This baked risotto recipe is so satisfyingly creamy and as hands-off as it can be! Enjoy the flavors of pancetta and peas in this hearty Italian side dish that requires much less effort than you might think.
Risotto is usually one of those dishes that you just have to feel up for making at home. We all know it can be tedious with all the stirring and hands-on effort, so it's not exactly the kind of recipe you want to embark on after work on a Tuesday evening.
Ever since seeing the light and making creamy, two-stir Instant Pot polenta, I wondered about giving risotto a similar treatment. Except not in the Instant Pot this time, but the oven. Could you really make baked risotto without the hassle of frequent stirring and an exceedingly watchful eye?
As it turns out, the answer is a big fat yes. As long as you choose the right ingredients (most notably Arborio rice), don't play loosey-goosey with measuring the liquid, and cover your pot while it bakes, you can have yourself a creamy, dreamy risotto plated up in about 60 minutes without all the babysitting.
This baked risotto recipe is fairly all-purpose in flavor and would be a great pairing for a variety of main dish proteins and flavors. I chose to add pancetta and peas to make it in the style of a thicker risi e bisi ("rice and peas" in Italian, a dish of Venetian origin). Highly recommend!
P.S. If you're interested in other less-traditional risotto preparations, you might like farrotto. Hearty farro isn't starchy like Arborio rice, but is cooked risotto-style on the stovetop and develops an excellently creamy texture from the finishing ingredients.
Why You'll Love Baked Risotto
- It's really hands-off. I don't think it's possible to be more hands-off than this recipe. Once you add the liquid, give it a stir, cover and bake, then stir again before serving. Ta-da!
- It's very creamy. Starchy Arborio rice is the key in producing thick and creamy risotto, while adding butter and cheese at the end ensures a silky, thickened texture.
- It's full of delicious, comfort food flavor. Great on its own, see the section below for several serving suggestions that take this oven-baked risotto over the top. My favorite is balsamic vinegar.
- It's versatile. Adding pancetta and peas makes for a hearty small meal or side dish on its own, but this recipe works well as a base layer for protein, such as seafood.
Recipe Ingredients
- Arborio Rice: High in starch, Arborio rice is a short-grain variety that produces that quintessential creamy risotto texture. Do not substitute with other supermarket varieties of rice.
- Pancetta: This is a fatty pork belly cut that's cured and often used as a seasoning meat in Italian dishes. Look for a package of diced pancetta in the refrigerated deli cases; while cured, this style needs to be cooked. Its closest substitute in the U.S. is bacon, though bacon has a smoky flavor that's preferred in some recipes (mushroom-heavy pasta alla boscaiola in particular), while pancetta works well when you don't want a smoky note.
- Olive Oil & Butter: Olive oil is added near the beginning of the recipe to sauté the onion and garlic, while butter is added at the end to help boost a luxe, creamy texture.
- Onion & Garlic: These cook in a combination of olive oil and fat rendered from the pancetta. Simple ingredients shine here, so it's best to use fresh garlic and not a jarred variety.
- Chicken Broth: This recipe was tested with the use of reduced-sodium chicken broth.
- Pecorino: Freshly-shredded Pecorino Romano (or Parmesan) melts into the finished risotto to provide a salty, tangy flavor while putting the finishing touches on its thick, creamy texture. If you're able to shred your own - perfect, but pre-shredded varieties found in the refrigerated deli case would be a good second option. I recommend against the shelf-stable, green-lidded canister.
- Peas: Frozen peas are rinsed under cool water briefly to thaw, then added directly to the pot of risotto at the end. They heat very quickly.
Should you rinse Arborio rice?
No, do not rinse the Arborio rice for this recipe. Rinsing rice removes starch, which is helpful for recipes in which we want the rice grains to fluff up and separate. The opposite is true for risotto, in which we want the starch to help form its creamy, sticky texture.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below the main steps of this recipe are pictured with brief descriptions. Scroll down to the recipe card to get all the details and specifics.
- Step 1: Sauté pancetta and onion in olive oil for 9 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute more.
- Step 2: Add the dry Arborio rice and toast for 4 minutes.
- Step 3: Pour in the chicken broth and water and give everything a big stir.
- Step 4: Cover and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes, or until the liquid is nearly all absorbed. Here is what it should look like at this point.
- Step 5: Stir in the cheese, peas, and butter.
- Step 6: Taste and add more salt and pepper at this point, or balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, herbs, etc. as listed below.
Ways to Serve Baked Risotto
- Condiment-grade (or otherwise good-quality) balsamic vinegar - Drizzling this into the finished dish, either in the whole pot or onto individual servings, provides a bright contrast that pulls the flavors together nicely.
- Lemon zest and/or juice - Also added at the end, these work in a similar way with a pop of acidity.
- Fresh herbs - Garnish this baked risotto with fresh basil chiffonade, parsley, thyme, tarragon, etc.
- As a base for proteins - Add a little lemon and this easy oven risotto with peas would make an excellent base for a variety of seafood, such as scallops, garlicky shrimp, etc. You can choose to omit the pancetta or leave it in.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Using a lid is important. A snug-fitting lid is important when making baked risotto to foster a steam-filled environment in the pot, which will help the rice efficiently absorb the liquid. If your pot or baking dish does not have a lid, tightly cover the top with a layer or two of aluminum foil instead.
- Pot or dish size. The Dutch oven pictured in this post has a 5.25-quart capacity and is a little roomy for this recipe. A smaller size, such as a 4.5-quart pot, would work great.
- Stirring is really not needed. The first few times I made baked risotto I chickened out and gave it a stir halfway through the cook time. Can it really be so hands-off? The answer is yes, it can. If you're still skeptical you can give it a stir halfway through without impacting the final result, but it's not necessary.
- Serving leftovers. Just like classic risotto, leftover chilled portions of this recipe are the perfect texture for risotto cakes, however reheated over low heat on the stovetop will produce a nice and creamy bowl of risotto yet again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Arborio rice will be the most commonly found variety in regular U.S. grocery stores, but Carnaroli rice is similar in nature and considered highly-prized in Italy for risotto dishes.
Yes. Omit the pancetta, use vegetable stock, and go with a vegetarian Parmesan, if this level of detail is important to you (I don't know of any vegetarian Pecorino). Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet, but there are several mainstream U.S. brands now that produce their Parmesan with vegetable- or microbial-based enzymes instead. Check the ingredient list to be sure.
Risotto will become very sticky once chilled, making it a great candidate for forming into patties and pan-frying (here's that recipe: risotto cakes). If you just want to reheat it as-is, stir a few tablespoons of broth or water into the leftover risotto before reheating over low heat on the stove or in the microwave, stirring several times throughout.
Related Recipes
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Baked Risotto with Pancetta and Peas
Ingredients
Baked Risotto:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ cups dry Arborio rice (do not rinse)
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup water or more broth
- ¾ cup finely-shredded Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter or salted
Optional for Serving:
- Good-quality balsamic vinegar
- Lemon juice and/or zest
- Chopped fresh herbs: basil, parsley, etc.
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack so that your Dutch oven or covered baking dish will be situated in the center of the oven, then preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add oil to a 4.5-quart Dutch oven (bigger is fine, see notes if you don't have one) and heat over medium heat. Add pancetta and onion and sauté for 9 minutes, stirring periodically, until softening and starting to brown. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add dry Arborio rice to the pot and toast for 4 minutes, stirring so that all of the rice gets coated in the fat and gets a chance to spend time along the hot bottom surface.
- Pour in the chicken broth, water and give everything a big stir. Place a tight-fitting lid (or layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil) on the Dutch oven and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 35 minutes, then carefully remove to a trivet. Near the end of the bake time, rinse frozen peas in a sieve under cool water until thawed.
- Stir the shredded Pecorino, peas, and butter into the risotto, then taste before adding more salt, if desired. Optional serving extras include a teaspoon or so drizzle of good-quality balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and/or zest, or fresh herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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