Creamy Sausage and Pea Risotto with Lazy Toasty Breadcrumbs
This creamy sausage and pea risotto is filled with flavorful sausage, a pop of sweet peas, and a velvety cream sauce folded in, all topped with toasty breadcrumbs and pecorino romano cheese for the ultimate Italian comfort dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ lb Ground Italian Sausage I used hot
- ¼ cup Frozen Peas
Lazy Toasty Breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- ¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp Fresh Basil
Rice
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ½ cup White Wine
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 1 cup Water
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
Creamy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove minced
- 1 cup Half & Half Cream
- ¼ cup Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- ¼ cup Shredded Mozzarella
Instructions
- My #1 Rule to cooking Italian food (or really any food)….Pour a glass of wine!
- Cook the Sausage: In a medium pan, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil on medium/high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add in the ground sausage and cook until browned. Line a plate or bowl with a paper towel and transfer the ground sausage.
- Toast the breadcrumbs (while the sausage is browning) in a small pan over medium heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 clove of minced garlic, cook until fragrant. Add in ¼ cup of panko breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown. Add in 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil.
- Cook the Peas: Place ¼ cup of frozen peas in a microwave safe dish with ⅛ cup of water and steam for 2 minutes. Strain the water and set aside.
- Heat the Liquid: In a small pot, add 1 cup of chicken broth & 1 cup of water and heat on high until HOT
- Cook the Rice: While the liquid is heating up, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter to a large pan over medium/high heat. When the oil is hot add in 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add in 1 cup of Arborio rice and toast with the garlic. Once toasted, add ½ cup of white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc) and ¼ tsp salt. Cook until wine is absorbed into the rice. Stir in your hot broth and bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Make the Creamy Sauce: While the risotto is simmering, add 1 Tbsp of oil to a medium pan (used for the sausage) over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add 1 cup of half & half cream to the pan, salt & pepper, and heat until boiling. Once boiling, remove from heat and add in ¼ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese and stir until melted. Add sausage and peas to the creamy cheese sauce.
- Once the rice is finished remove from heat and fold in the creamy cheese sauce mixture.
- Top with toasty bread crumbs and grated pecorino romano.
- Refill that glass of wine & enjoy!