This one comes from a risotto Riccardo made on a Saturday, with the saffron we had in the pantry, weekend sausage and the thyme we grow on the balcony. He left the wine out of the recipe because our son eats it too, and set aside some sausage to pan-fry until crispy and scatter on top, instead of losing it all inside the rice. The bright yellow color comes from real saffron, no coloring added.

Why there's no wine (and what to use instead)

White wine in a risotto is there to deglaze: it adds acidity and lifts the base flavors off the bottom of the bowl. If you leave it out for kids, or simply don't have any at home, a ladle of boiling stock at the same point in the recipe does the job. The result isn't identical (you lose a bit of that tangy edge), but it stays just as creamy and well bound: it's not a compromise, it's an equally valid variation.

Why part of the sausage browns in the bowl and part separately

In the base, the crumbled sausage releases its fat together with the shallot: that fat flavors the rice from the inside throughout cooking. But simmering in liquid for a long time softens it and it loses its crust, blending into the risotto.

That's why we set a handful aside: pan-fried separately over high heat, it stays crispy outside and juicy inside, just like in the photo. It's the same logic behind the asparagus tips we brown separately in the asparagus risotto: a contrast in texture that the bowl alone can't give you.

Why saffron goes in at the end

The threads (or the powder) contain delicate aromatic compounds that break down under prolonged heat: if saffron simmers for the whole 12-14 minutes of cooking, you lose both color and aroma. Dissolving it separately in a ladle of hot stock and adding it only in the last two minutes keeps all of its character.

Fresh thyme goes in raw

Thyme leaves lose their aroma if they cook for too long: fold them in when finishing with butter and Parmigiano, not before. The whole sprigs you see on top in the photo are a garnish: easy to remove before eating, but in the meantime they scent the dish right as it's plated.

Variations

With speck: crispy cubes instead of sausage for the topping, a bolder pairing.
With luganega sausage: leaner than regular sausage, gives a less fatty but equally flavorful result.
Without saffron: becomes a sausage and thyme risotto, still excellent, useful if you don't have any saffron at home.
With pumpkin: if you like this combination, the pumpkin risotto also lists sausage as an autumn variation.

Storage

Risotto is best served right after finishing. If you have leftovers, the next day it makes a great base for arancini: shape them, coat them in breadcrumbs and fry them, or cook them in the oven or air fryer.

Ingredients

300 g risotto rice (Carnaroli)

200 g pork sausage, skinned and crumbled (for the base)

50 g pork sausage, crumbled (to pan-fry separately, for topping)

680 g meat or vegetable stock, boiling

1 sachet of saffron threads (or 0.2 g powder)

1 small shallot (about 20 g)

20 g extra virgin olive oil

30 g cold butter from the fridge, to finish

40-50 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano

a few sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves picked, plus a few whole sprigs to garnish)

salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Dissolve the saffron in a ladle of hot stock set aside, stirring until it dissolves. Set aside

Put the peeled shallot in the bowl and chop it. Scrape it down to the bottom with the spatula

⏱ 5 secvel 5

Add the oil and the 200 g of crumbled sausage and brown it, reverse mode

⏱ 4 minvel 1🌡 120°C

Add the rice and toast it, reverse mode

⏱ 2 minvel 1🌡 100°C

Deglaze with a ladle of boiling stock instead of wine, through the lid opening, reverse mode: this keeps the risotto alcohol-free and safe for little ones too

⏱ 1 minvel 1🌡 100°C

Pour in the remaining boiling stock and a pinch of salt (the sausage is already flavorful). Stir well with the spatula to release the rice from the bottom. Cook, reverse mode, at Soft speed (spoon symbol), resting the basket on the lid instead of the measuring cup: check the time on the rice packet, usually 12-14 minutes

⏱ 12-14 minvel soft (spoon)🌡 100°C

Meanwhile, in a small pan over high heat, brown the 50 g of sausage you set aside until nicely crisp. Keep warm

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the stock with the dissolved saffron

Turn off the Thermomix, add the cold butter in pieces, the Parmigiano and the thyme leaves, and gently fold everything together with the spatula

Close the lid and let the risotto rest in the bowl before serving

⏱ 2 min

Plate the risotto and top it with the crispy sausage you set aside and a few whole thyme sprigs

Tip

Always add saffron right at the end, never let it simmer for long: prolonged heat dulls both its aroma and its color. The same goes for fresh thyme: fold the leaves in raw at the end, not during cooking. To deglaze without wine, a ladle of boiling stock is all you need: the result stays just as creamy.

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