- After it’s toasted in butter until golden, the orzo is slowly simmered in a warm broth–water mixture — added incrementally while stirring — until creamy and al dente.
- Swiss chard stems are sautéed with shallots until tender and lightly browned, then the leaves are wilted and tossed with sherry vinegar, adding bright earthiness to the dish.
- Cubed Fontina cheese and freshly grated Parmesan cheese melt into the warm orzo and chard, creating a rich, cheesy, satisfying texture balanced by the greens.
For a quicker, less-finicky risotto that’s just as creamy as the original, look no further than this Orzo Risotto with Swiss Chard and Fontina. Toasting the orzo in butter first brings out its nutty flavor, which is further complemented by the Fontina. Stirring the pasta frequently throughout the cooking process releases its starches to create the dish’s signature creaminess. A full pound of Swiss chard is cooked separately and added at the end, offsetting the rich cheese blend for a particularly balanced bowl that needs little else to be a complete meal.
What kind of cheese is Fontina?
True Fontina is produced from raw cow milk under Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in the Aosta Valley region of Italy. It’s a semi-soft, light yellow cheese with numerous small holes (aka “eyes”) and a fat content of around 45%; its flavor is rich and nutty, starting off fairly mild and becoming sharper as it ages.
Italian cheese made in this style outside of the Aosta Valley may be labeled as “Fontinella,” “Fontella,” or “Fontel.” It has a lower moisture level than Fontinas from Denmark, Sweden, or the United States, as well as a natural rind that’s thin and tan to orange-brown. Milky, mild Swedish-style Fontina is made from pasteurized cow milk and is coated in red wax.
For the best combination of creaminess and flavor, choose a young, imported Fontina that will melt beautifully into the orzo.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- Orzo cooks more quickly than risotto’s traditional arborio or carnaroli rice, so be careful not to overcook it to avoid a mushy texture.
- Just as with rice-based risotto, allow the cooked pasta to rest for a few minutes off the heat before stirring in the chard and cheeses.
Suggested pairing
Savory Swiss chard and nutty Fontina will pair successfully with a crisp, lean Soave from Italy.
