Dutch Oven Baked Risotto
This creamy baked risotto is made in the oven for a hands-free risotto recipe that doesn’t require stirring! It’s a great meatless meal, perfect for a dinner party!
Is there anything better than a warm bowl of creamy risotto? How about a creamy risotto that doesn’t require constant stirring? This Dutch Oven Risotto is baked in the oven for an easy meal!
Let’s be honest, I’m lazy. As much as I love risotto, I can’t stand spending the whole evening at the stove, stirring and stirring. So I started testing other methods for an easier risotto and I landed on this Dutch Oven Baked Risotto that is perfect.
How do you make risotto?
Risotto is traditionally made on the stovetop, using Arborio rice, broth, vegetables, and Parmesan cheese. In this version, we’ll use all those same ingredients but bake it in the oven instead. This makes it a great hands-off recipe, perfect for a dinner party! You won’t have the spend the whole evening standing at the stove.
What is the best rice for risotto?
Arborio rice is a short-grain rice that is perfect for risotto because it contains a lot of starch. That’s what helps create a creamy, rich texture, without any actual cream. Typically, stirring the rice is how we would release a lot of the starch, but simmering the risotto in the oven can achieve the same results! I like the Rice Select and Lundburg brands of arborio rice.
I know the holiday season calls for comfort food and entertaining so this no-stir risotto is an easy way to prepare dinner for a crowd without being stuck at the stove! It’s a delicious weeknight family dinner or food for a crowd!
Dutch Oven Risotto Ingredients
- Vegetable Broth– I recomend using a low sodium vegetable broth, so you can control the saltiness.
- Butter– A few tablespoons of butter help create a rich risotto.
- Onion– I used a yellow onion, but feel free to use a white onion.
- Garlic– I love the flavor the garlic adds to the base of the risotto.
- Arborio rice- This is a special, short grain rice that has a lot of starch, making it the key to risotto.
- White cooking wine– You can use any kind of white wine, but I recommend using a white cooking wine.
- Asparagus– I love the pop of color this adds to the risotto. Feel free to use peas instead of carrots!
- Parmesan cheese- This is essential to creating the creamy texture of risotto. I recommend using a block of Parmesan cheese and shredding it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents, which can result in a grainy texture.
- Lemon juice & zest— A little lemon juice brightens the overall flavor.
Substitution Suggestions
- If you can’t find arborio rice, try a unique twist on risotto by making it with farro. I call it farro risotto and while it’s not exactly the same as risotto, it’s a healthy twist on this dish!
- If you don’t have asparagus, try substituting peas instead. Canned or frozen peas will work just fine in this recipe.
- My favorite vegetarian broth is made with Edward & Son’s “Not-chicken” boullion cubes or Ocean’s Halo “no-chicken” broth. Both of this will provide a lovely flavor for this baked risotto recipe.
How to Make Risotto in the Oven
You can make risotto in the oven, which makes this dish so easy! It’s a great way to enjoy risotto, but without all the work of standing by the stovetop. Here are the step by step instructions:
- Remove the top baking rack from the oven so the Dutch oven can be positioned in the middle of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wrap the top of the Dutch oven lid in foil.
- In a small pot, heat the vegetable broth over low heat.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the butter over low-medium heat.
- Add the onion and stir until evenly coated with butter. Continue to cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rice, and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the cooking wine and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the wine is absorbed.
- Add the warmed broth, stir, and then cover with the foil-sealed lid. The foil will help trap all the moisture in the oven.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. While the risotto is in the oven, use the pot that the broth cooked in to bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the asparagus to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until the asparagus is bright green.
- Remove the asparagus from the pot and plunge into a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process so the asparagus doesn’t get soggy. Then chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- When you remove the Dutch oven, the risotto will still have a bit of broth visible in the pot. It should not be dry. Add the parmesan cheese and stir for 2-3 minutes until the risotto becomes creamy.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and asparagus and serve immediately.
There are quite a few steps in this recipe but you can prepare it from start to finish in about 45 minutes. While the risotto is cooking in the oven, you can prepare the asparagus and clean up any tools used during the preparations. Overall, this recipe comes together pretty easily!
PrintNo Stir Dutch Oven Risotto
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Risotto
Description
Craving risotto but don’t want to spend the whole evening at the stove? Try this baked Dutch oven risotto! It’s a hands-off recipe that comes together with just 15 minutes if prep! It’s perfect for dinner party!
Ingredients
- 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 ½ tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup white cooking wine
- 1 lb fresh asparagus
- 1 ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon of lemon zest
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the top baking rack from the oven so the Dutch oven can be positioned in the middle of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Wrap the top of the Dutch oven lid in foil.
- In a large pot, heat the vegetable broth over low heat.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the butter over low-medium heat.
- Add the onion and stir until evenly coated with butter. Continue to cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rice, and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the Holland House White Cooking Wine and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the wine is absorbed.
- Add the warmed broth, stir, and then cover with the foil-sealed lid. The foil will help trap all the moisture in the oven.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. While the risotto is in the oven, use the pot that the broth cooked in to bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Fill a large bowl of ice water.
- Add the asparagus to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes until the asparagus is bright green.
- Remove the asparagus from the pot and plunge into a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process so the asparagus doesn’t get soggy.
- Chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
- When you remove the Dutch oven, the risotto will still have a bit of broth visible in the pot. It should not be dry. Add the parmesan cheese and stir for 2-3 minutes until the risotto becomes creamy.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and asparagus and serve immediately.
How to Reheat Dutch Oven Risotto
If you’re reheating this risotto, you can either heat it in the Dutch oven on the stovetop or transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and reheat it in the microwave. Since risotto can thicken once it’s cooled, you may need to add a splash of broth to return it to a creamy consistency.
What to Serve with Dutch Oven Risotto
Pair this risotto with a simple salad or a side of vegetables! Try this lemon kale salad for a quick and easy side dish. If you love Brussels sprouts, try this shaved Brussels sprout salad with Parmesan and pine nuts.
What’s your favorite comfort food recipe?
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Holland House. As always, all opinions are my own!
I’ve never made risotto without the near constant stirring. Can’t wait to try this new (to me) technique!
I use Holland products all the time. (It’s so nice to not have to go to the liquor store.) This risotto sounds wonderful.
I’ve never made risotto but this looks too good to pass up!
Can I use real wine? What is the difference?
You could use a dry white wine if you like! But if you do pick up a cooking wine, I definitely recommend checking out Holland House! Rich, oaky wines can actually become bitter during cooking. Cooking wine is designed to add a savory depth of flavor to the final dish! It also tends to be cheaper than a wine you would drink. I hope that helps!
This risotto sounds so tasty. I’m adding this to our weekly meals list because everyone in the family will love this recipe.
One of my favourite things to make…. risotto. I have a blue dutch oven just like this which I use too.
Wow! Great tip about the foil between the pot and the lid! I’ve never thought of that but that’s perfect. I adore risotto – this looks like it’s creamy perfection!
I’m a huge fan of risotto but don’t make it much at home! I love that your recipe is no-stir and still looks creamy and delicious!!
This is the perfect bowl of comfort and even better that you don’t have to stand over the stove to make it. This is my kind of recipe and can’t wait to try it.
No-stir risotto? I like the sound of it coz as much as I love risotto, the stirring part is not something I enjoy doing 🙂