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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

    Leek Risotto With Goat Cheese

    Published: February 2, 2020 Updated: July 9, 2022 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 26 Comments

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    Close-up of creamy leek risotto in a pan.

    Looking for that perfect date night meal? Try this leek risotto with goat cheese! This comforting and delicious veggie risotto recipe comes together in about 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. No need to go out for dinner! Enjoy a restaurant favourite in your own kitchen!

    Close-up of creamy leek risotto in a pan.

    Risotto is one of my absolute favourite things to make.

    I love the whole process of making risotto.

    How ya gotta stick with it.

    How creamy dreamy it gets.

    And how delicious it tastes.

    Traditionally, risotto is made with Parmesan cheese (like mushroom risotto).

    Today though? I’m sharing this creamy risotto with goat cheese!

    Ingredients for Leek Risotto

    • Arborio rice
    • Vegetable broth
    • Wine (use something you enjoy drinking)
    • Butter
    • Olive oil
    • Leek
    • Garlic
    • Salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence
    • Goat cheese
    Ingredients for a leek risotto recipe.

    What Type of Rice Should I Use?

    Arborio rice is a popular choice for risotto. It’s a short grain rice and it’s readily available.

    You can find it in your supermarket usually where you would find rice or pasta (it usually comes in vacuum sealed packages).

    Arborio rice is super starchy, which is why risotto is so creamy dreamy delicious!

    And don’t rinse it! Normally when one would prepare rice, you’d give it a little rinse under cold water to remove that excess starch. Don’t do that here!

    Uncooked arborio rice in a glass bowl.

    How To Make Risotto

    Full details on how to make this leek risotto are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. Add broth to a saucepan and place over low heat to keep warm.
    2. Meanwhile, add butter and olive oil to a pan. Once butter is melted, add sliced leek, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the leek is tender and remove for use later.
    3. Add a little more oil to the pan and stir in rice and toast. Tip: We are not actually browning the rice here, just warming for a couple of minutes.
    4. Add wine and stir. Cook until absorbed.
    5. Pour in broth, about a ladle or so at a time. Stir after each addition of broth. Simmer/cook, stirring occasionally and add more broth as it’s almost evaporated. Continue this process. Tip: You want a medium simmer (not too low and not roaring). Stir occasionally.
    6. When rice is almost done (at about the 15-minute mark of cooking the rice), add leek mixture back to the pan, along with remaining salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Continue cooking rice a little longer until it’s rich, creamy, and al dente.
    7. Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, turn off the heat and stir in butter.
    8. Stir in goat cheese.
    9. Now it’s time to serve and enjoy this delicious leek risotto!
    Collage of steps to make leek risotto.

    How Do I Know When Risotto Is Done?

    Though this is a pretty easy recipe, it is a labour of love.

    You don’t put risotto on and leave it. You stay with it.

    And, if you’re like me, you sip wine whilst doing so!

    The key here is to add the broth in increments. Slowly add broth, stir, and simmer until it’s almost absorbed before adding more.

    What you are doing here is encouraging the starches to release from the arborio rice. We aren’t boiling rice here.

    Once the rice is added, the whole process can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes and you may not use every last drop of broth.

    Use visual and taste cues when making risotto.

    So, what should ya look for?

    The rice should be plump but still have a slight bite. You definitely don’t want the rice to be mushy, but you don’t want it raw either. Think like when you are making pasta — ya know, an al dente consistency.

    The consistency is creamy and will be even more so once the final dab of butter and goat cheese is added.

    Okay, tell me you don’t want to dive into that pan right now!

    Tight close-up of creamy leek risotto.

    Add More Flavour

    Garnish is always a good idea with whatever you are making. It not only adds visual interest but can add another element of texture, colour, and flavour.

    Upon serving, this leek risotto is lovely with any of these flavour boosters:

    • Sprinkling of lemon zest
    • Freshly chopped parsley
    • Finely minced chives
    • Thinly sliced green onion or
    • Toasted pine nuts
    Leek risotto in a white bowl on top of a black charger plate.

    Tips for Making This Risotto Recipe

    • Prep everything before starting! Everything moves along quickly once you start so have everything ready to go.
    • I used a herb/chive goat cheese to really amp up the flavour, but you could totally use regular if that’s what you have on hand or prefer.
    • Unsalted (no salt added) vegetable broth was used, but you can use water. You will be missing out on delicious flavour, though! Having said that, if you don’t have 4 to 5 cups of veggie broth on hand, you can dilute the broth with a little water.
    • If you use a regular broth or even a low sodium variety, you may want to adjust your seasoning accordingly.
    • Don’t skip keeping the broth warm. Why? If you add cold broth to hot rice, you’ll immediately bring the temperature down and slow down the whole cooking process.
    • Herbes de Provence was used (basically, a mixture of herbs, which could include basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme and sometimes others). You could use another herb, if you prefer, or a combo of what you have on hand. Sage and thyme work lovely with leek.
    • Don’t serve your perfectly cooked risotto in cold bowls. Warm ’em up a little! This is a great tip to warm bowls.
    • Enjoy immediately!! Risotto can lose its lushness as it sits. Don’t fret if it does! Add a little more warm broth to loosen.
    Forkful of risotto from a bowl.

    More Easy Recipes for Two

    • Creamy Blue Cheese Mushroom Pasta
    • Honey Mustard Salmon
    • Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta

    If you try this leek risotto with goat cheese, be sure to leave a comment below!

    Leek risotto in a white bowl on top of a black charger plate.

    Leek Risotto With Goat Cheese

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    Looking for that perfect date night meal? Try this leek risotto with goat cheese! This comforting and delicious veggie risotto recipe comes together in about 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. No need to go out for dinner! Enjoy a restaurant favourite in your own kitchen!
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Servings 2 (2 generous main servings or 4 appetizer/side servings)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 4.5 to 5 cups unsalted vegetable broth
    • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
    • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 large leek, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thinly into half moons (white, light green and tender darker green parts only, not the tougher dark green part), about 2 cups. Rinse well and drain before using as leek can contain debris/dirt between the layers.
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
    • 1 cup arborio rice
    • ½ cup white wine
    • ½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence, or dried thyme or sage
    • 1.5 tablespoons herb or chive goat cheese (or regular)

    Garnish Ideas (optional)

    • Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
    • Green onion, sliced thinly
    • Chives, minced
    • Toasted pine nuts
    • Lemon zest

    Instructions

    • Pour vegetable broth into a saucepan over low heat to warm through.
    • Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed sauté (or deep) pan over medium heat.
    • Once butter is melted, add leeks and garlic. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes or until leeks have softened. Transfer the leek/garlic mixture to a plate and set aside.
    • Add remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil to pan and stir in rice. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to coat rice in the oil. Do not brown rice.
    • Pour in wine and stir. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until wine has evaporated
    • About a ladle and a half at a time (about ½ cup or so), add vegetable broth to rice, stirring after each addition. You don't want the heat too low, nor too high (a medium simmer, not vigorous simmer, is what you should be going for). When broth has almost evaporated, continue adding more broth and stirring every so often, cooking the rice and encouraging the rice to release its starch as it cooks. (The starch in Arborio rice is what gives the risotto a nice, creamy consistency.)
    • After about 15 minutes (and when rice is almost done), return the leek/garlic mixture to the pan, and add remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt, remaining ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and herbes de provence. Stir.
    • Cook rice for about 5 minutes or so more (adding broth, as necessary) until rice is cooked to about al dente (not too mushy and not hard) and you've reached your desired consistency. Don't cook until all broth has evaporated. You want a bit of a looser consistency
      Note: You may not use all of your broth here. It generally takes about 4.5 to 5 cups until the rice is cooked and the consistency is reached.
    • After about 20 to 25 minutes of cooking rice (and when it's cooked), turn off heat. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and goat cheese. Note: If you feel like you need to loosen (or thin) things, add a touch more broth and just heat through.
    • Serve immediately into warm bowls. Garnish to taste (if desired) with parsley, green onion, chives, pine nuts and/or lemon zest. Enjoy! Yields two generous main course servings or 4 appetizer servings.

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword date night meal, recipe for two, valentine’s day dinner

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. vivian

      February 20, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      5 stars
      A lovely version of risotto. I had it for my main course, and the meat eaters had it with roast chicken. We all had some carrots on the side for a pop of colour and extra nutrition. Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
      • Dawn | Girl Heart Food

        February 20, 2022 at 10:17 pm

        Thank you very much, Vivian!! Sounds like a wonderful meal!! Happy you enjoyed the recipe!!

        Reply
    2. Marissa

      February 05, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      This gorgeous risotto is definitely happening for our next date night dinner! I looks so creamy and I can never get enough leeks!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:46 pm

        Yay! Me too! Hope you enjoy, my friend 🙂

        Reply
    3. Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl

      February 05, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      Loving these flavor combos! The tanginess of the goat cheese packs a huge punch, I’m sure!! So creamy…the perfect Valentine’s Day meal! <3

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:45 pm

        Totally! Thank you Haylie 🙂

        Reply
    4. Laura

      February 05, 2020 at 1:22 am

      5 stars
      I love risotto so much, Dawn, it’s a wonder I don’t make it more often. This looks so creamy and satisfying, and I completely love the addition of goat cheese! Beautiful dish perfect for Valentine’s Day!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:43 pm

        I do too!! Thank you Laura 🙂

        Reply
    5. Valentina

      February 04, 2020 at 5:23 pm

      Risotto is one of my all time favorite dishes. So comforting and I love how you can make it was any flavors. The leek sounds amazing. I love the whole process, too! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:43 pm

        Same here! Thank you Valentina!

        Reply
    6. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      February 04, 2020 at 5:02 pm

      How delicious!! This is definitely perfect for a romantic date night at home!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Definitely! Thank up Heidi!

        Reply
    7. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      February 03, 2020 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      Dawn! I love to serve risotto when I’m feeling extra FAN-cy! This one with leeks is extra fancy! Definitely perfect for date night. All of that stirring and simmering takes patience, but man it is so worth it!! So clever to use goat cheese instead of parmesan too! Happy Monday pal!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        Lol…right?? Thank you Katherine!!

        Reply
    8. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop

      February 03, 2020 at 11:21 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect comfort food! I love risotto and the creamier the better. This looks so delicious and perfect for a nice dinner for two….or five! 🙂

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:40 pm

        I agree! Thank you Kathy!!

        Reply
    9. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers

      February 03, 2020 at 8:24 pm

      5 stars
      I love risotto, but I don’t think I’ve ever made one with leeks, so this one is going on my list for a meal soon. And of course, goat cheese makes everything better!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:39 pm

        Totally! Thank you Jennifer! Hope you get a chance to try it out soon!

        Reply
    10. Matt - Total Feasts

      February 03, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      I’m just in the process of planning valentines meal, and I’m so happy I read this. My other half loves both risotto and leeks, so this is perfect!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:39 pm

        Woo hoo! Thank you Matt! Hope you both enjoy :)!!

        Reply
    11. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen

      February 03, 2020 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      What a delicious date night meal Dawn! Tom and I both LOVE risotto. Adding this one to our menu soon. Pinned!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:38 pm

        Yay! Thanks Mary Ann! Enjoy 🙂

        Reply
    12. [email protected]

      February 03, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      This is one good looking risotto, my friend! Creamy and dreamy is where it’s at!! Pinned! xoxo

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        February 10, 2020 at 12:38 pm

        You’re so sweet! Thank you Annie! XOXO

        Reply
    13. David @ Spiced

      February 03, 2020 at 9:19 am

      5 stars
      Using goat cheese instead of Parmesan!? What a cool idea! I love risotto, and we haven’t made it in ages. In fact, we still have arborio rice in the pantry, so all I need to do is pick up some goat cheese. The texture of this must be super creamy! This really would be an excellent date night in dinner. Great idea!!

      Reply
    14. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen

      February 02, 2020 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      I’m swooning! I love leeks, I love risotto. I HAVE to try this soon! (And I have to try your mushroom risotto too!) Hope you’re having a great weekend, Dawn!

      Reply

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