I recreated a white fish risotto that left a big impression on me during our trip to Portugal. This version brings out the natural creaminess of the rice and pairs perfectly with the light flavors of scallops and white fish. Since it doesn’t use much butter or cheese, it’s not too heavy and easy to enjoy.
Even though I used simple ingredients like fish stock, the flavor was well-balanced—and my husband, who traveled with me, said, “It tastes just like the one we had in Portugal!”
Ingredients
| Uncooked rice | 300g / 10.6 oz |
| Raw cod | 3 pieces |
| Scallops | 6 |
| Fish stock(I used Ajinomoto, but any brand works) | 1/2 tsp |
| Water | 1L / 33.8 fl oz |
| Onion | 1/2 |
| Garlic | 1 clove |
| White wine | 100 ml / 3.4 fl oz |
| Olive oil | 3 tbsp |
| Butter | 1 tbsp |
| Parsley /Black pepper / Parmesan cheese | for garnish |
How to Make
1⃣ Prep:
Finely chop the onion and garlic.
Remove any bones from the cod, lightly sprinkle with salt, and pat dry with paper towels.
In a small pot, heat 1 liter of water and dissolve 1/2 tsp of hondashi. Keep warm—this will be your risotto broth.
2⃣ Sauté aromatics:
In a separate large pot, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil over low heat. Add the minced onion and garlic and sauté slowly until translucent (do not brown).
3⃣ Toast the rice:
Add the unwashed rice to the pot and cook on low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring until the rice becomes slightly translucent.
4⃣ Add white wine:
Pour in 100ml(3.4 fl oz) of white wine, raise the heat to medium, and stir until the alcohol evaporates.
5⃣ Add the broth gradually:
Start adding the warm broth a ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Each time the rice absorbs the broth, add more. Continue this process over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
(Don’t stop stirring, or it might stick to the bottom!)
6⃣ Cook the seafood:
In a separate pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the cod and scallops and cook until done (it’s okay if the fish breaks apart a little).
7⃣ Combine:
Add the cooked fish and scallops to the risotto and mix everything gently.
8⃣ Garnish & serve:
Top with parsley, black pepper, or Parmesan cheese if you like.
In Porto, we had risotto several times—it was so good! But the portions were huge and the cheese was quite rich, so I made this at home with a lighter, cheese-free finish. Of course, you can add cheese if you like. This dish also goes really well with a glass of chilled white wine.
In Porto, we stayed in an apartment-style accommodation near tourist spots that we found on Booking.com.
Since we ate out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we chose to save on accommodation instead.
While the apartment was budget-friendly, it had some inconveniences—like having to carry our luggage up the stairs and going out to find a laundromat. But overall, it helped us cut costs.
The apartment had a kettle and small kitchen, so I remember making tea in a thermos every day to save on drink expenses!
We had the most amazing white fish risotto at a restaurant called Impar Flores—this recipe is based on that dish.
I remember the portion was quite large, and we were so full afterward that walking back home was a bit of a challenge!
Another memorable place was Tapabento, a stylish Portuguese bar-style restaurant.
We had cataplana, a seafood stew, and it was delicious!
We hadn’t made a reservation, so we lined up nervously before opening. When we told the staff, “We don’t have a reservation…,” they smiled warmly and said, “We’ll give you a special seat!”
They seated us at the counter with a view of the train platform—it was such a lovely experience.
If this made you hungry, share it on Twitter/X!
Tag me if you try it—I’d love to see your version! 🍽✨
