Making Risotto: Onions or Shallots?

Butter is the traditional fat used to begin a risotto, but, as Giuliana tells us in this segment, you can use olive oil instead, or a combination of the two. Learn why shallots are the preferred kind of onion to use, and what you can substitute if you don’t have shallots on hand.

Next we move on to toasting the rice—and watch for the important transformation that shows it’s time to start adding the broth.