Crab Risotto With a Garlic Wine Sauce

If you thought my Lobster Risotto was indulgent, get ready because you haven’t tasted anything yet. One bite, and you will be left speechless, and wanting more. This creamy, velvety, and delicious crab risotto is topped with a delicate, but flavorful garlic butter wine sauce, and served with a generous amount of meaty crab. Think dipping crab legs in butter—kind of delicious. A great recipe to make for a date night in, or if you simply want to treat yourself.

*This post is sponsored by Roland Foods https://rolandfoods.com/, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you for your support!

What You’ll Need For Crab Risotto

CRAB RISOTTO

• Arborio Rice – No, you cannot just grab the long-grain rice you have chilling in the pantry. The rice is the most important part of this dish. Arborio rice is a short-grain rice with high starch content, resulting in a rich and creamy risotto. Different varieties of rice have different starch levels, and in order for risotto to come together, you need to use high-starch rice. More starch = creamier risotto. While there are a few other types of rice that will work, Arborio rice is the most common and accessible rice used.
  
  For this recipe I used Roland Foods Arborio rice. Roland® is a purveyor of fine global ingredients and has been doing so for 85+ years. Roland’s Arborio rice has a high starch content, which is what we are looking for here, but also maintains a great chew (because no one wants a mushy risotto). Find Roland Foods’ Arborio rice to make delicious risotto HERE!
  
• Chicken Broth – Why are we using chicken broth instead of seafood stock or crab stock? Simple, to not overpower the dish. Even high quality seafood stock can be overpowering. It has a place and time, but that’s not here. Instead we get the crab flavor from adding 1lb of crab into the beurre blanc, which is folded in as you eat.
  
  The risotto portion of this recipe is basic so the chicken broth needs to be good. No low sodium, no watered down version, just good flavorful broth. My go-to is always Better than Bouillon.
• Wine – Best rule of thumb, use a wine you would drink. For this recipe you need a dry white wine. My recommendation and go-to is Sauvignon Blanc, but if you like Pinot Grigio more go with that.
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Shallot – Ah yes, onions sweet mild cousin.
• Parmesan Cheese – Just a touch, and before you turn away because I am mixing dairy with shellfish, the risotto needs it. Not only does it add a hint of nutty sodium to the dish, but it makes it super creamy. The recipe only calls for 1/3 of a cup so it won’t taste overly cheesy.
• Butter

CRAB GARLIC BUTTER WINE SAUCE

Ever make a beurre blanc? If you haven’t then this recipe might change the way you look at wine sauces. This technical French sauce might sound intimidating, but it is rather easy to make.

• Butter – You need a lot of it. Since I cook almost exclusively savory dishes, I use salted butter. If, by any chance, you only have unsalted, that works too; you just may need to add salt at the end. Cut the butter into tablespoons and keep it in the fridge until the wine has reduced (excluding the 1 tbsp in the beginning). The butter needs to be cold for the sauce to emulsify. Confused? Keep reading.
• Garlic – Fresh only!
• Wine – The same white wine you use for the risotto.
• Thyme – Optional, however it does add great flavor. This recipe only calls for 2 sprigs so if you don’t want to go out and buy a pack of thyme for 2 sprigs I absolutely understand.
• Crab – Jumbo lump crab, the kind you find in the refrigerator section, it’s expensive, but this dish is absolutely worth it. Lump crab is a good substitute, and it’s also easier on the wallet. The 1 lb serving means that this dish is swimming in crab, especially if you are serving three people. If you are making it for only two, 10-12oz works. See below for a breakdown of crab and why these two are the best options.
• Parsley – Fresh.
• Lemon – Just a wedge to brighten up the sauce and complement the crab.

Best Crab For Crab Risotto

You are committed… but you’re wondering what crab to buy. There are a few options, but also a few I would stay away from.

• Jumbo Lump Crab – What I used. This will give you the biggest pieces and that restaurant-quality result. It holds up well in the sauce, but it is the most expensive option. You can find it in the refrigerated seafood section or at the seafood counter.
• Lump Crab – A worthy second option that I’ve used several times. Smaller pieces, but it delivers the same flavor as jumbo lump crab. This is cheaper and can be found in the same place you’d find jumbo lump crab.
• Claw Meat – This could work, but you will get a stronger crab flavor. Make sure the version you are buying is refrigerated.
• Canned / Shelf-Stable – I’ve never had success with this. The flavor is off for this particular recipe, and the amount of shells I find is… just don’t do it.
• Imitation – This is not actually crab, but a fish paste. If you have some imitation crab lying around, you need to try my Spicy Kani Salad.

Tools Needed

• Wide Pan- The rice needs ample surface area to cook. A wide saute pan or even a braiser works for this dish. If you don’t have either a large skillet will also do.
• Large Skillet – To make the sauce.

How To Make Crab Risotto

The risotto portion of this recipe, is your basic, yet still flavorful, risotto making it a great one to save in the books. Not feeling crab? No worries, skip the crab and just make the beurre blanc, or even yet skip the wine sauce all together and just enjoy the creamy and delicious risotto as is.

RISOTTO

1. Sauté the base –Before you even put the pan to the stove, place the broth in a saucepan over low heat. A warm broth keeps the temperature of the risotto from dipping several times during cooking yielding in a better end product. Add 3 tbsp of butter to a wide pot or pan over low heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and fragrant, but not brown. If the garlic begins the brown the heat is too high.

2. Toast the risotto – Next, add the Arborio rice to the pan and toast it for 3-5 minutes until grains start to become translucent. Do not and I repeat do not wash the rice beforehand. Washing the rice will completely strip the rice of the starches, starch that is needed to make this dish creamy.

3. Add the Wine – Deglaze the pan with the wine, and cook until it is essentially gone. This will happen fast, 2-3 minutes.

4. Add broth– Add the warm broth to the risotto, but not all at once! For every cup of risotto, you need approx. 4- 4 1/2 cups of broth. Have extra on hand! I found with different brands of Arborio rice I needed + or – a cup. My rule of thumb is to pour just enough broth to cover the risotto, when the broth starts to dip below the grains it is time to add more.

5. Mix, add, shake – Mix 2-3 times per broth add. If you end up mixing more, no biggie! Also give the pan a mix or a shake midway to ensure the rice isn’t sticking to the bottom. I typically mix once right after I add the broth and like 2-3 times a few minutes later.

6. Add the Parm– In the last minute, right before all the broth has been absorbed turn off the heat. Throw in the Parmesan and combine.

GARLIC BUTTER WINE SAUCE (BEURRE BLANC)

1. Drain + Dry the Crab – Chances are the crab is sitting in water. Drain and dry the crab with a paper towel to absorb all the moisture. The crab is added to the sauce at the last minute so any excess moisture can water down the emulsified sauce.

2. Saute the Base + Add Wine- TTo a skillet add 1 tbsp of butter, leaving the rest of the butter in the fridge. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until it is soft and fragrant. Deglaze with wine and reduce for 6-8 minutes. You are looking for the wine to reduce in half, and completely cook out the alcohol taste.

3. Add the Butter- Throw in the thyme and one by one add the cold butter. Continuously whisk as the butter slowly melts into the sauce. Once one tbsp is half melted add another, and another. The sauce will begin to emulsify and thicken and will be cloudy in appearance. If at any point the sauce begins to break, turn off the heat, throw an ice cube in there and allow it to bring the temp down. The sauce will come back together and you can turn the heat back on and continue.

4. Add the Crab + Herbs – Once the sauce is silky and light golden in color add the crab, parsley and gently fold.

Trust me when I say making risotto is easy. To add a bit of a challenge you are also going to make this beurre blanc at the same time. You COULD make it before, but hold off on adding the crab until the risotto is ready. What could happen is some moisture from the crab could water down the sauce. It would still be delicious but it will lose its creamy consistency.

Tips On Making Perfectly Cooked Risotto

Let’s be real: risotto has gotten a bad reputation for being this impossible, high-maintenance dish. The reality is, it isn’t very hard to make. In fact, I consider it one of the easier dishes to prepare. Beyond the myths and rules, risotto is simply cooking rice gradually with a little extra attention and a few mixes (no, you do not have to constantly stir).

Below are some tips and tricks on cooking risotto that, when combined with my no-constant-stir approach, will help you successfully make this or any other risotto at home.

USE THE RIGHT RICE

I think I say it 30x in this post, but the rice that you choose can make or break this dish. There are a few types, but for the purpose of this dish the only one that you should be buying is Arborio. Carnaroli is another variety that makes excellent creamy risotto, but it much harder to come by (Roland Foods also has this variety on their site). Please don’t use long grain, or even worse do not use sushi rice. I know it is a short grain, but it is not the right short grain.

DO NOT OVERCOOK

Risotto should be al dente, not overly mushy or even worse hard. It is really easy to overcook risotto. One minute the grains are hard and the next they are a gluey mess. Risotto should be loose, when you place it on the plate it should spread just a bit. However, it shouldn’t be a watery or runny.

USE THE RIGHT PAN

As stated in “tools needed” the best pan for this is a wide sauté pan with a bit of a lip, or a braiser. Do not try and make risotto in a Dutch oven or sauce pan.

USE YOUR INTUITION

If you don’t know this already I cook with feeling not tablespoons. All the recipes on this site one way or another started with a pinch here and a taste there, then they are tested and true measurements are made.

Follow the recipe below, but cook with feeling. Taste the food as it is cooking, does it need more salt? (FYI different brands of salt have different saltiness levels). You used all the broth yet it is still a little hard, add a touch more broth. Don’t go making full substitutions, but trust yourself in the kitchen.

Recipe Video

How To Serve Crab Risotto

So you’re making this lovely risotto but are wondering what to serve with it. I’ve got options! If you are aiming for EASY, I’m talking low-effort side dishes or ones you can even prep ahead of time, check out my Warm Roasted Broccoli Salad, Beets & Greens, Crunchy Parmesan Kale Salad, or Honey Pancetta Brussels Sprouts.

If you want your side dishes to wow just as much as the entrée, you might be interested in my Insalata di Polpo, Roasted Beets over Whipped Feta, or Fritto Misto.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing / Reheating

Risotto is meant to be eaten fresh, right out of the pan. Unfortunately, it won’t reheat as well as you would hope, but leftovers can be stored in airtight containers (risotto and sauce separately) for 2–3 days in the fridge. When ready to reheat, place the risotto in a pan over low heat with a splash of broth to rehydrate it. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Reheat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until warmed through.

With that said, I’d make my Risotto Cakes with the leftovers.

If you are new here then you might not know about the other risottos on this site. Below are all of them, and trust me when I say they are all worth making in addition to this recipe.

Mushroom Parm Risotto // Kale & Pancetta Risotto
Lemon Parm Risotto // Cacio e Pepe Risotto
Spicy Vodka Risotto // Brown Butter & Sage Risotto
Creamy Tomato Risotto // Smoked Gouda Risotto
Lobster Risotto // Risotto alla Milanese
Risotto Carbonara // Corn Risotto
French Onion Risotto