Saffron & Yellow Tomato Risotto with Zucchini & Olives
Customer Favorite

Saffron & Yellow Tomato Risotto

with Zucchini & Olives

40 MIN
2 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
Find recipes that suit your lifestyle with our new nutritionist-approved dietary tags.
Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.
Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
To view a recipe's full nutrition information, head to your Upcoming page at blueapron.com, click on a specific recipe, then head to the Nutrition tab and select 'View Full Nutrition.' Nutrition Facts Panels are available up to 1.5 weeks in advance

From the Test Kitchen

We’re giving this classic, creamy Italian rice dish a few sophisticated twists by adding a pinch of saffron for complex flavor and stirring in yellow tomatoes for gorgeous sunny color. Zucchini sautéed with briny olives and a garnish of pecorino cheese finishes it off with even more gourmet flair.

Get Plans
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    710 Cals (est.)
View Full Nutrition
Nutrition Label
Download
fresh
ingredients
time-saving
tips & techniques
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the zucchini; halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel and finely chop the shallot. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop the olives. Place the tomatoes in a bowl; gently break apart with your hands. 

Cook the aromatics:
2 Cook the aromatics:

In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped shallot, half the chopped garlic, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.

Make the risotto:
3 Make the risotto:

Add the rice, saffron, tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 2 1/4 cups of water; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 17 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Add the butter and mascarpone; stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Cook the zucchini:
4 Cook the zucchini:

Once the risotto has cooked about 10 minutes, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the zucchini pieces in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the remaining chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped olives. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Serve your dish:
5 Serve your dish:

Serve the risotto topped with the cooked zucchini. Garnish with the pecorino. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the zucchini; halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Peel and finely chop the shallot. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop the olives. Place the tomatoes in a bowl; gently break apart with your hands. 

2 Cook the aromatics:

In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped shallot, half the chopped garlic, and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened.

Cook the aromatics:
Make the risotto:
3 Make the risotto:

Add the rice, saffron, tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), and 2 1/4 cups of water; heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 15 to 17 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Add the butter and mascarpone; stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

4 Cook the zucchini:

Once the risotto has cooked about 10 minutes, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the zucchini pieces in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the remaining chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped olives. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Cook the zucchini:
Serve your dish:
5 Serve your dish:

Serve the risotto topped with the cooked zucchini. Garnish with the pecorino. Enjoy!

Browse Steps
1 of 5