred
Risotto Rice: As mentioned, there are several good options, but carnaroli is our preference, followed by Vialone Nano and lastly Arborio.
Dry White Wine: A pinot grigio or something similar works well here.
Kosher Salt
White Pepper: We chose white pepper over black pepper mainly to prevent having black specks throughout the risotto. Black pepper works great here as well.
Parmigiano Reggiano: Amazing, real Parmesan cheese is the finishing touch for this risotto to give it that beautiful rich flavor.
Parsley: Used for a garnish, we prefer the flavor and looks of Italian parsley for pretty much everything!

See recipe card below for quantities.

Substitutions

Here are a few common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

Chicken Stock: You can use any stock, but a stock based on a protein (instead of vegetable stock) is traditional. However, a roasted vegetable stock is also fantastic here, so use what you like and the results will be great. If you are using a stock that has a darker color (such as beef stock), you will get a darker colored dish as the end result. You can also use a chicken broth instead of a stock, but stock generally has a deeper flavor since it is usually made with bones. Just make sure you use unsalted versions or your dish could be overly salty.
Shallot: You can use onion instead of shallot with delicious results.
Pepper: We like white pepper here as it blends in and doesn’t take away from the beautiful color of the risotto like black pepper might, but this is personal preference. Black, white, green…dealer’s choice.

How to Make Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto

This rice dish is made by adding liquid slowly to the rice as it cooks and stirring often. It does require some time and attention, but it is satisfying to make and realize the creamy end results! It’s more fun than difficult.

Equipment

Here is what you need to make this dish

Large pan or braiser to make the risotto
Medium saucepan for the stock
A large ladle for adding stock
A wooden spoon or spatula for stirring

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Warm the Stock

In the saucepan, warm the stock to just below a simmer. There is no need to boil it but you want it hot.

Step 2: Prepare the Saffron

Once the stock is hot, take about ¾ of a cup of hot chicken stock and put it in a small bowl. Sprinkle the saffron threads into the small bowl of stock and set aside.

Step 3: Cook the Vegetables and Toast the Rice

Heat a large pan over medium low heat. Add the olive oil, leeks and shallots and cook gently for about 3 minutes. You are looking to soften these without getting much, if any, color on them. Once the leeks and shallots are softened and cooked, add 2 tablespoons of butter and when it is melted, stir in the rice and turn the heat to medium. Make sure to stir well to completely coat the rice. Toast the rice for about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the Wine

Stir in the wine and cook for a few more minutes until the wine is nearly completely absorbed by the rice.

Step 5: Cook the Risotto

Start adding the hot stock to the rice a ladle (about ½ to ¾ of a cup) at a time. Stir often and wait until the rice has absorbed most of the stock before adding another ladle. You may need to turn the heat down and you want a simmer, not a violent boil. After the first three additions of stock, the next addition will be the small bowl of stock with the saffron threads. Continue the same process of adding a ladle of stock and stirring until the rice is done. Start checking by tasting a little of the rice at about 18 minutes into the cooking process for doneness. As a guideline, risotto will take between 20-24 minutes to finish but taste the rice for a perfect al dente texture. Once the risotto is almost done, stir in the salt and pepper, then take off the heat.

Step 6: Finish the Dish

Finish the dish by stirring in the remaining butter until melted, followed by the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. When you serve the Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto, you can sprinkle some fresh finely chopped parsley on top as a garnish.

Variations

Here are a couple ways to change up this recipe:

Switch up the cheese. Use pecorino cheese instead of Parmesan cheese for a different flavor profile that is equally delicious!
Add mushrooms. Mix in your favorite sautéed mushrooms at the end for a delicious adaptation of saffron risotto
Caramelize the leeks and shallots. Get a deeper flavor by caramelizing the leeks and shallots before adding the rice.
Add veggies. Adding sautéed asparagus, peas, or zucchini at the end is a great addition as well!

Storage

How to store leftover risotto:

You can store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

How to reheat leftover risotto?

Gently reheat in a saucepan - you may need a little extra stock or water because it will dry out. Generally, risotto won't be creamy anymore when it is reheated, but it will still taste delicious!

Can you freeze leftover risotto?

We do not recommend freezing leftovers. The texture and flavor will both suffer enough to make it less than desirable.

What to make with leftover risotto?

Arancini is the classic leftover application for risotto. Balls of rice are breaded and deep fried to produce a delicious first course with a nice sugo of tomato sauce. You can also stuff leftover risotto in peppers and bake, or in small pastry shells. All of these can include adding further ingredients if desired.

Top tip

DO NOT rinse the rice before cooking, EVER. This is crucial. While most rices benefit greatly from rinsing the rice, risotto is the opposite. That starch you rinse off is desirable and necessary in risotto to get that creamy consistency for the perfect risotto.

Troubleshooting

If for some reason, you run out of stock and need one last ladle to finish the risotto, just use some hot tap water.

What to Make with Creamy Saffron Leek Risotto

Classically this is served along with veal osso buco (veal shanks). It is also great as a main dish or with any type of protein. One of our favorites to pair is Veal Milanese, which is a breaded veal chop gently cooked in butter. There are a number of braised dishes of beef, lamb, chicken or almost anything that also work wonderfully with this risotto.

Perfect pairing!

Bone-In Veal Milanese (Cotoletta alla Milanese)

One of Milan's most famous dishes, and for a good reason... It's incredibly delicious!

Get the recipe →

Another great option is to serve this risotto with a ragù. Try it out with our Red Wine Slow Braised Italian Beef Ragù.

What Wines Pair with Saffron Risotto

There are many options for wine pairing with this creamy saffron leek risotto. We like to stick with Italian wines, such as an Italian Chardonnay which works exceptionally well here. Pinot Grigio is also a great pairing. Italian Rosé is a good option as well. If you want a red, avoid anything that is exceptionally fruity or tannic. A balanced, dry wine such as a Bardolino is our favorite pick here for a red.

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FAQ

What is risotto Milanese made of?

The basic components are a risotto rice (such as Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or Arborio), chicken stock, a little dry white wine, saffron, and finished with butter and Parmesan cheese with a sprinkle of parsley. These are the classic ingredients but there are a variety of versions that exist now that change up the basic ingredients.

Why is Milanese risotto yellow?

The saffron threads give this risotto its famous vibrant yellow color.

Is risotto just fancy rice?

Fancy? Not necessarily. But for risotto, there are specific types of rice (such as Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, or Arborio) that will work perfectly in a risotto to produce a creamy texture in the dish while holding their shape and bite.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with this risotto recipe:

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