Three Cheese Risotto

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. 

Three Cheese Risotto

Three words: Creamy. Cheesy. Heaven.

4.9 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 416 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

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.

Notes

Wait to add salt until after the dish is done cooking, the cheese will add a lot of salt. 

Nutrition information for estimation purposes only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 16gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 1139mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 532IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 287mgIron: 2mg

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Keywords: abrorio rice, cheesy, creamy, fontina cheese, Food, italian, italy, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, Recipe, rice, risotto, side dish, wine