Risotto will be instantly tastier with 1 'ingenious' recipe change

Risotto is a perfect dish to enjoy in the warm weather as it's light and refreshing. It can incorporate a range of fresh ingredients like tomatoes and seafood, but one "ingenious" recipe change can help to transform the dish.

The method enhances the whole meal as it allows the natural flavour of each ingredient to shine through. According to expert Naomi Pomeroy, from The Kitchn, using salt water instead of a broth will save both time and money. It also makes risotto tastier as broths or stocks can ocassionally overpower the other ingredients.

Naomi said: "That's right - instead of using broth or stock, you can season a pot of water to make your risotto. It's an ingenious tip on many levels."

She added: "Adding lightly salted water lets the delicate flavor of the rice shine and won't compete with the veggies, cheese, and/or seafood you add to your risotto."

She recommends using six cups of water and one tablespoon of salt for the recipe. Using salted water also gives you more control over the flavours of the final risotto dish.

Naomi explained: "If you're following a recipe, add the water as directed for stock - usually ladling a half a cup or so into the rice at a time and stirring in between.

"You can also heat up more salted water as you need it, reusing the same pot. When you're done, taste the risotto before adding any salty ingredients, like Parmesan or Romano cheese, to see if you need more or less seasoning."

Salted water helps to extract starch from the rice which helps create a more creamy risotto. You should always make sure to add enough water to prevent the rice from getting glued to the bottom of the pot.

It's important to monitor the risotto while it's cooking to make sure it's as flavourful as possible. Don't be afraid to add more salted water as you go along.