Garlic Butter Shrimp with Asiago Risotto

Restaurant style risotto that will wow not only you, but your family! Comes together with a labor of love, but easily in one pan. Tender, juicy garlic butter shrimp served with creamy, flavorful risotto. Perfect for date night!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Garlic Butter, Garlic Butter Shrimp with Asiago Risotto, Risotto

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings - 6 servings

Calories 499kcal

Author Samantha Buckner

Ingredients

Shrimp:

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced

Risotto:

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups arborio risotto rice
5 1/2 - 6 cups unsalted chicken stock, or broth
2 tbsp mascarpone, softened
1/3 cup asiago cheese, freshly grated
1/2 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped into bite size pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
salt, to taste and if needed

Garnishments:

freshly chopped parsley
freshly grated asiago cheese

Instructions

Bring stock to a boil in a medium sauce and immediately lower to a simmer to keep warm.
Place a large nonstick pan with 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once melted, add the chopped peppers and onions. Sauté until the onion is translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
Add rice to the pan and stir so the rice is coated with butter and mixed in with the peppers and onion. Continue to sauté for 1 minute.
Next, add the stock one ladle at a time. After adding one ladle, stir and allow to cook until the rice has absorbed the stock before adding another ladle.
Continue adding the stock one ladle at a time, stirring consistently, until you have approximately 2 cups of stock left in the pot, 15-20 minutes. Add the asparagus to the rice and gently fold in.
Add 1 to 2 more ladles of stock and stir until absorbed. Reserve approximately 1 cup of stock to add in at the end.
Add the mascarpone and asiago cheese and stir until fully melted.
Add the shrimp to the risotto to re-warm and gently fold it in. The end result of the risotto should be al dente in texture, creamy with a touch of liquid. It's essential to taste test as it cooks.
Keep in mind that the rice will absorb liquid as it sits. Add 1 cup (or more, as needed) of stock to ensure the dish is loose and creamy. Not chunky and thick.
Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley and grated asiago cheese.

Notes

It is important to consistently stir the rice as it cooks. The rice should reach an al dente texture. End result should be soft and creamy, not thick or stiff. Add additional stock at the end, as needed, to reach this proper consistency.

STOCK: You can use chicken or vegetable stock. Broth will work, too, but the stock will give the risotto more of a bold flavor.
SODIUM: Add salt - to taste. Keep in mind, shrimp is naturally salty - especially if you buy frozen. Cheese, butter, and stock also contain salt. To keep the sodium down, I recommend using unsalted or low-sodium stock, as well as unsalted butter.
MEAT: If you're not a fan of shrimp, you can absolutely swap the meat for chicken breast. I recommend slicing the chicken into bite-size pieces and cooking as you would the shrimp. Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the chicken bites.
REHEATING: When reheating, I recommend adding additional stock or water to loosen the rice. The dish will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

Nutrition