This Risotto with Spinach Cream is a creamy stovetop rice dish made with arborio rice, fresh spinach, heavy cream, and Parmesan. It comes together in about 35 minutes on a single burner. The spinach gets blended into the cream before it’s stirred in, which gives the whole pot a smooth, velvety finish that coats every grain of rice.
It works well for a weeknight dinner when you want something filling that doesn’t require a long ingredients list (the active time is mostly just stirring). I’ll usually serve it with crusty bread or a quick green salad on the side. If you like creamy spinach dishes, this Homemade Cheesy Creamed Spinach and this Easy Spinach and Ricotta Puff Pastry Pie are both worth a look.
If you like creamy spinach recipes, these are worth saving too:
- Homemade Cheesy Creamed Spinach
- Easy Spinach and Ricotta Puff Pastry Pie
- Egg Muffins with Spinach and Bacon
- Butternut Squash Feta Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
Arborio rice is the one ingredient you really can’t swap. It has the high starch content that gives risotto its creamy consistency as it absorbs broth. Fresh spinach works better than frozen here (frozen releases too much liquid and thins out the cream).
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Ingredients
1½ cups arborio rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups fresh spinach, tightly packed
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Step-by-Step Guide
The key to smooth risotto is patience with the broth. Add it warm, one ladle at a time, and give the rice time to absorb each addition before the next goes in.
Directions
- Pour the broth into a small saucepan and set it over low heat.
You want it hot when it goes into the rice, not cold. Cold broth added to hot rice disrupts the starch release and slows cooking.
Keep it at a low simmer while you prep everything else. - Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook until completely soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Don’t rush this step. The onion needs to be fully softened before the garlic goes in, or the garlic will start to brown while the onion is still catching up.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. - Add the arborio rice to the pan and stir well to coat it in the butter and oil.
Toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the edges of the grains look slightly translucent.
This builds a light shell on each grain that helps the rice absorb broth gradually instead of all at once.
It’s a small step that makes a real difference in the final texture. - Add one ladleful of warm broth to the pan and stir until it’s fully absorbed before adding the next.
Keep the heat at medium and stir consistently throughout. This is the part that takes real patience (you can’t walk away for more than a minute at a time).
Continue adding broth one ladle at a time for 18 to 22 minutes total.
The finished rice should be tender with a slight bite, coated in a thick, glossy sauce. - While the last few ladles of broth are absorbing, add the fresh spinach and heavy cream to a blender.
Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
If the blender struggles to move, add a small splash of warm broth to help it along.
The cream should be fully green with no visible spinach pieces. - Once the rice is cooked through, reduce the heat to low and pour in the spinach cream.
Stir well to combine, then add the remaining tablespoon of butter and all the Parmesan.
Keep stirring until both are fully melted in and the risotto looks glossy.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If it’s too thick, stir in a small splash of warm broth. - Spoon into warm bowls and serve immediately, with extra Parmesan on the side.
Serve & Enjoy!
Important Recipe Notes
- Use fresh spinach, not frozen. Frozen spinach releases too much liquid even after squeezing, and makes the cream thin and watery. Fresh spinach blends into a more vibrant green with a cleaner flavor.
- Keep the broth warm throughout. Adding cold broth drops the temperature of the pan and disrupts the starch release that makes risotto creamy. Keep a small pot on low heat the whole time you’re cooking.
- Don’t skip toasting the rice. Two minutes in the pan before the broth goes in makes a real difference. Toasted grains hold their shape better and don’t turn soft and mushy.
- Stir consistently. You don’t need to stir without stopping, but don’t leave the pan for more than a minute. Consistent stirring is what creates the creamy texture.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice thickens as it sits, so stir in a splash of broth when reheating on the stovetop over low heat.
- Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Everything else in the recipe is already meat-free.
How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe
Serving: Spoon into warm shallow bowls while the risotto is still loose and steaming. Extra Parmesan grated over the top is the simplest garnish. A drizzle of olive oil or a small handful of toasted pine nuts adds a nice textural contrast if you want it.
Storing: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The rice will absorb the remaining liquid as it cools and thicken considerably. Stir in a splash of broth or water over low heat when reheating to bring it back to the right consistency.
Customizing: Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half if you want something a little lighter (the texture will be thinner but still works well). Stir in a handful of frozen peas with the spinach cream for extra color. Pan-seared chicken thighs or shrimp served on top both pair well if you want to make this a bigger meal.
Risotto with Spinach Cream
Course: Recipes4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
1½ cups arborio rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups fresh spinach, tightly packed
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
Directions
- Warm the broth in a small saucepan over low heat; keep it simmering throughout.
- Cook onion in olive oil and butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute.
- Add rice, stir to coat, and toast for 2 minutes until the edges of the grains look translucent.
- Add warm broth one ladle at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next, for 18 to 22 minutes total.
- Blend fresh spinach with heavy cream until completely smooth. Add a splash of warm broth if needed.
- Stir in spinach cream, remaining butter, and Parmesan over low heat until glossy. Season to taste and loosen with broth if needed.
- Spoon into warm bowls and serve immediately with extra Parmesan on the side.
