Cheap and Healthy: This Ingredient is the Perfect Rice Substitute for Risotto!

No risotto without rice, or so your best friend from Milan might argue when you mention the slightly whimsical recipe that follows. Considering “risotto” literally translates to “little rice,” it’s hard to prove him wrong. Typically made from starchy varieties like Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano, rice is key to the dish’s creamy texture, making it hard to envision a risotto without it.

However, Simone Zanoni has discovered an exceptional substitute. To reinvent this classic from Northern Italy, the chef has highlighted an inexpensive legume grown in France—yet often overlooked in cooking due to a lack of culinary creativity. Packed with plant-based proteins, low glycemic index, fiber-rich, and loaded with minerals, especially iron (though not as absorbable as that from blood sausage, but still valuable), the Puy green lentil AOP is a nutrition powerhouse that deserves a more frequent spot on our plates—not just when grandma cooks up her traditional pot-au-feu.

Chef Zanoni begins his green lentil risotto by gently sweating 60g of carrots and 60g of diced yellow onions in a drizzle of olive oil without browning them. He then adds 2 cloves of peeled garlic and 400g of pre-rinsed Puy green lentils, followed by deglazing with a glass of dry white wine. Next, he adds 250ml of hot vegetable broth and lets it simmer gently over low heat for 25 minutes until the lentils are al dente. He sets aside three-quarters of the lentils and continues cooking the remaining quarter, which he blends into a smooth cream to help bind the dish. He then returns the reserved lentils to the pan, coats them with the lentil cream, and adds 50g of frozen peas, a bunch of chopped flat-leaf parsley, 60g of grated Parmesan cheese, and a splash of olive oil. After adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper, the dish is ready to be served hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan. A light, balanced, and delicious recipe that even traditional trattorias might envy!

With his rice-free risotto, Simone Zanoni demonstrates that it’s possible to creatively reinterpret an icon of Italian cuisine without losing its essence. He swaps rice for lentils, tradition for innovation, without sacrificing any of the generosity. The result is a dish as creamy and authentic as the original, rich in flavor and healthy nutrients. It’s enough to make you swap your wooden spoon for a ladle… and to say a thousand thanks to our Puy lentils!