Risotto is not a pasta.
Instead of being a pasta, risotto is a creamy Italian dish that is made from short grain rice and pasta is made from wheat flour.
The main difference between risotto and pasta is the main ingredient which is rice for risotto and wheat flour for pasta.
Although both risotto and pasta are served as a first course in an Italian meal and both have similar flavors.
Risotto uses high starch rice, like Arborio or Carnaroli rice and pasta is made from ground wheat flour.
Risotto is also cooked by slow cooking and continuous stirring of the starchy rice that breaks down it's natural starches, which result in a creamy consistency without needing any heavy cream.
And because risotto is made with rice, risotto is also naturally gluten free, unlike pasta that contains the gluten from the wheat.
Risotto is cooked slowly in a broth and stirred to get the creamy texture and pasta is often boiled in water.
Both risotto and pasta are staples of Italian cuisine and are both starchy foods that are very filling.
And risotto and pasta use similar flavors and ingredients such as olive oil, Parmesan cheese and herbs that make them seem similar.
Risotto is also often served as a primo or first course, in Italian meals, which is the same course where pasta is often served as well.