I’ve become a bit obsessed with both tarragon and risotto lately, and it seemed time to merge the two of them together, so this recipe got thrown together at the end of last weekend, but was done at night when photos wouldn’t have been possible so it waited to be posted until now.
Tarragon has such a great flavor, but it’s a unique flavor and seems to be a love or hate kind of situation. I love it, as long as quantities are in check. Too much tarragon can leave a dish overwhelmed with its flavor and can make the dish taste bitter.
I think the flavor ratios in this risotto are perfect. Everything works together beautifully to create a creamy, cheesy risotto that’s bursting with flavor from the tarragon and chives. This has actually become my new favorite lunch at work, with some chopped plain baked boneless, skinless chicken breast thrown in. It’s filling and tastes amazing, which is always a win in my book! But this would also make a terrific side dish or appetizer too.
Tarragon Cream Risotto
This creamy and cheesy risotto with tarragon, chives and spinach makes a perfect side dish or appetizer as is or throw in some chopped up chicken to turn it into a full meal.
Prep Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 228kcal
Ingredients
- 180 g arborio rice (uncooked) - 180g=1cup
- 3/4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh chives (chopped)
- 1+1/2 Tbsp. fresh tarragon (roughly chopped - divided)
- 3 cups vegetable broth (I use my homemade IBS/GERD safe broth, recipe here)
- 60 g fresh baby spinach (uncooked) - 60g=~4 unpacked cups worth of spinach, ~2 packed cups
- 25 g fresh parmigiano reggiano cheese (grated) - 25g=a heaping 1/3 cup full
- 3 Tbsp. lowfat lactose free plain yogurt (I use Green Valley Organics brand)
- salt (to taste) - amount of salt needed will depend on what vegetable broth you use and what kind of salt you use. I used my homemade vegetable broth and didn't need to add in any salt so the nutritional information below does not include added salt.
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable broth in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, just until simmering.
- On a different burner, heat the olive oil either in a large saucepan or a large deep skillet over medium heat.
- When the oil is heated, add in the chives and 1 Tbsp. of the tarragon and cook, stirring almost constantly, for ~45 seconds.
- Add the risotto to the pan and stir to combine everything and coat the risotto with the oil.
- Add in 1 cup of the heated vegetable broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed (this takes ~5 minutes or less). Note: The more you stir the risotto as it cooks, the creamier it will be in the end.
- Repeat step #4 one more time, until you've added in 2 cups worth of the broth to the risotto. When the 2nd cup of broth has almost completely absorbed, check the consistency/doneness of the risotto. Risotto is done when it's softened but still has a little bite to it (you don't want it to be all mush, but don't want to crunch down on uncooked rice either) and also when it cannot absorb any more liquid. At this point, you want it to be just about done but not quite done, since you will continue to cook it with the spinach, cheese and yogurt. You may need to add in another ~1/2 cup of broth or so (in the end, I used 2+1/2 cups of broth).
- When the risotto is at this stage (just about done, which for me was after adding 2+1/2 cups of broth), add in the spinach, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and remaining 1/2 Tbsp. of tarragon and stir constantly until the spinach wilts. Then, add in the yogurt, stir to mix everything together and allow to cook for ~2 minutes more, until the risotto has thickened and is nice and creamy (don't worry if it appears a bit runny. It will continue to thicken once removed from the heat).
- Remove from heat and let stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken up before serving, then serve immediately.
Notes
I like this as a side dish or as a meal when I throw in some baked chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breasts that were baked with only a sprinkling of salt on them).
For IBS/GERD:
*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.*
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- This is a pretty safe dish. There's fat from the cheese and oil, but nothing too bad. As always, keep track of everything else you eat in the day and keep your fat levels in check.
*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.*
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Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Tarragon Cream Risotto
Amount Per Serving
Calories 228
Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g
8%
Saturated Fat 2g
10%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 1mg
0%
Sodium 98mg
4%
Potassium 112mg
3%
Total Carbohydrates 39g
13%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Sugars 2g
Protein 6g
12%
Vitamin A
30%
Vitamin C
9%
Calcium
5%
Iron
5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.