Carnaroli is a medium-grained rice grown in the Pavia, Novara and Vercelli provinces of northern Italy. Carnaroli is used for making risotto, differing from the more common arborio rice due to its higher starch content and firmer texture, as well as having a longer grain. Carnaroli rice keeps its shape better than other forms of rice during the slow cooking required for making risotto due to its higher amylose content. It is the most widely used rice in Italian cuisine, and is highly prized.
Carnaroli was developed in 1945 as a cross between Vialone Nano and Lencino.
It is often described as a “superfino” rice or as “the king of rices”