Global CucinaGlobal Cucina
About
Global CucinaGlobal Cucina
HomeAbout
  1. Home
  2. Recipes
  3. Main Course
  4. Saffron Risotto
ItalianEasy

Saffron Risotto

AT

By

Ago Tanfossi

Chef and recipe curator at Global Cucina

Published on March 13, 2026

Available in

EnglishItalianoDeutschEspañolFrançaisRomână

You can change language anytime.

Saffron risotto, also known as Milanese risotto, is a simple yet delicious first course! Discover the recipe.

Capolavoro Score 5/5 · 16 votes
Saffron Risotto

Ingredients

  • 10.7 oz Rice
  • 1 tsp Saffron threads
  • Yellow onions
  • 1.3 oz White Wine
  • 4 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
  • Water
  • oil
  • Salt
  • 2.7 oz grana padano
  • 2.5 oz butter

Instructions

  1. 1

    To make saffron risotto, first place the saffron threads in a small bowl and cover them with water. Let them steep for at least 6 hours, or even overnight, covering the bowl. After the steeping time, prepare the vegetable broth and keep it hot. Peel and finely chop the onion, then place it in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.

  2. 2

    Turn the heat to low and let it soften gently for about 10-15 minutes; you can add a pinch of salt or a spoonful of broth to help it along. When the onion is soft and translucent, add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly and keeping the heat low to prevent the onion from burning.

  3. 3

    Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely, then start adding the hot broth, one ladle at a time, making sure it is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Maintain a light and constant simmer.

  4. 4

    When the rice is almost cooked, add the saffron and its soaking liquid (you can save the remaining threads stuck to the bottom and use them for decoration). Mix well and finish cooking the rice, adjusting the salt if necessary. Once cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the cold butter and grated cold Grana Padano DOP cheese.

  5. 5

    Add a little more broth, just enough to achieve the desired consistency, then combine everything, shaking the pan to create the classic "wave." Plate your saffron risotto and garnish with the reserved saffron threads!

Ago's Notes

  • Adjust the salt according to the salt content of the canned goods.

May the aroma of the toasted rice and saffron accompany you as you serve it, and may each spoonful evoke the memory of a table prepared with respect and passion. Enjoy your meal, and may the flavor stay with you.

Ago Tanfossi signatureAgo Tanfossi signature
Main Course

How much of a capolavoro is this?

Share your opinion. Ago will say it the Italian way.

Pick a hand and tell Ago what you think.

Related Recipes

Rice Arancini
Italian

Rice Arancini

Rice arancini, a pride of Sicilian cuisine: discover the recipe to make this typical street food at home, with a filling of meat sauce and ham!

Medium
Supplì al Telefono
Italian

Supplì al Telefono

Supplì al telefono, also known as supplì alla romana, get their name from the mozzarella inside, which, when melted, forms strands.

Medium
Asparagus Risotto
Italian

Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus risotto is a creamy spring appetizer: discover this delicious recipe that also uses the asparagus trimmings!

Medium

Browse by Dish Type

Main Course

227 recipes

The main course, or secondo, holds a central place in the structure of an Italian meal.

Pasta

74 recipes

Pasta is a fundamental category within Italian cuisine, serving as the primo piatto or first course in a traditional meal structure.

Dessert

39 recipes

Dessert, or dolce in Italian, occupies a distinct and deliberate place within the traditional Italian meal.

Soup

35 recipes

Soup, as a category within culinary taxonomy, represents a fundamental component of the Italian dining experience.

Salad

15 recipes

The category of salad occupies a distinct and purposeful role within the Italian meal framework.

Browse by Cuisine

Italian212International118American29Thai12
Global Cucina

Cooking the world, the Italian way

AboutContactPrivacyCookie settings

© 2026 Global Cucina by Ago Tanfossi. All rights reserved.