Risotto al radicchio trevigiano
Risotto al radicchio rosso di Treviso
Treviso's winter risotto: bitter red radicchio softened with shallot and red wine, stirred into Vialone Nano and finished with butter and Grana.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Risotto al radicchio rosso di Treviso.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Risotto al radicchio is made in winter, when the long red-and-white spears of radicchio rosso di Treviso come into season. The radicchio is shredded and softened with shallot in butter until it wilts and its bitterness mellows, and a splash of red wine deepens the colour. Toast the rice, add the wine, then hot broth a ladle at a time, stirring often so the starch makes the sauce. Keep a handful of raw radicchio back to fold in at the end for freshness and colour. Finish off the heat with cold butter and grated Grana, the mantecatura, and let it rest a minute so it settles. It should flow on the plate, 'all'onda', like a wave. Done is a creamy, wine-coloured risotto with a pleasant bitterness, sweet from the shallot and rich from the butter and cheese.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Radicchio, radicchio rosso di Treviso, tardivo if possible, shredded400 g
- Short-grain rice, Vialone Nano or Carnaroli320 g
- Shallot, finely chopped2
- Red wine, dry, such as Raboso or Merlot150 ml
- Beef stock, light meat broth, kept hot1.2 l
- Butter, 40 g of it cold, for the end60 g
- Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, grated60 g
- Black pepper2½ ml
- Salt4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Melt 20 g butter and soften the shallot for 5 minutes. Add the radicchio, keeping back a handful, and cook 5 minutes until wilted.
10 min
Step 2
Add the rice and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away.
3 min
Step 3
Add hot broth a ladle at a time, stirring often and adding more as each is absorbed, for 16–18 minutes until the rice is al dente. Fold in the reserved radicchio for the last 2 minutes.
18 min
Step 4
Off the heat beat in the cold butter and Grana with a splash of broth until creamy and flowing. Rest 1 minute, season and serve.
2 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 350 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 33.6 g
- Fat
- 18.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1.8 g
- Sugar
- 3.6 g
- Sodium
- 1955 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Radicchio di Treviso → Round Chioggia radicchio
More bitter; soften it a few minutes longer.
Tips
- Tardivo is the long-fingered late variety; the earlier 'precoce' has tighter heads and works as well.
- Season at the end: broth and Grana both add salt.
History & culture
In Treviso the late-season radicchio, 'tardivo', is a local pride, celebrated at winter fairs across the province, and this risotto is how many families eat the first of it. It is served all over the Veneto from November to March, in homes and trattorie alike.
Radicchio tardivo is said to have been developed in the late nineteenth century using a forcing technique introduced by the Belgian agronomist Francesco Van den Borre: the plants are pulled, then kept in the dark in running spring water until the leaves turn white-ribbed and crimson. Radicchio Rosso di Treviso has been an EU Protected Geographical Indication since 1996.
Traditional — Radicchio di Treviso, shallot, red wine, meat broth, butter and Grana. No cream.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Risotto al radicchio trevigiano take?
50 min all in — 15 min prep, 35 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Dutch oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
What can I use instead?
Radicchio di Treviso → Round Chioggia radicchio. More bitter; soften it a few minutes longer.
Any tips from this recipe?
Tardivo is the long-fingered late variety; the earlier 'precoce' has tighter heads and works as well. Season at the end: broth and Grana both add salt.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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