Risotto base proportions
Risotto is one of the most structured dishes in Italian cuisine: a few rules, always the same, carved by time. The calculator above applies the canonical proportions used by professional chefs:
- Rice: 80 g per person (standard) or 100 g (main course / generous portion).
- Broth: 3.5 times the weight of the rice. This is the average ratio to reach the all'onda consistency without running out.
- Dry white wine: 30% of the rice weight, to deglaze right after toasting.
- Butter for mantecatura: 15% of the rice weight, cold and cubed.
- Parmigiano: 20% of the rice weight, freshly grated.
These are the base ratios for a white risotto. They shift slightly with very flavourful ingredients (gorgonzola, nduja, marrow) or for cheese-free mantecatura (seafood risottos), but they're the starting point for almost every recipe in our cookbook.
How much rice per person: 80 g or 100 g?
The most common question. The answer depends on three things: who is eating, what comes before or after, and how the risotto is dressed.
- 80 g — the canonical starter portion in a full menu (antipasto + first course + main). Also the right amount for very rich risottos (marrow, porcini, truffle).
- 100 g — generous portion, ideal as a main course, for big appetites or for "lighter" risottos (lemon, herbs, asparagus).
- 70 g — tasting portion, only valid as part of a multi-course meal.
Below 70 g the portion feels skimpy; above 110 g it becomes heavy and loses the elegance of a starter.
Common dose mistakes
- Not enough broth. Preparing less than 3× the weight of the rice forces you to stop cooking early. Better extra: leftover broth keeps in the fridge for a day or freezes well.
- Too much wine. More wine doesn't mean more flavour: excess adds acidity and stops the rice from toasting properly.
- Skimping on butter. Mantecatura needs cold fat to emulsify. Below 12% of the rice weight the risotto stays dry and grainy.
- Eyeballing the Parmigiano. Too much cheese makes it stodgy and prevents the wave from forming.
Now that you have the doses, pick a recipe
Over 70 traditional Italian risotto recipes, from Milanese to Truffle, from Squid Ink to Pesto.
Browse the cookbook →Frequently asked questions
- How much rice per person for risotto?
- 80 grams per person as a starter, 100 grams for generous portions or main course.
- How much broth do I need to cook a risotto?
- About 3.5 times the weight of the rice. For 320 g of rice (4 people) prepare 1.1-1.2 liters of hot broth.
- How much Parmigiano should go into risotto?
- 20-25 g per 100 g of rice — about 60-80 g for 4 people. Too much makes the risotto heavy and stops the wave from forming.
- How much white wine to deglaze a risotto?
- About 25-30 ml per person, roughly half a generous glass for 4. It must evaporate completely before adding broth.
- Can I use this calculator for any risotto recipe?
- Yes. The base doses (rice, broth, wine, butter, Parmigiano) work for almost every traditional recipe. Only the extra ingredients change — the structure stays the same.
- How much butter for mantecatura?
- 15% of the rice weight, fridge-cold and cubed. For 320 g of rice, 48 g of butter.