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Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto

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WW Freestyle Points 10
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Calories 351kcal

40 Comments

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto is the perfect lighter, gluten free side dish. The combination of lemon zest and fresh basil gives it a rich, delicious flavor!

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto in a black pan.

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This Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto is the perfect side dish that feels decadent while being made with great ingredients! It has light lemony flavor + is super simple to make. Perfect when served alongside Lemon Rosemary Crockpot Whole Chicken or your favorite roasted veggies!

A gold fork holding up a bite of Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto

Before I started my site, I had never made risotto because I always thought it was really labor intensive. I had heard that you need to cook it for hours and use loads of butter/heavy cream to make it taste yummy.

(that rumor is false, btw)

One day I decided to give it a try without using loads of unhealthy fats and without spending all day slaving over the stove. And it came out so yummy!

A pan full of healthy lemon basil risotto with a wooden spoon taking out a serving.

Healthy Pumpkin Mushroom Risotto was the first type of risotto that I ever made, but I wanted to try something that used lots of citrus and herb (my favorite flavor combo!) so I came up with the recipe for this Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Ingredients for healthy lemon basil risotto

What makes this risotto healthy?

  • Less fat – traditional risotto is made with heavy cream, butter, and lots of cheese. I used less cheese and cooked the risotto low and slow in broth to achieve a rich texture without a ton of fat
  • Minimal ingredients– This recipe only has 10 ingredients, all of which you probably already have in your fridge or pantry! 

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto in a black pan.

Tips for making healthy risotto

  • Stir. Make sure to continuously stir the risotto to avoid it from burning
  • Cook over low heat. Be sure to cook the risotto low and slow – you don’t want to over cook it!
  • Use good quality cheese. You don’t want to be using parmesan from the green bottle in this recipe! Get a real block of parmesan and grate it yourself for best results 🙂

A black pan filled with healthy lemon basil risotto. A wooden spoon is off to the side of the pan scooping out a serving.

Substitutions for this risotto

  • Wine: You can omit the wine and substitute it with chicken stock if you prefer to not cook with alcohol
  • Basil: You can substitute basil for your favorite herb. Parsley, sage or oregano will all be delicious! I highly recommend using fresh herbs!
  • Pumpkin – If you’re looking for other healthy risotto recipes – try this Healthy Pumpkin Mushroom Risotto

Other healthy side dishes you might like:

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto in a black pan.
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4.17 from 6 votes

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto

Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto is the perfect lighter, gluten free side dish. The combination of lemon zest and fresh basil gives it a rich, delicious flavor!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword healthy lemon basil risotto, healthy risotto
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 351kcal
WW Freestyle Points 10
Author The Clean Eating Couple

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup onions chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 cup white rice dry
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in pan. Add in onions and garlic to olive oil. Sauté until translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
  • Add in rice, 2 cups of broth, wine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes on high until the rice starts to absorb the liquid.
  • After rice has simmered, stir in remaining broth, cheese, herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest and spices. Stir constantly on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until rice has absorbed all liquid and is creamy.
  • Remove from pan, top with chopped fresh basil (optional) and enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions for this risotto
  • You can omit the wine and substitute it with chicken stock if you prefer to not cook with alcohol
  • You can substitute basil for your favorite herb. Parsley, sage or oregano will all be delicious! I highly recommend using fresh herbs!

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts
Healthy Lemon Basil Risotto
Amount Per Serving (0.5 cup (approx))
Calories 351 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 13mg4%
Sodium 752mg33%
Potassium 308mg9%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 15g30%
Vitamin A 150IU3%
Vitamin C 9.9mg12%
Calcium 171mg17%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Looking for help with eating healthy?Check out our 4 Weeks of Clean Eating Guide!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Kristy @ Southern In Law

    This looks so fresh and delicious – and easy too!

    We loveee risotto and make it with a whole lot of different flavours and adds ins, however, Jesse’s favourite has to be my boscaiola risotto with ham, mushrooms and scallions!

    Reply

  19. Isabel Mead

    5 stars
    Delicious! I prefer to make it with the white wine but my younger children refuse to eat it when I do. Instead, I use vegetable stock (a couple of good quality stock cubes are fine) until the rice is nearly ready then switch to using almond milk (because my eldest daughter is a vegan). This has proved really popular with the whole family. The little ones & I add parmesan at the end but my eldest just adds a bit more lemon zest, juice & pepper. Win, win!!!

    Reply

    • The Clean Eating Couple

      So glad you like it, Isabel!! Love the tweaks you make to the recipe + that you can make it work for your whole family!!

      Reply

  20. Ann

    5 stars
    Great flavour combo. I changed the method slightly. I added the rice and gently sautéed until grains were translucent . I then added wine to deglaze the pan before adding stock. I also added roasted pine nuts at the end.

    Reply

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