Steak and Blue Cheese Risotto
Steak and blue cheese risotto features a rich, creamy, and slightly tangy risotto topped with juicy pan-seared sirloin tip steak and lightly sweet balsamic mushrooms.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 garlic cloves
- 12 oz arborio rice or orzo (about 1¾-2 cups)
- 8 oz small mushrooms (like baby bellas, white button, or cremini), sliced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt, divided
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper, divided
- ¼ c balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 lb thinly sliced flank, skirt, or sirloin tip steak (look for thin cut)
- 1 Tbsp plant or reduced fat butter
- ¼ c blue cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Warm the chicken broth in a sauce pot over medium-low heat.
- In a separate large sauce pot, heat ½ tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute until fragrant. Add the rice and toast lightly for 2-3 minutes, or until transparent. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir in 1 ladle of broth and simmer over medium-low heat until the broth is absorbed. Add another ladle of broth and stir. Repeat the process as the broth is absorbed, stirring with each addition, until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Note, you may not use all of the broth.
- While the rice is cooking, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions. Cook, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes, or until they begin to brown in spots. Add the mushrooms, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms begin to release their liquid.
- Use the vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook the onion mixture for another 5-6 minutes, or until the vinegar is mostly reduced. Transfer to a small bowl. Cover and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
- Pat dry the steak. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in the same pan as the mushrooms. Once the oil is hot, add the steak and sear on one side for 2-3 minutes. Flip and sear another 3-4 minutes on the other side. You may need to sear longer depending on the thickness of your steak and desired doneness. You also may need to cook the steak in batches to not overcrowd the pan. We cooked our steak in 3 batches. Transfer cooked steak to a plate and tent with foil to finish cooking.
- Once the rice is tender, remove it from heat. Stir in the butter. Add the blue cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Finish with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Slice the finished steak. Divide the risotto among plates. Top with steak and mushroom mixture. Garnish with fresh herbs, like chives or parsley, sliced green onions, or additional blue cheese, if desired. Enjoy!