Green risotto with speck and watercress

Name: Green risotto with speck and watercress
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Rice (for risottos) 1 ½ cup; Peas 0.8 cup; Speck 5.6 oz; Fresh goat cheese from cow's milk 5.7 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp; Shallot 1; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Watercress sprouts to taste

it de fr es br

Gluten Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Green risotto is like, the perfect mix of Northern Italy’s love for creamy risotto with super fresh, spring ingredients. I mean, look at that bright, bright color from the blended peas. They're stirred in halfway to keep everything really fresh and super green. In Lombardy, folks often whip up green risotto like this when they want something that looks kinda fancy but is actually pretty simple to pull off. And the best part? No butter needed to get that creamy vibe—this recipe skips it altogether yet still nails that smooth, almost silky texture. It’s thanks to the technique and that pea sauce working with the Arborio rice.

What really makes this dish pop? Those crispy speck sticks, for sure. Think of speck as Italy’s smoky take on bacon. You get crispy bits adding a salty kick and a nice crunch, and that pairs perfectly with the tender rice.

Adding watercress and goat cheese at the end isn’t exactly typical for every speck risotto, but here? It gives you something extra. The goat cheese melts just enough to make each bite a little creamy, and the watercress leaves offer this peppery snap that really balances out the rest of the dish. Lombardy locals see this as a classic first course, but it works great as the main event too. It’s a kind of watercress risotto that feels both light and filling, so you don’t end up feeling too heavy. And while some Italian rice dishes stick to saffron or mushrooms, this one shows how awesome it is to mix up the greens and try something modern.

This easy risotto with greens is all about those contrasts—the moist rice, the crispy speck, the creamy cheese, and the fresh watercress. Seriously, it’s perfect for impressing guests and totally doable even on a weeknight. You get all the flavor of Italian risotto with speck without the fuss. This dish? It’s a wonderful reminder of how simple ingredients can create something really really amazing. Honestly, can't go wrong here.

INGREDIENTS: Rice 1 ½ cup (320 g) - (for risottos); Peas 0.8 cup (180 g); Speck 5.6 oz (160 g); Fresh goat cheese 5.7 oz (160 g) - from cow's milk; Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp (40 g); Shallot 1; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Watercress sprouts to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Green risotto with speck and watercress

To prepare the green risotto with speck and watercress, start with the speck. Cut it into strips about 1/8 inch thick 1 and transfer it to a preheated pan 2; let it toast until it becomes crispy 3, then turn off the heat. This will take a few minutes, in the meantime, you can start preparing the risotto, stirring the speck occasionally.

Firstly, put a pot full of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Take the shallot and slice it finely 4. Pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil into a pan, add the shallot 5 and let it sauté on low heat for a couple of minutes. At this point, add the rice 6, season it with salt and toast it on high heat, until the grains change color.

Begin cooking the rice by adding boiling water as needed, until it covers the rice and stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, pour the raw peas into a tall, narrow container 8. Add a drizzle of olive oil 9 and a pinch of salt.

Blend everything until you get a smooth cream 10, which you will add to your risotto halfway through cooking 11. Mix well and bring the risotto to completion by adding more water as needed. In the meantime, prepare the goat cheese cream. Transfer the cheese into a bowl and add a drizzle of olive oil 12.

Season with salt and pepper 13 and mix with a spoon until you get a cream 14. If it is too thick, add a little water. As soon as the rice is cooked, turn off the heat. Cream with a drizzle of olive oil 15.

At the last moment, also add some of the crispy speck 16 and mix. Plate the dish by decorating with the goat cheese cream, the remaining speck strips, and the watercress leaves 17. Serve your risotto immediately 18!