Corn and Zucchini are the perfect pairing in this fresh and delicious risotto. The creamy yet crisp bite of sweet corn kernels and the dense texture and mildly grassy flavor of the zucchini make this a sure hit at any meal. Lemon zest and fresh thyme add a wonderful freshness. Finished off with Gruyere, Parmesan and a splash of cream- get ready for your new favorite risotto.

I have several recipes for risotto on Good Dinner Mom and have loved them all or they wouldn’t be here. Mushroom Risotto has long been at the top of the heap… until now. Fresh Corn and Zucchini Risotto is everything I want in a comforting, flavorful dish. A friend, upon trying a healthy sample of this risotto said to me “I wanted to only love the mushroom risotto, this is delicious!……. Post this recipe!” Here it is. Get ready to fall in love.

Ingredients in Corn and Zucchini Risotto-

Fresh corn- The beautiful yellow corn, fresh off the cob gives a sweetness and snappy pop in your mouth. Excellent when fresh corn is in season, however, I’ve used frozen yellow corn and loved it as well. I don’t recommend canned corn as it’s not as crunchy or flavorful.

Zucchini- The green, fresh flavor of the zucchini is excellent with the corn and the dense yet soft texture of the cooked zucchini pairs well with the chewy rice.

Leeks- I love the sweet onion flavor of leeks and they’re amazing in this dish. They compliment but don’t overpower the true stars of the recipe

Arborio or Carnaroli rice- These are my go to types of rice for risotto every time. I prefer Carnaroli when I can get it but arborio is more common and perfectly suitable. Carnaroli is just a bit more creamy and is considered the “king of Italian rice”.

White wine- Wine is classically added to most risotto dishes to give that slight tang. You may substitute a smaller amount of cider vinegar or omit it if you need to.

Lemon zest, salt, black pepper, and thyme- The lemon zest takes all the other flavors to a new level, as salt does when added to a recipe- acid will do that. And thyme is mildly pine-like flavor that you’ll appreciate. Salt and pepper do so much more than we realize for a dish, they enhance all the flavors beautifully.

Heavy cream, Gruyere cheese, Parmesan cheese- The cream and cheeses adds soft texture and a salty bite. Gruyere is rich and tasting, Parmesan has a nice sharpness. Both are nutty which blends so well with the other ingredients.

Vegetable broth- We have always been told that homemade is best, but I rarely remember to make it. So, buy a good organic broth, one that’s not too robust. If the broth is not too brown, it’ll be nice but not overpowering.

How to make Fresh Corn and Zucchini Risotto-

Thin sliced leeks saute in a large skillet or dutch oven. Just make sure your pan has a nice heavy bottom.

Zucchini is added and cooked to soften a bit and then the corn gets thrown in.

Add the lemon zest, thyme sprigs, salt, and white wine. Saute until the rice turns more white and a bit translucent.

The vegetable broth gets added a bit at a time. This is the part most people don’t like when making risotto but you can’t rush it. Adding about a cup at a time allows the rice to absorb it properly. Stirring as it absorbs helps the rice to also release it’s starch which contributes to the creamy texture.

As more broth gets added, the entire mixture gets thicker and bigger. Once most of the broth is added, stir in the cream and cheeses (this step isn’t shown here). Just before serving, top with fresh black pepper, stir in a bit more broth or cream if desired and serve with extra Parmesan on top.

Delicious all by itself as the main dish, serve with a nice salad and chunky bread. If you like it as a side dish, it pairs well with anything really. My friend who tested the recipe thinks it would be wonderful with steak, and I agree. It’s hearty enough to accompany steak on the grill! Serve this on the side of whatever protein you want or arrange bite size portions on top. Shrimp, salmon, chicken… or steak!

If you love this risotto and want to try more, be sure to check out my Mushroom Risotto, Pumpkin Risotto, Risotto with Orange Juice, AND if you love anything in your pressure cooker, check out my Famous Mushroom Risotto Recipe in the Instant Pot.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you try this recipe and come back for my other risotto recipes. I’m kind of addicted to them all.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Fresh Corn and Zucchini Risotto

This recipe is delicious all year round but especially in summer when you can cut fresh corn off the cob for the ultimate flavor and crisp texture. Zucchini is usually available year round and frozen corn will work well when you can't get corn on the cob. The risotto makes hearty servings and is a great meatless main dish or side dish to a light protein.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 499

Author Sally Humeniuk

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks white parts, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
3 zucchini small to medium, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup corn fresh kernels, cut off the cob or frozen
lemon zest from one large lemon, about 1 tbsp
4 thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1½ cup arborio or Carnaroli rice
1½ tsp fine sea salt or to taste
⅓ cup white wine
6 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water heated to a simmer
⅓ cup heavy cream
¾ cup gruyere cheese
⅓ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish
fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet over medium heat, heat the butter and oil. When the butter has melted, add the sliced leeks and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 more minutes. Add the corn, the lemon zest, and the thyme sprigs to the pan. Add the rice and salt, stirring often, until the rice grains are starting to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 medium leeks, 3 zucchini, 1 cup corn, lemon zest, 4 thyme sprigs, 1½ cup arborio or Carnaroli rice, 1½ tsp fine sea salt
Pour in the wine, and cook until wine has been absorbed. Begin adding the broth, a scant cup at a time- just enough to cover the rice, and stir until the broth is nearly absorbed. Stir in more broth a bit at a time, adding more after the previous amount is nearly absorbed, repeating this until the rise is tender but still tastes chewy, about 20-25 minutes. You should be able to see the rice transform as you're stirring and adding more broth. The grains will plump and whiten, becoming almost creamy.
⅓ cup white wine, 6 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water
When there's about a cup of broth left, taste a few of the grains, it should be firm and a little chalky at the center, add the cream, the gruyere, and the Parmesan and continue to stir until the cheeses are fully incorporated. At this time, add more of the broth to achieve a creamy consistency (you might not use all of it). Remove the stems remaining from the thyme sprigs at this time.
⅓ cup heavy cream, ¾ cup gruyere cheese, ⅓ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh ground pepper
Risotto will be creamy but shouldn't be runny. It will mound in a bowl and some of the creaminess will spread. If it seems too runny, continue heating through another minute or two.
Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls, adding extra Parmesan, and grating fresh black pepper before serving.

Equipment

1 large heavy-bottomed pot or pan a large straight sided skillet or a stock pot work well

Notes

Heating your broth before adding to the risotto- Preheating the broth helps the rice absorb it more quickly. You may either preheat in a saucepan that you pour from as needed or add 4 cups broth to a glass quart measuring cup then preheat in the microwave. After you've added a couple cups of the heated broth to the risotto, remember to add the additional 2 cups to the measuring glass and heat as needed before stirring more into the rice.
If you'd like to leave out the zucchini, this recipe is excellent with the corn but no zucchini. Increase the corn to about 1 1/2 cups, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Fresh Corn and Zucchini Risotto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 499 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Trans Fat 0.3g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 57mg19%

Sodium 811mg35%