Fish Risotto (Haddock and Leek Risotto)
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If you’re wondering how to make fish risotto, you’re in luck! This delicious weeknight meal is easy, especially since there’s no defrosting (you’ll be using frozen white fish). The end result is a deliciously creamy dish that’s tangy and full of yummy leek bits. Serve it with steamed veg, a crusty bread, or enjoy it as-is!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Creamy – The best fish risotto has a creamy, rich texture, and you won’t be disappointed with this recipe! Made slowly over heat, this dish is a real treat.
Easy – Don’t let the words haddock risotto intimidate you, this recipe only requires five steps and a handful of ingredients.
Delicious – With aromatics, lime, parsley, and leeks, each bite of this seafood risotto recipe is flavourful.
Great for date nights – This seafood risotto is restaurant-worthy, so it’s the perfect dish for special occasions or even date nights at home.
Love fish? Try these yummy fish recipes : Pan Fried Cod, Easy Tuna Fishcakes or Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
What is Fish Risotto?
Risotto is an Italian dish made with rice that is cooked low and slow overheat with broth. This method creates a creamy, rich consistency in the rice. Often, the rice is paired with a protein, in this case, fish. Depending on the fish risotto recipe, you may also see ingredients like white wine, parmesan cheese, and butter.
Ingredients
Arborio Rice – Ask anyone and they’ll recommend arborio rice for risotto. It’s a readily available rice option that creates creamy, satisfying risotto. You can also use carnaroli rice for a fish risotto that is more similar to what you’d find in restaurants.
Leeks – This veggie helps elevate the flavour of this fish risotto recipe. It tastes similar to onions but with a more subtle, sweet flavour. If you prefer, you can use shallots instead.
Frozen Haddock – I like using frozen haddock to make this recipe easier. However, you can also use smoked haddock or fresh haddock instead. You’ll need to adjust the cook time slightly for these two options, as they won’t need quite as long to cook.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
Here are a few ways you can make this fish risotto your own! Instead of using haddock, make this recipe with your favourite seafood. This dish works with mussels, clams, scallops, and shrimp. Fresh seafood, frozen seafood, or even cooked seafood options work well in this recipe. You can also swap haddock with another white fish, like cod.
Add a splash of clam juice to create a tangier flavour. This ingredient helps create the best seafood risotto alongside white wine. You can change the herbs and spices to anything you’d like. I recommend trying this haddock risotto recipe with options like chives and dill. For a more decadent dish, use freshly shaved or grated parmesan cheese.
How to make fish risotto
*Remove the fish from the freezer and allow to start defrosting.
- Start by washing and thinly slicing the leaks (Image 1).
- To a large frying pan, add the olive oil, leeks and onion. Season generously with salt and pepper and fry over a medium/low heat for 6 minutes (Image 2).
3. Next, add the garlic, dried parsley and arborio rice (Image 3).
4. Season with salt and fry for a couple of minutes before adding two ladles of fish stock (Image 4).
*One absorbed repeat this, again, and again and again! It’s actually quite therapeutic so chuck a podcast on and get lost in your risotto.
5. Slice the fish into pieces (this is easier done when still slightly frozen) (Image 5).
6. When your rice is 5 minutes away from being cooked (when you have around 200ml left of stock), add the frozen sliced haddock to your pan and stir gently (Image 6).
7. Continue to cook for 5 – 7 minutes, until the haddock and rice is fully cooked (Image 7).
8. Stir in the creme fraiche and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve up and enjoy! (Image 8).
Need inspiration for some other fish recipes? Try my; Fish Burrito Bowl, Fish Finger Sandwich and Salmon Fishcakes
How to Make Seafood Risotto Creamy
The best way to make fish risotto creamy is to cook it using the proper method. Keep the pot going low and slow as you add the seafood stock one ladle at a time. This method ensures the rice grains produce starches, which creates a creamy consistency. If you added the fish broth all at once, you’d get boiled rice instead.
If you love seafood, try my ; Spicy Shrimp Ramen, The Best Garlic Prawns or Air Fryer Salmon Bites
How to Know when Risotto is done cooking
There are a few ways to tell when fish risotto is done. When checking doneness in seafood risotto recipes, it’s important to know what you’re looking for first. The rice is meant to be creamy but al dente, so there should be a slight bite as you eat it.
You can check for this by looking at the risotto, which should be creamy and not overly thick. Another method for testing doneness is to taste the risotto. Look for a creamy consistency with a slight bite or chewiness (think al dente pasta).
Can you make risotto ahead?
Yes, you can make fish risotto ahead of time. To do this, follow the steps noted in the recipe card. Leave the last ladle of broth (and the fish) out of the pan. Your rice should be a combination of chewy and crunchy. Once your rice reaches this stage, put it into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up 4 days.
When you’re ready to eat the risotto, continue following the steps of adding the fish and broth until you reach the desired consistency. This is one method restaurants use to create risotto, as it helps reduce cook time during busy days/nights.
Parboil
You can also parboil the rice to get it to cook more quickly later on. To do this, bring water to a boil and add the rice in. Only cook it for eight minutes. Then, drain the rice and keep it in the fridge until you want to finish cook the risotto.
Can you keep it in a slow cooker?
You can keep the risotto warm in the slow cooker. However, it can overcook as it sits, so I recommend skipping this option and enjoying the risotto fresh.
Satisfy those risotto or rice cravings with these other recipes; Creamy Green Risotto with Crispy Bacon, Chicken and Chorizo Risotto or Spicy Tomato Rice topped with Halloumi and Coriander
Tips for the best result
Make sure to add hot broth, not cold. For the best fish risotto, hot broth is necessary. If you use cold broth, it will take quite a while to warm up each time, so it won’t produce the same creamy consistency.
Cook in a high-sided pan. This tip will help for a few reasons. For one, it helps with slower evaporation, which creates a creamier risotto. This also means your risotto will cook faster than with other pans, as the heavy bottom of the pan retains heat well.
Try not to overcook it because it can become mushy. The desired consistency of risotto is al dente. Otherwise, it becomes a bowl of mush. Be sure to check the risotto occasionally, removing it from the stove as soon as it’s done.
Add a splash of white wine if you have it. You can create a deliciously complex flavour by adding a splash of white wine before beginning the steps involving stock. This will allow the alcohol to cook out, leaving behind only its flavour.
Toast the rice first. Use extra virgin olive oil to toast the rice before adding the broth. This step is essential, as it helps create more flavour in the dish and ensures the rice grains absorb liquid properly without getting overly soggy.
Season in stages. Adding salt in stages will yield the best flavour.
Serving Suggestions for Haddock Risotto
Fish risotto is a delicious dish to serve with veg or other protein sides. Here are a few options for serving alongside this yummy recipe: fresh salad, grilled asparagus, garlic bread, crusty bread, or roasted veggies.
Pair this yummy risotto with one of these side dishes for an even tastier meal: Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli, Creamed Cabbage or Honey-Roasted Carrots & Parsnips
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
This leek and haddock risotto is best eaten fresh. However, you can store leftovers and reheat them later if needed.
Refrigerator
Allow the fish risotto to fully cool. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good for up to three days.
Freezer
I would not recommend freezing the leftovers of this dish because of the fish and the rice. As the rice freezes, it gets hard, which creates a grainy texture when reheated. Technically, you can freeze risotto, but it won’t be anywhere near as good when you warm it back up.
Reheat
To reheat risotto from the fridge, add the amount you want warmed to a pan over low heat until it’s heated through. If you notice it has thickened, you can add a small amount of broth to create the desired consistency.
FAQs
Yes, you can substitute crème fraiche with an alternative for this fish risotto. Try using mascarpone or a full-fat Greek yoghurt for a similar consistency/flavour.
I would not use beef stock to create seafood recipes like this one, as it will overpower the flavour of the fish. However, chicken broth or vegetable broth would work well.
You don’t need to stir the risotto constantly, but you should do so consistently. Stirring it a few times a minute should help create a delicious dish.
If you add all the broth at once, you’ll create a more flavourful version of regular rice. However, you won’t get the creamy consistency that risotto is known to offer.
If you tried this Haddock and Leek Risotto recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Fish Risotto (Haddock and Leek Risotto)
Ingredients
- 400 g frozen haddock, sliced into medium chunks (£4.40)
- 2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced (£1.50)
- 1 large onion, diced (£0.15)
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (£0.60)
- Juice of half a lime, plus wedges to serve (£0.25)
- 400 g risotto arborio rice (£2.40)
- 4 heaped tbsp creme fraiche (£0.89/2)=(£0.45)
Cupboard Essentials
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 1.4 litre fish stock 2 cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- To a large frying pan, add the olive oil, leeks and onion. Season generously with salt and pepper and fry over a medium/low heat for 6 minutes.
- Next, add the garlic, dried parsley and arborio rice. Season with salt and fry for a couple of minutes before adding two ladles of fish stock.
- One absorbed repeat this, again, and again and again! It’s actually quite therapeutic so chuck a podcast on and get lost in your risotto.
- When your rice is 5 minutes away from being cooked (when you have around 200ml left of stock), add the frozen sliced haddock to your pan and stir gently. Continue to cook for 5 - 7 minutes, until the haddock and rice is fully cooked.
- Stir in the creme fraiche and the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve up and enjoy!
Notes
- Always add hot broth to ensure a creamy consistency and faster cooking.
- Cook in a high-sided pan to slow evaporation and retain heat, resulting in a creamier risotto.
- Avoid overcooking; risotto should be al dente to prevent a mushy texture.
- Add freshly shredded Parmesan to enhance the risotto's rich texture and flavor.
- Add white wine before the stock for a complex flavour, allowing the alcohol to cook out.
Nutrition
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