Sausage and Roasted Pepper Risotto

Creamy Arborio risotto with roasted red pepper, sweet Italian pork sausage, lemon, and Parmesan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 yellow onion, halved and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 sweet Italian pork sausages
• 1 chicken stock concentrate
• 1 lemon
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the produce. Dice the onion, chop the garlic, and thinly slice the bell pepper. Combine the stock concentrate with 3 cups hot water.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook until softened and lightly browned, 4–5 minutes.
3. Toss the bell pepper with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper on one side of a baking sheet. Add the sausages to the other side. Roast until the pepper is tender and browned and the sausage is cooked through, 15–20 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a cutting board.
4. Add the garlic and rice to the pan with the onion. Stir until the rice is translucent at the edges, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup stock and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Continue adding the remaining stock ½ cup at a time, stirring between additions, until the rice is al dente and creamy, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Zest and quarter the lemon. Slice the sausage on an angle.
6. Stir the Parmesan, half the lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and butter into the risotto. Divide between bowls and top with the sliced sausage and roasted pepper. Finish with the remaining Parmesan and lemon zest, and serve with lemon wedges.