Indulge in the creamy goodness of Three Cheese Risotto. A delightful side dish with mozzarella, parmesan, and fontina.
If you are a fan of risotto and cheese then you will love this dish. Perfectly cooked risotto is delicious enough but add a little wine, freshly shredded mozzarella, parmesan and fontina cheeses and you have an absolutely scrumptious side dish. Seriously, if I were to pick three words to describe this dish they would be: Creamy. Cheesy. Heaven.
My experience with risotto is pretty limited. I’ve eaten it a few times at restaurants and while we were in Italy. I have also watched people make it on a few occasions yet I was always intimidated by the process. However, after a few attempts at it myself I realized the reward of the creamy risotto is well worth the work that goes into it.
And when I say work, I don’t mean that you’re slaving away in front of the stove for hours on end but it does require you to gradually stir in one ladle of hot broth at a time. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. But trust me when I tell you, its not much work for the creamy delicious result.
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it.
Three Cheese Risotto Ingredients:
For the best results for this dish, I highly recommend that you buy blocks of cheese and then grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients added to it that prevents it from melting smoothly.
- ARBORIO RICE: This Italian rice is a must when making risotto. When cooked it has a very creamy texture compared to other rice.
- CHICKEN BROTH: Stirring hot broth into the rice gradually is going to give you the creamy consistency. Use low sodium chicken broth because the cheeses will be salty.
- WHITE WINE: Because the flavor will be concentrated make sure to use something you like to drink out of the bottle. If you want to omit the wine, you can simply add an extra 1/4 cup of chicken broth.
- BUTTER: To saute the rice.
- YELLOW ONION: Will add a subtle oniony flavor and texture to the dish.
- MOZZARELLA CHEESE: Will give you that delicious cheese pull that you love with a creamy dish.
- FONTINA CHEESE: This Italian cheese has a rich, buttery flavor and a creamy texture. It melts extremely well and makes a great addition to this risotto.
- PARMESAN CHEESE: Adds salty umami flavor.
- SALT AND PEPPER: You likely won’t need a lot of salt because there is so much cheese in this risotto. But several grinds of fresh black pepper are perfect!
- PARSLEY: Totally optional garnish.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions:
Making risotto can seem a bit intimidating but it really isn’t. The biggest tips I have are to keep the broth warm on low heat and add it gradually. You’ll also want to stir it pretty consistently to really get that creamy texture.
- STEP #1: Heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Reduce to low and let simmer.
- STEP #2: Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted add in onions and cook until they are translucent.
- STEP #3: Stir in the rice and coat it in the butter. Pour in the wine and cook it until it absorbs.
- STEP #4: Pour in one ladle of broth. Stir consistently until liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process, one ladle at a time until the broth is absorbed.
- STEP #5: Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses. Continue stirring until they melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Storage and Leftovers:
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days. To reheat you can add a little broth and heat in the microwave. You can also place a bowl of risotto in a steamer basket over a large pot of boiling water. Cover and cook until the risotto is warmed through.
This Three Cheese Risotto makes a great side dish, but it is also pretty filling and can be a meal on it’s own with a side salad.
Looking for more cheesy recipes? These are some of my cheesiest!
The Best Stovetop Mac and Cheese is made with three different cheeses and done on the stovetop. It’s creamy, cheesy and destined to be a family favorite!
Hot, cheesy and full of flavor, this Beer Cheese Dip is sure to be a hit at your next party. Serve with soft pretzels, crostini or chips.
Herb Mushroom Cheese Bread is loaded with sautéed mushrooms, 2 cheeses and fresh herbs. It’s perfect for Game Day!
Note: Originally published in 2010. Updated with new photos, step by step photos and nutrition information in 2025.
Servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (like pinot grigio )
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat chicken broth over medium heat. Reduce heat to low while you prepare the rice.
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until they are translucent. About 5 minutes.
- Stir in rice just until it is coated in the butter. Do not brown. Pour in wine and cook until wine absorbs. Pour in one ladle of hot chicken broth. Stir consistently until liquid is absorbed. Repeat process, one ladle at a time, until all broth has been absorbed by the rice.
- Remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella, fontina and parmesan cheese until they melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand a few minutes. Serve.
You’re welcome, Gina! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!! :)
We made this recipe tonight and loved it! Only reason I gave it 4 stars is because, for us, it was too cheesy. We ended up making another batch with no cheese and stirring them together. We are 100% saving the recipe but doubling the rice, wine and stock!! Thank you!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed them!
Delish! I made it with grated mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and parmesean…so good! I also added fresh parsley for a spark of brightness! Will definitely make again! (I would NOT add any salt as the cheeses have enough salt in them.)
So happy to hear that, Lori!! :)
This was a big hit…the only changes I made were the types of cheese I used.
I just used what I had: mozzarella, Asiago and Parmesan.
It was soooooo good!
So happy to hear that Hava! You’re welcome!
This is the ultimate comfort food! Recipe worked perfectly and everyone loved it. Not a grain left.
Swapped the the fontina for gouda since that’s what I had on hand.
Thanks so much!
Tracie- Oh that is good to know! I’m sure that has happened to others too, it’s good that you were able to fix it! I am glad you enjoyed it :)
Lesson learned: do not cook on ultra heat burner. It cooked too fast and didn’t get done. I had to add more liquid and cook it longer. My mistake though! Great recipe!
Very delicious! Making it for the family on Easter
So happy to hear that!!
I made this and everyone loved it. Great recipe. Easy to make.
Hi Vivian! I would think that you could double it without any issues but the cooking time might be longer.
Can The Recipe, Be Doubled?~~
[…] recipe adapted from lifesambrosia.com […]
Hi Kaleigh! You could use vegetable stock instead :)
Is there a vegetarian alternative to using the chicken stock?
A great dish, filling too… We made side dish portions and everyone went away happy.
Haha I know how the early thing goes. I’m glad you liked this! :)
Sorry… meant to explain that we doubled the recipe and so, pretty much, the recipe is amazingly cheesey as is. Wow… it’s still early. : )
Made this Friday night and it was yummy!!! I will say that I am a cheese fanatic. But we only used 1 cup of each of the 3 cheeses (3 cups total) and it was plenty cheesey. I love risotto. It’s so easy, filling, and a great comfort food.
Thanks Memoria! I would usually say chicken broth is a good substitute but since there is already chicken broth in the recipe you can simply omit the wine.
Thanks Michelle!
I agree Lydia :)
The great thing about learning to make risotto is that all variations are made exactly the same way. Master the method, which is really not hard, and you will be able to make risotto with anything you have on hand. Very good ingredients are the key, as there are so few ingredients in the dish.
I still have not tried to make risotto, but I wish I had a huge helping of yours. Love all that cheesy goodness!
Is there a non-alcoholic substitute for the wine?
This is the type of risotto I want, with three cheeses. I’ve yet to make risotto, so I hope mine comes out as fantastic as yours.