🇮🇹 Italian · Soup
🍚 Risi e Bisi
Risi e Bisi
A springtime Venetian dish sitting somewhere between a soup and a risotto, sweet fresh peas and rice simmered together in broth until thick and comforting, traditionally served with a spoon.
Historically served to the Doge of Venice on the feast of Saint Mark, risi e bisi occupies its own particular texture category — looser than risotto but thicker than soup — and depends heavily on genuinely sweet, fresh spring peas.
Ingredients
Equipment: Wide, heavy-bottomed pan, Ladle
- 300 g (1½ cups) Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
- 600 g (1.3 lb) fresh peas, shelled (or 400g/14oz frozen)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 80 g (3 oz) pancetta, diced
- 1.2 L (5 cups) vegetable or chicken stock, hot
- 60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, divided
- 60 g (¾ cup) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Melt half the butter in a wide pan and sauté the onion and pancetta until softened.
- Add the peas and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter and vegetables.
- Begin adding the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring frequently, similarly to making risotto but with more liquid overall.
- Continue for about 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the mixture has a loose, brothy consistency, looser than a typical risotto.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining butter and Parmigiano.
- Finish with fresh parsley, season to taste, and serve immediately in shallow bowls, eaten with a spoon.
Chef Tips
- The best version depends on genuinely sweet, fresh peas — this dish is traditionally made in spring when peas are at their peak.
- Keep it looser than a standard risotto; risi e bisi should be eaten with a spoon, not a fork.
- Add the stock a little more generously than you would for risotto, since the final texture should be noticeably soupier.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Making it too thick, missing the dish's characteristic loose, brothy texture.
- Using old, starchy peas rather than young, sweet ones, which changes the character significantly.
- Treating it exactly like risotto rather than allowing for its slightly different, soupier consistency.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Peas provide fiber, plant protein, and vitamin C.
Cultural Note
Risi e bisi holds a special place in Venetian history, traditionally served to the Doge on the feast of Saint Mark, the city's patron saint, each April 25th.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Best eaten fresh, as it thickens considerably upon standing.
Reheating: Reheat gently with extra stock or water to loosen back to the right consistency.
Serve with: A light Venetian white wine