Simple Tomato Risotto Recipe

There are so many ways to make risotto, yet this creamy tomato risotto is one that often gets overlooked in Italy. It doesn’t get the same spotlight as saffron or mushroom risotto, but when it’s made properly, it’s deeply comforting, honest food. Interestingly, while it flies under the radar back home, it has become a real favourite in Australia, especially as a simple, satisfying comfort dish. Today, I want to show you how I make it, creamy, balanced, and full of flavors.

This recipe brings back special memories from when we owned a food stall in Sydney. We had a regular customer who came every week to buy bottles of our homemade passata, and this tomato risotto quickly became one of his favourite dishes. Thank you, Ian, for reminding me just how beautiful and humble this recipe really is.

Now, making risotto seems pretty simple, but it demands your attention. Once you start cooking, you can’t walk away. This is a dish that asks for patience, love, and care. You need to stay with the pan, stir gently, and never let the rice dry out.

One of the most important steps is mantecatura, the final creaming stage. This is what gives risotto its signature texture. Some people find risotto intimidating because of the stirring and the gradual addition of liquid, but trust me, follow my steps, be patient, and this risotto will reward you every step of the way.

Watch: I Made This Tomato Risotto Once and Now I Can’t Stop

This Tomato Risotto Recipe Is So Creamy and Simple, You’ll Want to Make It Again and Again

Vincenzo’s Plate on How to Make Tomato Risotto

Choose the Right Rice

Carnaroli is the gold standard for risotto. It holds its shape beautifully while releasing just enough starch to create that creamy texture. If you cannot find Carnaroli, Arborio rice will work.

Vegetable Stock Only

Do not use chicken stock or beef stock. Vegetable stock keeps the flavour clean and allows the tomato and rice to shine. Meat stocks simply overpower this dish.

Don’t Skip the Passata

In this recipe I use homemade passata, and it truly lifts the dish. You can make it yourself step by step by following my recipe, or use a good-quality supermarket passata. In a pinch, a tin of Italian peeled tomatoes blended quickly will also work.

Use a Deep Pan

I often use a shallow pan on camera so you can clearly see what is happening. But ideally, for cooking risotto, a deep pan or deep frying pan is better. It helps the heat stay even, reduces splashing, and gives you more control as the rice absorbs liquid.

Risotto needs TLC

Risotto is not a multitasking dish. Once you start, you stay with it. No phone, no emails, no walking away. Rice dries quickly and needs constant observation so give it love and time.

White Wine Is Fine

White wine adds acidity and depth that stock alone cannot give. It balances the tomato and enhances the rice. If you really do not want to use wine, add more hot stock instead, but know that wine brings so much to the dish.

Hot Stock Only

Cold stock shocks the rice and stops the cooking process. Always keep your stock hot and add it gradually. This is how you get a smooth, even cook and perfect texture.

Salt Comes Last

Vegetable stock is already salty and so is Pecorino. If you season too early, you risk ruining the dish. Taste at the end, then adjust. Control is everything.

Cheese, Your Way

Pecorino gives sharpness and character while the Parmigiano Reggiano brings balance.
Grana Padano on the other hand adds sweetness. Use one, mix them, or adjust quantities to your taste.

Garnish with Basil

This dish does not need basil because the passata already brings that flavour. If you want, add a little fresh basil at the end as garnish for the beautiful aroma.

How to Serve Tomato Risotto

Once the risotto is ready, move quickly. Risotto waits for no one.

Spoon it onto a flat plate, then lift the plate slightly and give it a gentle tap on the bottom. Let the risotto naturally spread and settle. This movement is one of the best signs that your risotto is perfectly creamy, not stiff and not soupy.

Drizzle a little tomato passata around the plate, place a roasted tomato right in the centre, and finish with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino.

Serve immediately.

Tomato Risotto

Print Recipe

This tomato risotto is proof that simplicity always wins. No complicated equipment, no fancy ingredients, just a handful of good-quality staples treated with care and attention. Sweet, ripe tomatoes are the centrepiece of this dish, with a rich passata slowly folded into creamy Carnaroli rice and finished with butter and Pecorino Romano for richness and depth. The result is a risotto that is silky, comforting, and full of flavour, creamy but still al dente, exactly how it should be. A perfect way to use up garden tomatoes or a bottle of good passata, this recipe serves four generously and often leaves leftovers, which is a gift, because it reheats beautifully and makes the best lunch the next day. Vegetarian, satisfying, and deeply nourishing, this tomato risotto is made with love. Slow down, give it your time, and you will taste the difference in every spoonful.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Equipment

• ▢
  Small pot / saucepan
• ▢
  wooden spoon
• ▢
  Mug of water
• ▢
  Baking tray with baking paper

Ingredients

• ▢ 300 g / 10.5oz Carnaroli rice
• ▢ 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 50 g / 1.7oz butter
• ▢ 1 standard glass of white wine
• ▢ 1 litre / 4.2 cups hot vegetable stock
• ▢ Pecorino Romano
• ▢ 1/2 bottle homemade passata
• ▢ Vine-ripened tomatoes, for decoration
• ▢ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO
• ▢ Salt & Pepper

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Instructions

• Place the passata in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir gently and let it simmer through for 10–20 minutes. Do not boil it. Set aside.
• Place a deep pot or deep pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then add the onion. Cook gently for 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent. Then add a small splash of water and stir.
• While the onion is cooking, prepare the garnish. Line a baking tray with baking paper, add the cherry tomatoes, drizzle with EVOO, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 200°C / 392°F for 10–20 minutes, or until soft, juicy, and lightly roasted.
• Once the onion is ready, add the rice to the pot. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes so every grain is coated in oil and gently toasted. Pour in the white wine and keep stirring until it has fully evaporated.
• Start timing the rice according to the packet instructions. Add hot vegetable stock a little at a time, just enough to cover the rice. Stir continuously.
• As the liquid absorbs and the rice starts to look dry, add more hot stock, again just enough to cover the rice. Keep stirring the mixture and repeat this process until the stock is used and the rice is almost cooked
• About 2 minutes before the rice is ready, add the warm passata and stir well. If the colour looks pale, add a little more passata, but keep some aside for plating.
• Taste the risotto and season with salt and pepper if needed. Cook for the final 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven and pour the juices from the tray straight into the risotto, this is liquid gold. Add the butter and plenty of grated Pecorino. Stir vigorously until the risotto becomes creamy, glossy, and beautifully emulsified.

Video

E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!

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