This creamy and delicious smoked haddock risotto is easy to make, tastes great, and a fantastic way to enjoy haddock. Risotto is a one pot meal made with rice, and with the addition of green vegetables and fish, it's a great option for a healthy and filling dinner.
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Risotto is perfect comfort food, and this healthy fish risotto is packed with amazing flavors. The added peas and spinach add a pop of color, and gives the dish a great texture too.
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Why you'll love it
- Easy risotto with fish
- A delicious one pot meal
- Easy to customize to suit your preferences
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or special occasions
- A great way to eat smoked haddock
Ingredients
Smoked haddock: Use boneless fish fillets if possible. However, you can use frozen fish if you defrost it before use.
Chicken stock: A flavorful liquid used to cook the rice. You can also use vegetable stock instead.
Onion: White, yellow or red onions all work well. Use leek for a milder alternative.
Seasoning: Salt, black pepper and thyme add flavor to the dish.
Peas: Use frozen or canned peas. If you're using canned peas, you should drain them first. Frozen peas can be added directly to the risotto, or thawed beforehand.
Lemon: Lemon juice adds a lovely tang that pairs well with fish. To enhance the lemon flavor, you can also add lemon zest.
Risotto rice: Also known as Arborio rice. It's important that you use the correct type of rice, as long grain rice like Basmati or Jasmine won't work as well.
Parmesan: Grated Parmesan cheese adds a great flavor, and makes the risotto more creamy.
Garlic: Added for flavor. Can be omitted.
Milk: Milk is great for poaching fish. Use skim milk, or a dairy free option like oat milk or soy milk.
Spinach: Fresh spinach adds fiber and color to the dish. You will have to use a large quantity, as the leaves wilt down quickly.
Instructions
You can find full instructions + ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page
One: Sauté diced onion and garlic in a small splash of olive oil or water in a large pot.
Two: Add milk and smoked haddock fillets to your pot. Leave these to simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 minutes, then flip the fish and repeat on the same side. Remove the fish from the pot, discard the fish skin, and leave the fillets on the side for now.
Three: Add risotto rice, thyme and about a quarter of the chicken stock to the pot. Leave the risotto to simmer on medium heat while stirring regularly until the rice has absorbed the majority of the liquid. Add more chicken stock. Repeat this process until all the liquid has been absorbed.
Four: When the rice has absorbed the majority of the chicken stock, taste to make sure that the rice has softened. If not, you can keep adding more stock.
Five: Add grated Parmesan cheese, peas, spinach, and flaked haddock to the pot. Stir to incorporate the ingredients evenly.
Six: Season the risotto with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, and serve.
Top tips
- Don't leave the risotto unattended. You need to stir continuously, or at least very regularly, to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Always cook the risotto on low to medium heat.
- The milk can curdle if you overheat it, so make sure to cook it on a low temperature. If you're worried about this, you can replace the milk with additional chicken stock, or remove the milk after you cook the fish in it.
- Poaching smoked haddock in milk adds a sweetness, and makes the fish really tender.
Serving suggestions
Risotto is a one pot dish that's typically served on its own. Smoked haddock risotto is best served as a main course for lunch or dinner. You can pair it with a salad or vegetable side dish if you prefer.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair it with:
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Variations
Other vegetables: You can add other soft vegetables to the risotto if you wish. Keep in mind that the vegetables have to be added at various stages depending on how long they need to cook. Kale, zucchini, mushrooms, leek, chopped parsley and corn could be excellent options.
Other fish: Change things up, and try this recipe with other types of fish. Haddock, tilapia, cod and hake would all work perfectly fine in this recipe.
Seasoning: Feel free to try different types of seasoning. Any fresh or dried herbs can work well. You can also buy fish seasoning mixes in the supermarket, which could taste nice in a risotto.
Equipment
To make risotto, you will need a large pot. I like to use a cast iron pot, but any pot will work. You don't necessarily need a lid, as you will need to stir to rice almost continuously.
A slotted spoon can also be handy for removing the fish from the pot, but you can also use a large wooden spoon or tongs for this.
Storage
Store leftover smoked haddock risotto in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 2 days. It's important that you refrigerate the dish as soon as it cools down.
Although it's technically safe to freeze the risotto, I don't recommend doing so, as I find that the fish and rice both have unpleasant textures after thawing.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. If the risotto is stored correctly, you can reheat it in a pot on the stove top or microwave, and serve the leftovers later.
No. Risotto must be cooked slowly on a low temperature to get the best consistency and texture. If you increase the cooking temperature in an attempt to speed up the process, you risk ruining the dish.
Natural cold smoked haddock naturally turns yellow. Chemically smoked haddock is often dyed yellow in order to make it look more authentic. Undyed smoked haddock is typically white.
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Recipe
Smoked Haddock Risotto
Equipment
- Cast Iron Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless smoked haddock fillets
- ½ cup arborio risotto rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup peas
- ½ lemon (juice only)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups spinach
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Sauté diced onion and garlic in a small splash of olive oil or water in a large pot.
- Add milk and smoked haddock fillets to your pot. Leave these to simmer on low to medium heat for about 2 minutes, then flip the fish and repeat on the same side. Remove the fish from the pot, discard the fish skin, and leave the fillets on the side for now.1 pound boneless smoked haddock fillets
- Add risotto rice, thyme and about a quarter of the chicken stock to the pot. Leave the risotto to simmer on medium heat while stirring regularly until the rice has absorbed the majority of the liquid. Add more chicken stock. Repeat this process until all the liquid has been absorbed.½ cup arborio risotto rice, 3 cups chicken stock
- When the rice has absorbed the majority of the chicken stock, taste to make sure that the rice has softened. If not, you can keep adding more stock.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese, peas, spinach, and flaked haddock to the pot. Stir to incorporate the ingredients evenly.½ cup peas, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups spinach, 1 pound boneless smoked haddock fillets
- Season the risotto with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, and serve.½ lemon
Video
Notes
- Don't leave the risotto unattended. You need to stir continuously, or at least very regularly, to make sure that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Always cook the risotto on low to medium heat.
- Store leftover smoked haddock risotto in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 2 days. It's important that you refrigerate the dish as soon as it cools down.
Nutrition
Food safety tips
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw fish
- Wash hands after touching raw fish
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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