I think savoy cabbage is so pretty with its lacy leaves and bright green color. I saw this recipe and I wanted try it out. My first roadblock was lack of Arborio rice. When I opened my bag of rice it wasn’t fresh any more. It smelled completely rancid! First step: send my P.S. (Passionate Shopper/ spouse) for fresh rice. While I waited for rice, I’d start chopping the condimenti ingredients.
A condimenti is simply anything used to enhance flavorings in a dish. The cabbage, onion, carrot and sausage sautéed together would provide all kinds of flavors to the basic risotto recipe. I heated a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and sautéed the sliced sausage until it was nice and browned in places. Those caramelized meat flavors would be stunning in the risotto. I set the sausage aside in a dish.
I shredded the carrot next then tried to shred the cabbage. That just wasn’t working for me, so I cut it into fine pieces and did a further rough chop to make the pieces smaller. If you can shred the cabbage, go for it! My methods did work just fine for the finished dish.

Prepare condimenti: sauté onions and carrots in olive oil for several minutes. Add savoy cabbage and marjoram and sauté until cabbage is al dente to your preference.
In a separate skillet I added the olive oil, carrots and savoy cabbage and stirred occasionally.
Then I read the recipe again and realized I’d sautéed in the wrong order. Carrots and onion should have gone first, followed by the cabbage. Oh well, it worked fine. I added the onion to the carrot and cabbage, then added the marjoram and let it sauté until the cabbage was wilted and still slightly crunchy. You can judge the amount of crunch you want in your dish. I liked a little texture to this risotto.

Sauté onion in butter until translucent. Add rice and sauté for several minutes until center of rice is white.
Meanwhile, my P.S. had returned with the Arborio rice. I’d added the butter and more chopped onion to a large skillet and sautéed it for a few minutes until it was translucent. I added the rice and cooked it for several more minutes until the centers of the rice were white.
I added the white wine and let the rice simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine was almost completely absorbed.

Add 1/3 cup scoops of warm broth, allowing each to absorb before adding another scoop. Stir occasionally
I had my chicken broth heating in a kettle and added it by scoops to the rice. As each scoop was absorbed I added another.
When the rice was still slightly al dente, I added the Parmesan and stirred well.
Next I added my condimenti to the skillet and stirred it into the risotto.
I let the condimenti cook and blend into the risotto for several minutes, adding more broth as needed. I did use almost all of the chicken broth, although the recipe had suggested there would be broth leftover.
I taste tested for seasoning, found it was just right and served dinner.
My P.S. loved the dish, although at first he thought the rice was still crunchy. I pointed out the crunchy bits were the Savoy cabbage and we agreed it was an interesting change from our traditional risotto. With the addition of the cabbage, it loses the creamy texture of a regular risotto. Not such a bad thing, as it is flavorful and totally satisfying served as a meal in itself. And so very colorful!
Sausage and Savoy Cabbage Risotto
- 2/3 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 onion; chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; shredded
- Condimenti:
- 8 oz sausages; sliced
- 2 cups Savoy cabbage; shredded
- 1 carrot; chopped finely or shredded
- 1/2 onion; chopped
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- In medium saucepan heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until transparent.
- Add rice and sauté for 2–3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir.
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring until rice is al dente.
- Stir in the Parmesan and condimenti, spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately.
- Condimenti:
- Heat olive oil In a large, nonstick skillet. Add sausages and sauté until cooked through. Remove sausage and cover to keep warm.
- Add onion and carrot to skillet and sauté 5 minutes, until onion starts to get tender.
- Add cabbage and sauté until cabbage is limp.
- Add 1/4 cup of the chicken stock, cover and cook until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
- Uncover cabbage, add sausages and continue to cook, low heat, until needed.

Looks like a delicious recipe…love it 🙂
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