Sweet Corn Risotto

Sweet Corn Risotto is a Summertime treat that shouldn’t be missed. Summer corn flavors infuse this entire dish when you use every scrap while cooking! Corn cobs that would normally be discarded bring extra sweetness and earthy flavor to this risotto, making each bite taste like pure farm-to-table bliss. And don’t even get me started on the texture combo. The kernels give the recipe a little crunch and freshness, while the creamy risotto is smooth and decadent – it’s giving budget-friendly… but make it summery!

What is Sweet Corn Risotto?

Oh, how I love a good risotto. This Italian dish is made from starchy, short-grain rice cooked in broth until all those lovely starches are released – giving the recipe its creamy, dreamy texture WITHOUT adding any cream. This sweet corn risotto is similar to my Parmesan risotto but with a summery twist! I shave the corn off the cob and use the bare cobs (yep, we use the whole cob here) to give the broth that sweet corn taste. White wine, butter, arborio rice, and Parmesan cheese round out the flavors, making this recipe a must-try this season.

Here’s what you’ll need to make sweet corn risotto:

Arborio Rice: This is the best, and most commonly used, rice for making risotto. It’s short-grain and super starchy. DON’T RINSE THE RICE before using it, or you’ll wash away some of the starch that makes risotto so creamy.
Corn Cobs: Use fresh corn cobs for this recipe, and save the cobs after you shave off the kernels. You can also use canned or frozen and thawed corn in a pinch (about 2 cups worth), but the broth won’t have the same fresh corn flavor without the cobs.
Sweet Onion: Choose a sweet onion, like Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui, if possible. They’re a bit milder and sweeter than yellow or white onions. However, yellow onions are typically cheapest- and they work great, too!
Butter: Use salted butter to give the risotto a little extra flavor.
White Wine: We don’t often add wine to our recipes because it hikes up the cost, so you can skip it if it’s not in your budget. However, if you can make it work, the wine adds a really nice depth of flavor. Use any crisp, dry white wine you like to drink. I usually use Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Don’t forget, you can freeze wine in ice cube trays for future recipes so nothing goes to waste!
Parmesan: The salty, nutty Parmesan cheese is the perfect finish to this summer corn risotto.
Vegetable Broth: Use homemade vegetable broth or your favorite store-bought variety. I used bouillon to keep costs low.

What Else Can I Add?

This sweet corn risotto recipe is delicious as-is, but it’s also the perfect base for adding other ingredients. Here are a few ideas:

This recipe is super simple to make, but risotto is a hands-on process – ain’t nobody denying that. You have to slowly add in the broth and continuously stir while it is absorbed until it’s time to add more. While it only takes about 20 minutes to do this, it’s not a recipe you can walk away from! To make things easier and save some time, I always prep the corn, onion, and shred the Parmesan in advance. They last well in the fridge, so all I have to do is add them in when it’s time to cook. Planning ahead helps!

Serving Suggestions

I love to serve my creamy corn risotto with roasted asparagus and tomatoes, quick garlic butter shrimp, or balsamic roasted vegetables.

How to Store Sweet Corn Risotto

This sweet corn risotto is best eaten fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop, stirring often, with a splash of broth or water to bring back its creamy texture. I don’t recommend freezing risotto purely because the texture doesn’t hold up well after thawing.

This Sweet Corn Risotto is infused with the flavors of summer! It’s comforting, simple, and budget-friendly cooking at its finest.

Author: Jess – Budget Bytes

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3 corn cobs ($0.99)
½ small sweet onion ($0.94)
3 Tbsp salted butter, divided ($0.42)
1 ½ cups arborio rice ($2.28)
¼ cup white wine* ($0.58)
5 cups vegetable broth ($1.45)
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese ($2.71)

Cut corn from cobs and chop the bare cobs in half. Dice the onion, and gather white wine*, shredded Parmesan cheese, butter, and arborio rice.
Add bare cobs and veggie broth to a pot and bring to a simmer on low heat while you prepare the risotto:
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion down until glossy.
Add arborio rice to butter and onion and toast for 1-2 minutes.
Add corn, cook for an additional minute.
Add white wine and cook down.
Add one ladle full of corn veggie broth and stir constantly. Wait until the broth is around 75% absorbed by the rice before adding the next ladle. Keep adding ladles of broth until all the stock is used and the risotto is creamy and complete. This step will take about 20 minutes in total.
Stir in 1 Tbsp butter and the Parmesan cheese. Serve with parsley or other fresh herbs (optional).

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

* If wine is not in your budget, it’s ok to skip it. If you can cook with wine, I recommend a crisp, dry white like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. An unoaked Chardonnay would also work in this risotto! There are super affordable bottles out there that are great for cooking ($5 for Yellowtail and even less dough needed if you pick up a single serving mini bottle!) Did you know you can also freeze wine in ice cube trays for cooking later, so you never waste a bottle?

Serving: 1servingCalories: 494kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 11gFat: 13gSodium: 1475mgFiber: 4g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

A fork scooping some sweet corn risotto off a plate.

how to make SWEET CORN RISOTTO – step by step photos

A knife slicing kernels off a corn cob into a bowl.

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn from 3 cobs into a large bowl. Carefully chop the bare cobs in half and set the corn kernels to one side for now.

The ingredients to make summer corn risotto.

Dice ½ a small, sweet onion into small pieces. Gather ½ a cup of Parmesan cheese, 3 Tbsp of salted butter (divided), a ¼ cup of white wine (if using), and 1½ cups of arborio rice.

Bare corn cobs and vegetable broth in a pot.

Add the halved corn cobs into a pot and cover with 5 cups of veggie broth. Bring the broth to a simmer over low heat while you prepare the risotto.

Melted butter and diced onion in a skillet.

Add 2 Tbsp of salted butter to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the diced onion to the butter and cook down until glossy. We don’t want the onion to brown or caramelize; we just want it to become fragrant and soft.

Arborio rice added to diced onions in a skillet.

Add 1½ cups of arborio rice to the skillet with the butter and onions. Allow the rice to toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Corn kernels added to arborio rice to make sweet corn risotto in a skillet.

Pour the previously prepared corn kernels into the skillet and cook for another minute.

White wine being poured into arborio rice and corn kernels in a skillet.

Add a ¼ cup of white wine to the skillet to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pan (known as deglazing). Stir and allow the wine to cook down for 1-2 minutes.

A ladle adding vegetable broth to sweet corn risotto in a skillet.

Slowly ladle 1 cup of hot corn veggie broth into the skillet with the rice, and stir until about 75% of the liquid has been absorbed.

A wooden spoon stirring sweet corn risotto in a skillet.

Add 1 ladle of broth at a time, stirring often, until the rice has mostly absorbed all 5 cups. This will take about 20 minutes in total. Your rice should be al dente, meaning it still has a slight bite to it. The risotto should also be creamy and not soupy.