The flavors of sweet corn, tangy roasted cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil make this Sweet Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes taste just like summer in a bowl.
This risotto is summery AF. There’s no way around it.
Sweet corn, perfectly ripe cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil play so, so well together.
The sweet corn flavor factor is amplified in this risotto, because in addition to using corn kernels, I also used about a cup of pureed corn in place of some of the broth. It takes up a little extra time, but is well worth it.
In search of even more risotto goodness? This Avocado and Corn Risotto is also pretty dang summery. You can’t go wrong with Beer, Cheddar, and Sausage Risotto, IMO. And, really. Pumpkin Risotto is appropriate at all times of the year, no matter what anyone else says.
The flavors of this risotto was inspired by this recipe found on Celebrating Sweets.
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 ears of fresh sweet corn, shucked
- 2-4 tbs vegetable or chicken broth
- 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh basil, cut into ribbons
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
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Combine the halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and salt and pepper on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour, checking after 30 and 45 minutes, to ensure that they aren't burning. Set aside to cool once done.
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Cut the kernels off of the 4 corn cobs.
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Blend ~1 cup of the kernels in a blender or food processor with 2-4 tbs of broth. Use just enough broth to make a mostly smooth puree. Set the pureed corn and other kernels aside for a few minutes.
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Heat the 5 cups of broth in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer and then turn it to low.
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In a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the garlic and remaining corn kernels. Sauté until the garlic is very fragrant.
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Add the Arborio rice and stir so that every grain gets coated in the olive oil and butter. Allow the rice to toast a bit, stirring occasionally. Once it starts to smell nutty, add the pureed corn. Stir occasionally until almost all of the puree has been absorbed by the rice.
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Turn the heat off under the broth, and add a couple of ladles to the rice. Stir occasionally until, again, almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the risotto is creamy and the rice is no longer al dente.
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Add the Parmesan cheese, stirring until it has been incorporated. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
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Top the risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
Notes:
- You can substitute ~3-4 cups of frozen corn (thawed) for the fresh corn, if needed
- You may or may not need to use all of the broth
- To test whether the rice is still al dente, take a bite
Love love love risotto! I think I could eat it every.single.day. No joke. This looks delicious with the addition of corn and tomatoes.
Thank you, Dawn! I feel the exact same way. I love to make and eat risotto so much!
OMG Risotto is one of my all-time favorite dishes but I never thought to do a summer version with fresh corn. This is the ultimate summer comfort food!
Thank you, Anne! Risotto is one of my favorites, too. And you’re right, corn and cherry tomatoes do make this the ultimate summer comfort food 😉
Recently we went to a vegetarian restaurant in St. John, New Brunswick and I ordered the fresh corn risotto with burst cherry tomatoes. It was so delicious I decided to try and find a recipe with which I could duplicate it. THIS is the one!! A true taste of summer, now in the waning months of the season. Will be making this again and again in summer when our cherry tomatoes are at peak! Thank you!!