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This risotto with apples recipe makes a great fall entrée or side!

I love pairing apples and cheese. Sliced apples with gouda, grilled cheese with apples, a bit of cheddar in my apple pie crust, and now . . . this autumn risotto with apples. This recipe is perfect for fall weeknights when you want something simple, seasonal, and delicious. It’s really just my basic risotto recipe with different cheeses and the additional step of sautéing and flambéing apples. I’ve been on a flambéing kick lately courtesy of several French cookbooks I’m working my way through. Anyways, pair this cheesy, creamy risotto with a simple green salad and prosecco or hard cider for a lovey fall feast. It also makes a great side dish – especially paired with pork.

Looking for more risotto recipes? Try my creamy risotto with shrimp.

Notes on Autumn Risotto with Apples

Preparing the Apples

The first step of this recipe is to prepare the apples (honeycrisp or granny smith). Then you can set them aside while you prepare the risotto. This step is quite simple, you simply sauté the apple slices in butter for a few minutes and then flambé them with a bit of liquor. I consider the flambé step optional but I do think it adds a bit of flavor and fun.

How to Flambé: New to flambéing? No worries – it is quite simple. You add alcohol to the pan and then light it on fire. Cognac and brandy are both good choices for this step. If you happen to have Calvodos, an apple brandy, even better! To light the booze, I just toss in a match and stand back. You can also use a grill lighter or long fireplace matches. You then shake the pan back and forth until the flame burns out – this will take less than a minute.

A Couple of Safety Notes: First, turn off the burner before adding the liquor to the pan. Second, have the pan lid on hand in case you need to smother the flames. Third, it is a good idea to have a pot holder on hand too in case the pan handle is hot. Speaking of the pan, select a large skillet with a long handle, steep sides (and a lid). For the alcohol, you should use a 80 proof liquor (40 percent alcohol) – lower proofs won’t work and higher proofs (i.e., above 120) are very flammable and should not be used (too dangerous). Here is longer article on how to flambé safely.

Why Flambé? The first dish I tried this with was Julia Child’s Roast Chicken in Port Wine Sauce. I had roasted and carved the chicken and prepared a lovely port wine and mushroom sauce. I thought I was done but then I realized there was one last step – put the roast chicken in pan and flambé it with cognac. My husband and I debated whether it was worth getting another pan out and how much of a difference this step would add to the flavor. In the end, I went for it, and I do believe it added a bit of extra cognac flavor to the bird.

That is generally the stated purpose of flambéing – it allows you to impart the flavor of a liquor while burning off most of the alcohol. You can also get some nice caramelization or browning. Lastly, there is the dramatic effect. How much it really changes the flavor seems to be debatable.

Want more practice flambéing? Try Steak Diane or Bananas Foster. Both are classic recipes that use the technique!

Preparing the Risotto

If you’ve never made risotto, do not fear. Despite conventional wisdom, it’s actually quite easy. The only real trick is patience – you must be willing to spend 20 minutes standing over the stove stirring your rice mixture as you slowly add stock. If you are new to the process you might want to read my more detailed notes on making risotto.

Cheese Selection: Parmesan is the typical risotto cheese choice but for this recipe, I mix it up. I experimented with various mixes of Parmesan, Fontina, Cheddar, Gruyere, and Gorgonzola. We liked the Parmesan and Fontina mix the best.

Rice Selection: Carnaroli rice is best for risotto if you can find it. I’ve been ordering Roland carnaroli rice in bulk lately. Arborio rice also works well – you can find it in the supermarket.

Suggested Pairings: This dish can be served as an entrée with a simple green salad. You can also serve it as a side. I think it goes especially well with pork. We paired it with brats the other night for an Oktoberfest feast. If you are imbibing, you can pair it with a hard cider or the rest of the sparking wine called for in the recipe!