Recipes › Seafood › Crab and Shrimp Risotto Recipe

Crab and Shrimp Risotto Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This elegant Crab and Shrimp Risotto Recipe combines two premium seafood proteins in a creamy, luxurious Italian preparation. The shellfish are folded in at the end to preserve their delicate texture, while the risotto absorbs the briny seafood essence. A dish worthy of special occasions or when you want to elevate your weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

• 300g Arborio rice (1½ cups)
• 200g fresh lump crab meat (7 oz)
• 200g large shrimp, peeled and deveined (7 oz)
• 1 small white onion, finely diced (100g)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 150ml dry white wine (⅔ cup)
• 1 litre seafood or chicken stock, kept warm (4¼ cups)
• 50g unsalted butter (3.5 tablespoons)
• 40g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (⅓ cup)
• 30ml extra virgin olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Juice of ½ lemon (15ml)
• 4-5 fresh basil leaves, torn
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Pinch of saffron threads (optional, 0.1g)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil and 15g butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent but not browned.

2. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the Arborio rice and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, coating each grain with oil and butter. The rice should appear slightly translucent at the edges.

3. Deglaze the pan by adding white wine and stirring until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. If using saffron, add it now by steeping in 50ml warm stock first, then incorporating.

4. Begin adding warm stock one ladle at a time (approximately 250ml per ladle), stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue for approximately 18-20 minutes until rice is creamy yet al dente.

5. Meanwhile, season shrimp with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat with 10ml olive oil and 10g butter. Sauté shrimp for 1-2 minutes per side until just opaque, then transfer to a plate. Season crab meat gently with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

6. When rice is creamy and al dente, remove pan from heat. Fold in remaining 25g butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano, stirring gently for 30 seconds to create a glossy mantecatura (emulsion).

7. Gently fold the crab meat and cooked shrimp into the risotto, along with torn basil and any accumulated juices from the shrimp plate. Stir gently for 20 seconds, being careful not to break up the shellfish.

8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice if needed. Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, garnished with a small basil leaf and light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Substitutions

• For shellfish allergy: substitute with firm white fish (halibut, cod) cut into small pieces, added in the final step
• For dairy-free: replace butter with additional extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano with nutritional yeast (30g)
• For vegetarian: replace seafood with 150g mushrooms (cremini, porcini) and 150g artichoke hearts, sautéed separately and added at the end
• For white wine: use additional seafood stock or dry vermouth in equal volume

Tips

• Toast the rice briefly in oil and butter before adding liquid—this helps each grain stay separate and creates better texture
• Keep stock at a gentle simmer in a separate pot; cold stock will shock the rice and interrupt even cooking
• Stir risotto every 30-45 seconds rather than constantly; vigorous stirring releases too much starch and makes it gluey rather than creamy
• Add seafood at the very end to avoid overcooking; shrimp becomes rubbery and crab meat loses its delicate texture if heated too long

Risotto with seafood, particularly Risotto ai Frutti di Mare, is a celebrated preparation in Northern Italy, especially in coastal regions of the Veneto and Liguria. The technique of mantecatura—the final vigorous stirring to create an emulsion—is fundamental to Italian risotto tradition and distinguishes it from other rice dishes.

You might also like

Crab Arancini Recipe

75 min · Seafood

Crab Linguine Recipe

35 min · Seafood

Crab Ravioli Recipe

65 min · Seafood

Crab Stuffed Flounder Recipe

38 min · Seafood