If you haven't tried risotto made with potato then you're missing out! The smoky flavours of the smoked paprika and chorizo give this potato risotto a gorgeous Spanish flavour. It's easy to make and just as good as a traditional risotto made with rice. Delicious served with sea bass or any other white fish. It would also be great with chicken.
I'm calling this potato risotto recipe a risotto even though it has no rice in it. Instead of rice, I've finely diced up a few waxy potatoes to make potato rice. The 'grains' are not as small as rice but they still act in a similar way. The potato soaks up the stock and the delicious smoky flavours of the chorizo and smoked paprika. Because I've used waxy potatoes, they don't disintegrate into mush but enough starch comes out of them to thicken the remaining saucy stock. It's a delicious alternative to a traditional risotto.
The inspiration for this chorizo potato risotto
This chorizo potato risotto is inspired by the tv programme, Masterchef.
Before creating this recipe, I'd heard of potato risottos and loved the idea of making a risotto with finely diced potato rather than rice. So of course, when one of the contestants decided to make a potato, chive, chorizo and orange risotto with sea bream, I liked the sound of it.
Well, except for the orange juice, and neither did John and Greg! Of course, for my recipe, out went the orange juice, and in came some lemon juice as a replacement! I'm sure it would have been much more popular among the Masterchef judges, if only the contestant hadn't tried to be so 'interesting'!
Ingredient notes for chorizo potato risotto
Do check out the recipe card further down the post for the full recipe. Here are the ingredients you'll need though:
- Chorizo sausage - I've made this with regular chorizo and with vegetarian chorizo which is actually pretty similar. So, if you don't eat pork or are a pescatarian, this recipe is still possible.
- Garlic - Use fresh garlic or lazy garlic. You can even add garlic powder.
- Waxy potatoes - It's important to use wazy rather than floury potatoes. Floury potatoes will break up too much as they cook.
- Sweet smoked paprika - Also known as pimenton or Spanish paprika.
- Stock - I usually use chicken stock but vegetable stock works well too here.
- Herbs - I often use chives or parsley.
- Sea bass fillets - I have served the risotto with sea bass but you can replace it with a different fish or with chicken.
- Pinch black pepper - I love adding a generous amount of black pepper at the end.
- Lemon - A squeeze of lemon at the end really brightens up this dish.
How to make chorizo potato risotto
Do check out the recipe card further down the post for full details. First prepare the potatoes by peeling them and finely dicing them. Try to make sure the pieces are even sized so they cook evenly.
Heat a little oil in a saucepan and fry the chorizo for a couple of minutes till it begins to brown and releases oil then add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and then add the diced potatoes followed by the smoked paprika and the stock.
Keep stirring regularly as it cooks. At the same time pan fry the sea bass.
When the risotto is ready, stir in a little lemon juice and serve the sea bass on the risotto with the herbs sprinkled over the top.
Can you adapt the recipe?
Yes of course! You could use bacon instead of chorizo or even miss it out and just add extra smoked paprika. You could also add some onions or diced peppers to the risotto.
What kind of potatoes to use for potato risotto
It's important to use waxy rather than floury potatoes for this, as floury ones will disintegrate in the stock as they are in such small pieces. I know when you look at my picture, the pieces of potato don't look that small, but they did look small to me when I was chopping them up!
Storing and reheating
If you don't eat all of this potato risotto, the leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a saucepan with an extra dash of water or in the microwave.
Can you freeze it?
Yes you can. Wait until it has cooled and then freeze in individual portions. Let it defrost and then reheat in a saucepan or in the microwwave.
Recipe
Chorizo Potato Risotto with Sea Bass
Ingredients
- 60 g chorizo sausage diced
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 400 g waxy potatoes peeled and diced into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon pimenton (sweet smoked paprika)
- 200 ml chicken stock
- 10 g parsley or chives
- 380 g sea bass fillets
- Pinch black pepper
- 1 lemon
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a saucepan. Add the chorizo. Cook for about three minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the potatoes to the saucepan. Stir to cover in all the oil from the chorizo. Sprinkle with the pimenton.
- Add the stock, so the potatoes are just covered, but not swimming in the liquid. Bring to the boil then lower to a simmer. Cover the pan.
- Check the pan every so often and stir. If it does start to get too dry, before it is fully cooked, add a tiny dash of water from the kettle.
- It will take about 20 minutes for the potato to be fully cooked, soak up the flavours and become a little soft.
- During this stage, cook the sea bass. I like to fry in a little oil so the skin goes crispy, but you could grill or steam it.
- Just before serving, season with black pepper and squeeze in some lemon juice. Stir in the herbs too or sprinkle them on top when serving.
- Serve the sea bass on top of the risotto.
Notes
Nutrition
More recipes you might like
Why not try my monkfish wrapped in pancetta? It's another recipe inspired by Masterchef. You might also like this baked sea bass with lemon and olives.
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this chorizo and potato risotto. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Katerina
What an innovative idea to make potatoes as risotto! Also the combination of chorizo and sea bass is very unique too. This is a dish I would love to taste!
Corina
Yes, it is an unusual combination but I thought it went really well. It could just be me as I love chorizo!